Crew (2024) Review!!

Synopsis – Follows three hard-working women as their destinies lead to some unwarranted situations and end up caught in a web of lies.

My Take – While last week saw Kunal Khemmu strike perfect balance between legit situational comedy and heartfelt moments, in his all praise deserving directorial debut, Madgaon Express, this weekend sees his Lootcase (2020) director Rajesh A Krishnan do almost the same, but with female sensibility and some heist works thrown in for good measure.

Backed by a talented ensemble cast, his film manages to be an incredibly entertaining watch with its fresh concept, inviting viewers into a world of laughter and camaraderie. With sharp writing and the perfect number of twists/ turns to keep the audience engaged, the heist comedy successfully manages to hit the mark.

As one would expect, the highlight of the film is the camaraderie shared between the compelling trio of Tabu, Kareena Kapoor Khan, and Kriti Sanon, each looking stunning and delivering a solid performance without overpowering the other. It’s their perfect harmony that makes this film so thoroughly enjoyable.

Sure, certain aspects of the film defy logic, the second act of the film contains loopholes, and at times even reminds one of the horrid experience that was Veere Di Wedding (2018), probably as they share the same producers in Anil Kapoor and Rhea Kapoor, yet the light-hearted approach and short run time of 118 minutes negates everything makes it a fun, sexy and thrilling watch.

The story follows in-flight supervisor Geeta Sethi (Tabu), senior flight attendant Jasmine Kohli (Kareena Kapoor Khan) and junior flight attendant Divya Rana (Kriti Sanon), who are all employed by Kohinoor Airlines and aspire for a good life. Geeta, a former beauty queen, lives happily with her husband Arun Sethi (Kapil Sharma), a home chef, hoping to open a restaurant together in Goa someday, only to be occasionally interrupted by her alcoholic brother and his wife.

Jasmine, coming from a broken home, has grown up with her maternal grand-father (Kulbhushan Kharbanda), who has always taught her the importance of building human relationships. Yet she prefers the company of luxury brands more, even going full speed ahead to fake it all for social media. Divya, a school topper, has an aspiring family to back and dote on her, but due to the failing economy, despite studying to become a pilot, ends up picking an air hostess job to cover her loans and keep the family reputation intact.

Unpaid for six months, despite the assurances the chairman Vijay Walia (Saswata Chatterjee), they continue to do their jobs half-heartedly and survive mainly on the daily expense paid during international flights, that is until, they stumble upon a golden opportunity which has them involved in mild criminal activities, and allows them to improve their life style, but puts them in cross hairs with the team of the charming custom officer Jaiveer Singh Rathore (Diljit Dosajh), who has been wooing Divya and gets taken for a ride in return.

Without a doubt, the film acts as a whiff of fresh air both in terms of its plot and the way it shows its three protagonists. They are feisty, fearless when needed, and most importantly, really fun.

Writers Nidhi Mehra and Mehul Suri keep the screenplay strong with some funny one-liners and comic punches, most of which trigger genuine laughter, even though some jokes fall flat. While the first half may seem a bit slow, the film picks up in the second half. Although there was room for more humor, the film does a fine job of entertaining the audience regardless.

Instead of just glamorizing the aviation industry, the film makes sure to highlight the reality of the airline and aviation fields. The financial struggles experienced by cabin crews are depicted well without making the scenes appear corny. The film even avoids using womanhood as a device to push out loaded statements on modern-day feminism even while portraying women as ambitious and unapologetic beings and celebrating sisterhood. The protagonists are flawed and relatable but never undesirable.

Expectedly, the biggest star of the film is the camaraderie the trio shares, their friendship and the emotional (and of course hilarious) turmoil they go through in the face difficulties.

Performance wise, Tabu continues to be a delight to watch, particularly with her innate ability to crack a joke with a straight face and to deliver the most embarrassing moments in the most elegant way. Her witty one-liners and Hyderabadi slang add to the fun.

The stunning Kareena Kapoor Khan continues to be the epitome of charm and comedic precision, effortlessly stealing the show. Despite her character being arrogant, needy, and mostly without love, she makes it likable.

Kriti Sanon, who manages to hold her own despite the experience her senior actors hold and adds an appeal that’s unmissable. In supporting roles, Diljit Dosanjh, Kapil Sharma, Saswata Chatterjee, Rajesh Sharma and Kulbhushan Kharbanda are decent. On the whole, ‘Crew’ is a lighthearted heist comedy anchored by its talented ensemble cast.