(Review) ‘Chor Nikal Ke Bhaga’: Rare multi-genre heist-revenge drama (Rating: ****)

Director

Ajay Singh
Cast

Yami Gautam, Sunny Kaushal, Sharad Kelkar, Indraneil Sengupta
Music

Vishal Mishra
Cinematography

Gianni Giannelli
Duration

110 minutes

Ajay Singh-directorial ‘Chor Nikal Ke Bhaga’ is one of the rarest films that seamlessly changes its genre from action thriller to revenge drama. The film is cleverly crafted and it’s been edited in such a kinetic style that you wouldn’t want to miss a single frame because you might miss a crucial detail.

The film starts with Sunny Kaushal as Ankit, badly beaten and bruised, being investigated by Sharad Kelkar, a RAW officer named Shaikh, as to why terrorists only beat him during a hijacking incident, in the next frame you see a bunch of hijackers getting ready for the mission, and in the frame thereafter, Ankit and Neha (Yami Gautam) spark off a romance mid-air.

Ankit, a mysterious businessman, strikes up a conversation with air-hostess Neha (Yami) and leaves nothing to chance to woo her. Neha, smitten by the charming and innocent-looking Ankit, drops her guard and falls in love.

But their happiness is short-lived because Ankit owes money to some shady people, who are after him, and now Neha as well. One day, the couple is attacked and Neha gets into trouble.

To avoid future assaults and safeguard themselves, Neha and Ankit agree to rob a diamond courier, bound from Al Asad to Delhi. The diamonds are meant for the home minister and are worth Rs 120 crore.

But mid-air, a simple robbery turns into a hijack when a bunch of radicals take everyone hostage at gunpoint and demand the release of a militant, shouting Kashmiri freedom slogans and diverting the flight from Delhi to Kullu.

Ankit is hell-bent on stealing the diamonds and eventually does so with Neha’s help, but the terrorists figure out their plan, beat up Ankit, and tie a bomb around him. During the tussle between Ankit and the terrorists, the air marshal shoots down the terrorists before the plane can land.

That is where the film changes gears: the army discovers that the bodies of the terrorists are missing and so is the air marshal who shot the terrorists. There was no hijack and no bomb, and the diamonds are missing too.

If this twist wasn’t enough, it turns out Ankit only used Neha for the diamond heist, and that he is the one who is responsible for Neha losing her child. What happens next will blow everyone’s mind, as Neha is not what she seemed and has a twisted past.

Now, what happened to the diamonds, who planned the hijack, what happened to the hijackers’ bodies, and who is the ultimate con artist taking revenge on everyone? To find out, one needs to watch the film.

The film’s story, plot, premise, performance, and execution are rock-solid; the makers and actors don’t reveal anything till the very end, which makes it worth the watch.

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