‘Crew’ stands out, film not so much

Sheetal

‘Respond with a smile at all costs’ seems to be the most important lesson instilled in flight attendants. As the leading ladies — Tabu, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Kriti Sanon — take up the role of air-hostesses, a smile or two is a constant for viewers throughout the two-hour screening. That can count for a big plus for a film that is otherwise a bumpy ride despite the smooth take-off

Writers Nidhi Mishra and Mehul Suri, the lucky mascots of producers Rhea Kapoor and Ekta Kapoor’s earlier outing ‘Veere Di Wedding’, which was also a female-lead project, have once again made it more about ‘why should boys have all the fun’. So, this time, the women gang adopts the smuggling route, only to discover that they were misled, but still manage to have the last laugh.

For ‘Lootcase’ director Rajesh A Krishnan, ‘Crew’ is a big leap for a second film. The lead actor in his previous outing, Kunal Kemmu, had his directorial debut last week, adding a refreshing touch to the comedy genre. ‘Crew’ also offers a unique story and is backed by star power. However, it misses out on being a cracking commercial film.

While the star cast aces in delivering a fun-filled entertainer that keeps you hooked, the landing is bumpy. The script tries to bring in the emotional angle as well, but the lack of intensity is off-putting.

Tabu as senior air-hostess Geeta Sethi (Sethi Ma’am) gives a convincing performance as an impatient and terrified senior employee, who is also a miser, trying to survive in the tough times as the airlines (Kohinoor) she works for is going bankrupt. Jasmine (Kareena Kapoor Khan) adds the jazz as a ‘panchvi-fail’ who is materialistic and brand-conscious.

As for the less experienced Kriti Sanon, both in real and reel life, she holds her ground and gets the best background story. Her role as Divya, bearing the pressure of being an over-achiever elder daughter and creating a web of lies to maintain that image in front of her parents, is a relatable character arc.

The producers and writers seem to have stuck their neck out in calling out ‘Bad Boy Billionaire’ Vijay Mallya, defunct Kingfisher Airlines’ owner who is accused of committing fraud and money laundering. By introducing Kohinoor Airlines’ owner as Vijay Walia, ‘Crew’ brings alive the trials and tribulations for the hundreds of employees who did not get their salaries and lost their jobs. Saswata Chatterjee as Vijay in his branded costumes and long robes and coats definitely looks the part.

Indeed, ‘teen chintiyan hathi pe bhari’ (three ants taking down an elephant) is the crux of the movie. Though Diljit Dosanjh and Kapil Sharma have limited scenes, they have the ladies’ back.

In the dialogue department, the repetitive killer punches come across as avoidable spoilers. Trust Tabu though to pull it off despite the impediments. The fight scene between Jasmine and Divya in the car, where Sethi Ma’am tells them to get out instead of ending the fight, is what Tabu has been cast for.

There are renditions of old songs — ‘Sona kitna sona hai’, ‘Choli ke peeche kya hai’ and ‘Ghagra’. These do compliment the storytelling, never mind the controversies. On whether these songs were crying for a reprised version, we will leave it for another day.

There are plenty of one-liners in the film which will make for befitting memes and references in daily conversations.

‘Crew’ promises to take you on an entertaining, fun-filled journey, but do keep in mind, it may fall short of expectations.