Chor Nikal Ke Bhaga (2023) Review!!

Synopsis – A flight attendant and her partner on a mission to steal diamonds and free themselves from the clutches of a loan shark. At 40,000 feet in the air, the heist goes horribly wrong and turns into a hostage situation.

My Take – Certain times it is best to walk into a film knowing nothing about the plot or the team behind it, as they tend to surprise you. This latest Maddock Films production presented by Netflix is one such film, which I predominately started watching as I have been a fan of Yami Gautam, ever since she graced the screens with her Hindi debut in Vicky Donor (2012).

Right off the bat, the film has a lot going for it. It is a heist film and a hijack film rolled into one, but that’s just the start, as director Ajay Singh and writers Amar Kaushik (Stree, Bhediya) and Siraj Ahmed take pleasure in drawing out the unpredictability of the plot, keeping you hooked and intrigued till the very last minute.

Minus needless diversions, and by keeping a tight control over the rein on its twists and turns of the script, here, director Ajay Singh has crafted a smart and entertaining thriller. From stellar acting performances to an engaging story line and a rewarding finale, the fusion of heist and hijack alone is a reason enough to make this film definitely binge worthy.

The story follows Neha Grover (Yami Gautam), a flight attendant, who meets and falls in love with Ankit Sethi (Sunny Kaushik), a diamonds insurer. Though their relationship starts off smoothly and remains stable even when Neha becomes pregnant, their life becomes complicated when creditors of his failed venture begin dangerously threatening them both.

Desperate to pay back and fearing for their lives, Neha and Ankit decide to steal a cache of diamonds that his current boss is stowing away on a flight to India for the home minister. Though, the couple works out a plan to imperceptibly finish the job. However, before they can fully execute it, the plane gets shockingly hijacked by a group of terrorists, sending them down a wild 24 hours.

With a runtime of 110 minutes, the film accounts for a compelling watch. The basic premise of the film is pretty exciting. Combining the aspects of heist and hijack is an interesting idea. Of course, we would have seen heist dramas and hostage thrillers separately, but the thought to mix these genres is impressive.

Here, director Ajay Singh establishes his characters and premise within 15 minutes without wasting any time, and offers a gripping tale that takes everyone on a journey 40,000 feet up in the air before bringing everything down to a shattering and satisfying climax.

There isn’t really a dull moment or a moment where you feel like the film is stretched unnecessarily. Every scene is important and every scene has some relevance. What really works for the film is that it isn’t just a diamond heist but also a revenge drama, a live story among other things. The sub-plots and the developments attached to the film is a job well done.

The last one-third of the film delivers revelations and swivels that center on individuals who string each other along. The double-crosses, which alternate between the startling and the expected, keep the film on a steady boil.

Yes, the film isn’t as technically accomplished as other aviation-based Hindi films like Neerja (2016) and Airlift (2016), but it doesn’t need to be. This is a film where the cleverness on paper somehow overrides and glosses over the flaws in execution.

Performance wise, Yami Gautam Dhar truly nails her part and shines in every frame she appears in. With a lot of layers and shades to her character, she’s confident and carries a swag which is hard to miss. Her character has a full emotional and transformational arc and the actor does justice to the same looking and giving her best.

Sunny Kaushal has a more controlled portrayal and brings a rakish charm that is a perfect fit for a character who pushes his luck too far after he has dug a huge hole for himself. There is a subtle menacing quality about him which he works for his character and the mystery attached to it. The actor does a good job with the same while underplaying on many levels. In supporting roles, Sharad Kelkar, Indraneil Sengupta and Barun Chanda leave a good impact. On the whole, ‘Chor Nikal Ke Bhaga’ is a thrilling hostage drama backed by a taut screenplay and superb performances.