Cast: Deepak Dobriyal, Priya Bathija, Anshul Kataria, Jagat Rawat, Anurag Arora
Director: K Rajesh
Originality is a badly needed virtue in the Hindi film industry, thus whenever a film with a unique concept hits the screens, it immediately wins the brownie points. Director K Rajesh's absolutely clean comedy assures the audience in the beginning only that it is going to offer at least what was promised in the nicely edited trailers if not more.
You can call 'Chor Chor Super Chor' a story which takes a peek into the lives of some petty thieves of Delhi but competent actors make it a satire on the indomitable urges of the lower middle class. The film would have been reduced to another 'attempted' comedy based on the Delhi underbelly in absence of such technically refined actors. Surprisingly, the film evokes laughter without using typical North Indian slang which have become ubiquitous in Delhi based films.
The basic storyline revolves around Satbir (Deepak Dobriyal) and his 'innocent' love interest Neena (Priya Bathija) but this is just the envelope as the real drama begins to unfold after the introduction of secondary characters. They are so nuanced that the love angle takes the backseat after some scenes and the gripping concept starts to engage the audience.
The writers deserve applause as they have come up with a really quirky screenplay which thrives on its pace and chemistry among the actors. Ex-thief Satbir, baffled by Neena's charm, agrees to show her the world of thieves, only to discover that the circumstances are no longer favourable for him to keep his calm intact. In such a volatile moment, he decides to wear his thinking cap and shakes hand with old friends who are in immediate danger. Trust me, I am dying to tell you what happens afterwards but that would hamper your interest in the film, basically the turns and twists are capable enough of keeping you glued to the seat for close to 120 minutes.
Acting emerges as the backbone of 'Chor Chor Super Chor' but it can also boast of an exclusive idea. The whole set-up is a never-seen-before affair, and the plots are weaved together with utmost care and smartness. Of course, there are glitches but seldom do they obstruct the flow because the tempo has been maintained throughout the film by K Rajesh.
Deepak Dobriyal is at his best. So far, the spectators have mostly seen him in roles that were predominantly dark but he is more convincing as a traditionally good-hearted guy. His emotional transitions are swift and he lets the other actor take advantage of the situation, a rare feat to achieve for any guy who plays 'hero'. Priya Bathija appears a bit conscious initially but slowly gains the confidence and comes into the groove towards the end. From Anshul Kataria (Ronny) to Shukla Jee (Avtar Sahani) to Inspector Saab (Anurag Arora), everybody has contributed in the best possible manner but one person who stands out is Jagat Rawat (Amol). Rawat's portrayal of a jealous, tactical and ambitious gang leader is praise worthy.
The one thing which seems out of sync is the song that comes right before the semi-climax. Though the storyteller has tried to incorporate it with costumes and other essential drama elements but somehow it doesn't fit into the bill. It's probably the only sequence where the director has taken a conventional approach to demonstrate love as a highly rated dramatic element in an otherwise simple life.
Scenes and dialogues are rarely over-stylised, in fact, the scene where Satbir scolds Neena for her mistake, is so subtle that it becomes an event of our daily lives and this in turn provides the connect between the characters and the viewers.
The length of the film is an added advantage but it could still have been shorter by 10 minutes. The cinematographer has done a good thing by keeping the popular Delhi monuments out of frame as it gives a sense of claustrophobic space in which the characters operate.
'Chor Chor Super Chor' is an intelligent film which has all the ingredients of a sleeper hit. It's a fantastic watch this weekend for its quirky narrative. You can pick 'Chor Chor Super Chor' for its jovial moments.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.####
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