Despite the implausible heist portions of the second half, Rajesh A Krishnan delivers a fun movie aided by the trio.
Kareena Kapoor Khan, Kriti Sanon, and Tabu in director Rajesh Krishnan's 'Crew'. (X)
The number of movies with well-known female actors playing buddies can be counted on fingers, particularly in mainstream Hindi cinema.
Sure, there have been the likes of Parched (2015) and Dhak Dhak (2023). Both movies celebrated sisterhood in their own way. But, as far as mainstream cinema goes, male bonding has always been more in number.
Rhea Kapoor went against the tide when she produced Veere Di Wedding (2018), starring Kareena Kapoor Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Swara Bhaskar, and Shikha Talsania.
Veere Di Wedding had its problems in terms of storytelling. But it still did strike a chord with the target audiences.
And now, Rhea Kapoor is back with another female buddy film starring actors from different schools of acting — Tabu, Kareena Kapoor Khan, and Kriti Sanon.
Writers Nidhi Mehra and Mehul Suri have taken inspiration from the real Kingfisher Airlines and the fugitive Vijay Mallya.
Nidhi Mehra and Mehul Suri along with Rajesh A Krishnan have combined elements of heist and comedy and have made a movie that engages the viewers for the most part.
Tabu in ‘Crew’. (X)
The story of Crew is about three air hostesses — Geetha Sethi (Tabu), Jasmine (Kareena Kapoor Khan), and Divya Rana (Kriti Sanon).
On the surface, the three appear to be leading a glamorous life, but in reality, they struggle to keep themselves afloat.
For example, Geetha wants to use her provident fund to start her own business with her husband (Kapil Sharma), while Jessica is looking for someone to fund her start-up.
On the other hand, Divya has loans to repay. Additionally, she has given a picture of being a pilot to her parents when she actually is an air hostess.
The three work for Kohinoor Airlines, which is on the verge of bankruptcy. They have been facing a salary crisis for the last six months.
Crew begins with three of them being detained on suspicion of smuggling gold, but that is only a part of the movie.
In simple terms, the story of Crew is about how the trio is pushed to a corner and takes a route that isn’t ethically right to survive.
The film also gets into a heist mode in the later half when the three decide to take revenge on the fictional Vijay Mallya when he flees from the country.
Kriti Sanon in ‘Crew’. (X)
For a film of this nature, the female actors must have a crackling chemistry and a genuine sense of sisterhood.
Fortunately, both the sisterhood and the chemistry are very much on point.
The jokes, the fights, and the eventual patch-up feel authentic.
Rajesh A Krishnan also deserves credit for never getting into a judgmental mode about the things the trio do.
All three come with their share of flaws, and this makes the movie more endearing.
The brilliant performances, particularly of Kareena Kapoor Khan and Tabu, make Crew hugely enjoyable.
After an intense performance in last year’s Jaane Jaan, Kareena lets her hair down in a complete contrast role.
Her Jasmine is a hustler who is unapologetically greedy and doesn’t mind showing off. However, there is also a deep loneliness.
Kareena does a terrific job of portraying the different facets of Jasmine.
Tabu’s Geetha is someone who is torn between her responsibilities and desires. The accomplished actor is her usual brilliant self. Some of her comic exchanges with Kareena are an absolute riot.
The two also have a delightful action scene in a private jet.
Kriti Sanon is fairly good and holds her own, particularly in the scenes portraying Divya’s moral dilemmas.
Kareena Kapoor Khan in ‘Crew’. (X)
Despite their limited screen time, the male characters are also fun to watch. The husband and wife scenes between Kapil Sharma and Tabu have a lot of warmth.
The same applies to Diljit Dosanjh as Jasveer. The actor is his usual charming self and the way he flirts with Divya is adorable.
The viewers feel bad for Jasveer when Divvya deceives him for her needs.
Khulbhushan Kharbanda is Jasmine’s grandfather and an important pillar of support.
Again, the scenes they share are few. But still, Khulbhushan Kharbanda makes for an adorable grandfather.
A couple of aspects come across as stumbling blocks in Crew. One is the heist portions, which border on being quite silly.
The landing portions of the film could have been done with better writing.
Also, the styling of the characters in some scenes leaves a lot to be desired.
They come across as too stylish, which doesn’t gel with the protagonists’ backgrounds.
Keeping aside these small niggles, Crew is a breath of fresh air in many ways. It is a definite respite from the regular propaganda and the mass-heavy films we have been seeing in Hindi cinema of late.
(Views expressed here are personal.)
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