Yami steals the show, Sunny struggles in this tricky hijack-hostage drama
The benchmark that Sonam Kapoor Ahuja-starrer Neerja (2016) set for a hijack drama is rather high. Whenever I watch a hijackhostage film, I can’t help but compare. Chor Nikal Ke Bhaga, starring Yami Gautam Dhar and Sunny Kaushal, is no different; you do end up drawing comparisons. The Ajay Singh directorial may not be too high on content, but it definitely keeps you hooked. It is packed with quite a few elements of a typical commercial Hindi movie — the hero fights the bad guys, the girl is heartbroken, the cop is clever and knows it all but can’t beat the protagonist, the supporting cast vanishes once their role is over. There are some easy giveaways. But when the actual story unfolds, you are taken by surprise and thankfully, it’s not a case of ‘too little too late’.
The heist thriller begins with Ankit Sethi (Kaushal) — with a broken nose — being questioned by cops about the flight that was hijacked. Then, flight attendant Neha Grover (Dhar) recalls her first meeting with Ankit and gets flashbacks of how they instantly clicked over a conversation about an in-flight meal. What follows next is the usual boy-stalks-girl, pursues her, ends up on a date and finally falls in love plot. On learning that Ankit has to repay a debt of ₹20 crore, the couple plans to steal diamonds worth ₹120 crore being smuggled on a flight, but things go south when the plane gets hijacked. How do they deal with this? Do they manage to steal the diamonds, or is there more to their plan that even they don’t know of?
At a little less than two hours, Chor Nikal Ke Bhaga doesn’t seem lengthy or stretched. It moves at a fast pace, with events unfolding one after the other. It’s only after the film, when you start dissecting it, that you realise there were actually too many questions left unanswered. Nevertheless, I liked how Singh captured the tension aboard when fliers are in a state of panic. There are three people credited for the writing — Shiraz Ahmed, Amar Kaushik and Raj Kumar Gupta — but you never feel that high or punch in any of the lines. Even if the actors are doing a good job, their dialogues are just passable. I do wish the writing was better. But despite its flaws, the film manages to keep the thrill quotient high. Places where the writing falters, Singh’s clever direction takes over and you overlook the loose ends. Gianni Giannelli’s cinematography is intense, while Charu Thakkar ensures crisp editing.
As for the performances, Dhar shines in every frame. With a lot of layers to her character, she’s confident and exudes swag that’s hard to miss. In vulnerable scenes, her emotions look real and controlled, while in parts where she dons a sassy avatar, she looks equally convincing. Kaushal compliments her well. But, in his standalone performance, he’s just about good; not great. He still has a lot to work on in terms of his screen presence. Their on-screen romance may have played a crucial role in taking the story forward, but don’t expect any crackling chemistry.
Indraneil Sengupta as flight marshal Sudhanshu Roy could have had so much more to offer to the script. He does his bit in whatever little screen time he gets, but his part is the most halfbaked. Sharad Kelkar as RAW deputy Shaikh is, as always, a delight to watch. That gravitas in his voice and the ease with which he plays his part is once again onpoint. I wish makers kept more of him in the film, especially when he is questioning the passengers and staff after the hijack.
Chor Nikal Ke Bhaga keeps you glued to your screen and ends with a climax that you probably saw coming, but the way it turns out is interesting. All in all, it is a one-time watch.