A NEW CREW TAKES OFF

‘Crew’ allows its women to be women, not just ‘smashers of patriarchy’

SWERVING OFF FROM the presumed requisites of mainstream cinema, the recently-released Crew put three women actors — Tabu, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Kriti Sanon — at the centre of a heist comedy. Such a movie should not be seen as an aberration. Yet, it is. The industry has yet to warm up to the idea of women actors, even the A-listers, headlining commercial projects and is quick to question their ability to pull crowds to the theatres. It is a big deal, then, that the Crew’s leading ladies are assigned to do the heavy lifting in an entertainer that is both silly and subversive. Crew’s charm lies in its ability to take itself lightly. There is no grandstanding and throughout, the film maintains a breezy tone. Even though several recent films, such as Sukhee (2023) and Dhak Dhak (2023), have tried to bring feminist ideas to the fore or let women characters take centre stage, there is a tendency to blare out criticism of patriarchy, at times quite literally. In Thank You For Coming (2023) — the previous theatrical outing of co-producers of Crew, Ektaa Kapoor and Rhea Kapoor — the protagonist stands before a packed auditorium and proclaims that she is not ashamed of her desire and actions. She starts shouting “smash patriarchy” into the microphone, inspiring several others present in the auditorium to follow suit. The intention behind this scene might have been to deliver a message loud and clear, but such methods are not always effective. A gentler form of messaging could be more effective.

For instance, Laapataa Ladies’s Manju Maai, an elderly tea stall owner, not only provides shelter to the lost bride Phool but also nudges her to be her own person. The golden rule of “show, don’t tell” can be adopted by filmmakers too. In Sherni (2021), the lead character, a forest officer played by Vidya Balan, displays great fortitude. In Darlings (2022), what stands out is the resilience of the characters essayed by Alia Bhat and Shefali Shah.

Making a departure from the trajectory that women characters often follow, Crew’s leading characters don't need to come of age or discover self-love. They are independent and ambitious. They are down, after not getting a salary for six months, but never out. All that these working women want is money to support their professional dreams. Without depending on a male saviour, they find a way out of their misery. They end up creating a mess which they eventually sort out themselves. They enjoy a smoke or splurging on champagne, and at no point do they feel the need to bash men or behave like men. They are unapologetic about wanting to live queen-size without getting bogged down by moral dilemmas. They fight, they make up. They remain true to the sisterhood that they have formed over several flights spent serving passengers and ranting about their financial woes. Their chemistry is crackling and their performances propel the narrative even when the pace of the plot slackens. The sharp comic timing of Kapoor Khan and Tabu comes to the film’s rescue when the proceedings turn outlandish.

The result: With its weekend box-office collections worldwide registering Rs 104.08 crore, Crew has emerged as the fifth highestgrossing Hindi film of the year, so far. Indian cinema has been trying to step away from the archaic women-pitted-against-women formula for a while now. This movie furthers that effort. The grandfather of Kapoor Khan’s character worries about her single status and advises her to find companions who would make her life better. She does find them — in her co-workers-turned-friends, who even join hands with her to smuggle gold. The men, especially Diljit Dosanjh, who plays Sanon’s love interest, and Kapil Sharma, who appears as Tabu’s husband, are exemplary “green flags”. They don't enjoy as much screen time as the leading ladies do. But they come across as the kind of cheerleaders that women dream of having.

Notwithstanding the stardom that both Dosanjh and Sharma enjoy, they play second fiddle to this energetic trio, who carry out a mid-air heist with as much panache as they groove to ‘Choli ke peeche kya hai’. This crew should pave the way for more fascinating female characters who are sugar, spice, and not necessarily everything nice.

alaka.sahani@expressindia.com

The grandfather of Kapoor Khan’s character worries about her single status and advises her to find companions who would make her life better. She does find them — in her coworkers-turned-friends, who even join hands with her to smuggle gold.