The Crew Movie Review | Filmfare.com

review rating:



3.5/5

Tabu, Kareena Kapoor and Kriti Sanon, along with Crew, are totally breaking stereotypes. It's a real roller coaster ride. Geeta Sethi, played by Tabu, Jasmine Bajwa, played by Kareena Kapoor Khan, and Divya Rana, played by Kriti Sanon, are crew members working for Kohinoor Airlines. The airline is a thinly veiled representation of the defunct Kingfisher Airlines. The chairman of Kohinoor Airlines, played by Saswata Chatterjee, clearly refers to the famous billionaire Vijay Mallya, known for his escapades. The film's writers, Nidhi Mehra and Mehul Suri, make no effort to hide this connection, naming their character Vijay Walia, who runs away, declares bankruptcy and leaves thousands of employees stranded.

Geeta, along with her husband Arun Sethi, played by Kapil Sharma, runs a cloud kitchen on the side and the duo dreams of owning their own restaurant in Goa. Jasmine embodies the perpetual desire to know more, she is happy to pose with an LV bag or a BMW, even when she doesn't own them. She dreams of opening her own beauty products business, but does not have the means to finance it. She is the apple of her beloved grandfather's (Kulbhushan Kharbanda) eye. Divya Rana from Haryana, as she is affectionately called by the smitten customs officer Jaiveer (Diljit Dosanjh), is actually a trained pilot, who became an air hostess because she couldn't land a pilot's job and is still paying off his student loan.

They all have their motivations to pull off a gold heist. Destiny leads them to a corrupt airline officer (Rajesh Sharma), who hires them to smuggle gold to Al Burj. Only when they begin to question why gold is being smuggled into the Gulf and not the other way around, do they understand that they are actually helping their own capitals launder their wealth abroad. Their consciences flare, they plan a Mission Impossible heist for the sake of justice.

Director Rajesh Krishnan has woven a comedy that celebrates the power of women. It makes you think while entertaining. Geeta, Jasmine and Divya here are not one-dimensional but multi-faceted, facing the same life and career challenges as the women around you. They are best friends for life, leaning on each other for emotional support and much more. They need men but also cherish the bond they share as friends. Friendship, which transcends ages, is non-judgmental and forgiving. They know their faults but also their strengths. It's fun to spy on their engaging banter. Their conversations make you feel like you're listening to three women speaking from their hearts, rather than pompous dialogue.

The film has a fabulous, easy first half and flies by without turbulence. It's the second half that encounters patchy weather and the landing is a bit bumpy, nevertheless, they manage to land the plane and give you a pleasant flight in the process. This isn't strictly a heist film. It's a film about female friendships and taking life head on. The camaraderie between the three stars is extraordinary. We can see that there were no ego issues on the sets and that the three really enjoyed working together. Kareena uses her comedic genius to the fullest and her expressions and lines make you laugh to the fullest. Tabu has a better emotional arc in the film than the others and navigates it like the seasoned actress she is. Her scenes with Kapil Sharma seem like a glimpse of an average middle-aged, middle-class couple. They don't have much but they have love and that's enough. Kriti Sanon plays with some big hitters but didn't get overwhelmed by the company. She shines in the presence of the main actors, plays them well and thus brings her A-game to the film. Her romantic scenes with Diljit, though brief, carry a spark.

The men in the film, whether Diljit Dosanjh, Kapil Sharma, Rajesh Sharma or even Saswata Chatterjee, know that, for once, the spotlight is not on them and are voluntarily taking a step back. We surely need more such confident male co-stars.

Watch the film for the laughs and powerful message about female friendships. As for the acting skills displayed by Tabu, Kareena Kapoor and Kriti Sanon.

Trailer: Crew