Crew Movie Review: Tabu, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Kriti Sanon pull off a fun heist

Crew Movie Review: Producers Rhea Kapoor and Ekta Kapoor have created an interesting genre of chick flicks in an industry dominated by machismo and male bonding. And thank god for that! Because we all know how deprived we are of seeing female bonding on screen. In director, Rajesh Krishnan's Crew, backed by Kapoor and Kapoor, friendships made at the workplace are celebrated even as a heist comedy takes place in the forefront. Three women, from diverse backgrounds, end up working together for an airline company that is on the verge of filing for bankruptcy. Circumstances lead them to do unlawful things, but the three- Tabu, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Kriti Sanon- ensure they have their fair share of fun while committing a crime. The result is a funny, situational comedy which is an easy, breezy ride with great performances.

Crew Movie Review

I got a sense that the three leading ladies had a lot of fun while making Crew because it translated well on screen. We know that Tabu is impeccable at her craft and has proved her comic timing in previous films (I instantly remembered Biwi No 1), Kareena Kapoor Khan with big expressive eyes has always commanded a lot of attention on screen with her screen presence, but Kirti Sanon too manages to hold her own while sharing screen space with two terrific actors. They play characters who end up becoming each other's friends, and the camaraderie and growing bond are well depicted in the film.

What is the story of Crew Movie?

Geeta (Tabu), Jessica (Kareena) and Divya (Kriti) are flight attendants for Kohinoor Airlines - which is on the verge of bankruptcy. Salaries haven't been credited into their accounts in the last 6 months and the three are struggling to make ends meet in their respective lives. Geeta wants to take her Provident Fund and start a business in Goa with her husband (Kapil Sharma), Jessica wants the good life and funding for her start-up, and Divya wants to pay off her loans on time. On duty on a flight to the Middle East, the three are deboarded by customs on the pretext of investigating a supervisor's death and seizing smuggled gold. Have the three actually smuggled gold out of India? If so how?

Stuck in unusual circumstances, the three plan the greatest heistthat involves fleecing the owner of Kohinoor and taking back what belongs to them.

The writing

Since it is a heist comedy within the realm of a commercial film, the comedy may seem over the top at times. Written by Nidhi Mehra and Mehul Suri, the film's screenplay has some relatable but crackling dialogues that uplift some of the most ordinary scenes. The best lines of course are reserved for Tabu who delivers them in her unique deadpan style.

The cast

At regular intervals, Tabu and Kareena especially ham through their parts- but surprisingly it works well with the screenplay. It's funny how Tabu does a brilliant balancing act- at one point goingall out and hams, but in the next scene, it's her deadpan expression that makes you chuckle. Kareena looks stunning throughout the film and plays Jessica, a street-smart girl who knows how to get away with a lot of things. She brings the right amount of confidence that a slightly selfish girl like Jessica needs.

Kriti plays the diligent, slightly unsure Divya Rana to the hilt. A girl who has been a topper all her life, it has taken her a lot to swallow her pride and take up a job as an air hostess, and with no salary, her dreams of giving her family and herself a comfortable life are at stake.

The three lead actresses share great onscreen chemistry and are well-cast. All from different age groups, all dealing with some very relatable problems at their age. A woman in her early 50s is planning to withdraw all her Provident Fund and retire in Goa with her husband, a single mother is struggling to pay off the school fees of her child and juggling a highly demanding job, an overweight air hostess fears being grounded, and a diligent straight A student wants to give the comforts to her loved ones she had always dreamt off.

The men too are cast well. Diljit Dosanjh plays the smitten custom officer and an old flame of Sanon's character. Saswata Chatterjee plays Vijay Walia - fashioned around Vijay Mallya - but is definitely funnier, and Rajesh Sharma as Mittal, the head of HR at Kohinoor. There are also Kapil Sharma and Kulbhushan Kharbanda in cameos. The men are in the background, never overstepping the leads in any way.

The flaws

The film's first half is an easy ride and enjoyable, but the jokes don't always land in the second half. The pace though picks up at the climax- which is silly and very predictable. Much like the characters, the writing and the plot aren't foolproof and the obvious loopholes are visible.

Since it's a Rhea Kapoor film (she is the top stylist in Bollywood), the film sprawls out as a lookbook for what's trending. Even when the employees are struggling to make ends meet individually, they always look impeccable and very stylish. That's perhaps the most non-middle-class thing in a film that harps about the troubles of being a middle-class.

Final verdict about Crew

I still enjoyed Crew a lot. Some dialogues hit home- about loneliness, expectation management, and being overtly competent in a thankless job- and there is much to take away from the film. Above all, I am here to cheer for an all-woman heist film - which is a first in Bollywood. The girls get to have fun on screen and that's what matters, no?