Chura Liyaa Hai Tumne Review {2/5} & Review Rating
Pantaloon Rave's CHURA LIYAA HAI TUMNE, directed by Sangeeth Sivan, is a thriller with several engrossing moments. But what could've been an ideal popcorn flick, falls prey to mediocrity thanks to its hackneyed screenplay.
Vijay [Zayed Khan] meets Tina [Esha Deol] in Goa, where a romance develops between the two. One morning, Tina is summoned to Bangkok, Thailand, where she is told that her uncle has been killed in an accident. Vijay follows her there and offers to help.
Tina is called to the Indian embassy in Bangkok and warned by Deepak Chopra [Salil Ankola], the official there, that her late uncle was wanted in India for a Rs. 10 crore heist. The rest of his gang is also in Bangkok to get the money.
Then three of her late uncle's accomplices � Om [Gulshan Grover], Sheena [Rakhi Sawant] and Chingaar [Vijay Raaz] � begin to harass her. Tina looks to Vijay for help. At this point, Tina discovers that Vijay is not what he seems and on confrontation, he confesses that his name actually is Prakash Yogi and that he is the brother of a fourth accomplice of her uncle.
Tina is now caught in a ring of suspense as she is followed by the shadowy trio, all after the money, believing that Tina holds the key to the fortune, although she really knows next to nothing of the heist.
Tina doesn't know where to turn to as two of the shadowy trio, Chingaar and Sheena, show up dead and the mystery deepens�
When you've a star-son making his debut, the expectations multiply manifold. Although the film has its share of plusses and minuses, one person who leaves quite an impression at the end of the show is Zayed Khan.
Inspired by the 1963 flick CHARADE [Cary Grant � Audrey Hepburn], CHURA LIYAA HAI TUMNE entertains, but in parts. First, the high points �
* The film has an interesting storyline. A thrilling plot that offers ample elements to keep you guessing about what's going to happen next.
* Two, the film moves at a feverish pace, not giving you time to think or blink an eyelid. Despite the shortcomings, the narrative does manage to arrest your attention intermittently.
* Three, the second part � mainly the climax � uplifts the film to a major extent. The suspense in the climax catches you unaware and the concluding reels are simply electrifying. In fact, the climax changes the graph of the film completely.
And now for some shortcomings �
[i] Although the story is interesting, the narrative loses its grip at regular intervals, mainly in the first half. In fact, the narrative needs to be trimmed for a stronger impact.
[ii] The romance between Zayed and Esha is underdeveloped. In fact, the romantic moments are hardly there.
[iii] From the script point of view [Venita Coelho], Zayed's characterization tends to confuse the viewer. The Yogi track, then Yogi's brother track sends out confusing signals. That should've been simplified for the average cinegoer to decipher.
[iv] Zayed himself revealing his true intentions to the gang and then Gulshan Grover spilling the beans much before the interval point, takes the fizz out of Zayed's character. Zayed's chameleon-like personality should've remained a mystery right till the intermission. That would've shocked the viewer.
Director Sangeeth Sivan has handled a few sequences with dexterity. The sequences involving the villains � especially when they start suspecting each other � has been handled with flourish. Ditto for the climax, which merges form [technique] and content beautifully. But the film lacks the chills so essential in a story like this. Also, the placement of songs is improper, with a few songs acting as speed breakers in the narrative.
Himesh Reshammiya's music is of a mixed variety. Although 'Mirchi' and the title track are the pick of the lot, a couple of numbers are plain average. The background score is effective. Cinematography [T. Ramji] is first-rate. The locales of Bangkok and Pattaya [Thailand] are a visual treat. The stunts [Sham Kaushal] are fantastic towards the finale. The technique used for the stunts adds to the impact.
Zayed Khan rises to the expectations and delivers a performance that takes you by surprise. Despite CHURA LIYAA HAI TUMNE being his debut film, Zayed does not show any signs of camera fright. He delivers the right expressions, so essential for a newcomer to register an impression. He is a decent dancer, but excels in action sequences.
As far as his appearance is concerned, Zayed needs to undergo a major personality change � he needs to put on weight, stop sporting glares in almost every second frame and of course, he desperately needs a haircut.
Esha Deol is alright, although she does impress in a few scenes here and there. Gulshan Grover is competent. Vijay Raaz has an equally menacing get-up and he does very well. Rakhi Sawant radiates oomph and comes across as a talented performer. Salil Ankola registers a strong impact in a small, but significant role.
On the whole, CHURA LIYAA HAI TUMNE has its share of plus points. But the World Cup finale on Sunday as well as the big oppositions in the coming weeks may curtail its prospects. However, the film may find some flavour with the youth mainly due to Zayed's performance, a couple of good songs and vibrant action.