By Troy Ribeiro
Film: ‘A Thursday’ (Streaming on Disney+ Hotstar); Duration: 130 minutes
Director: Behzad Khambata
Cast: Yami Gautam Dhar, Atul Kulkarni, Neha Dhupia, Dimple Kapadia, Karanvir Sharma, Maya Sarao, Kalyanee Mulay, Shubhangi Latkar, Micky Makhija
IANS Rating: **1/2
‘A Thursday’ is a suspense drama showcasing a citizen’s desperate cry for justice.
The film revolves around how Naina Jaiswal (Yami Gautam Dhar), an enterprising teacher running her playschool called ‘Little Dots’ for young children in a flat belonging to her fiance Rohit Mirchandani (Karanvir Sharma), resorts to desperate measures to make her voice heard and get justice.
It’s a Thursday Naina cuts short her holiday and returns to work a day before her birthday with a motive.
After seeing off all adults from the playschool’s premise, she calls up the police station and informs them that she is holding sixteen children as hostages, and she has a few demands.
Much before the police could turn up, Naina manages to hold two more adults as hostages.One is the driver, who was assigned to bring in the cake and sandwiches for the party, and the other is Savitri, the assistant at the playschool, who had returned to pick up her phone, which she had forgotten.
The momentum of the story accelerates when a heavily pregnant and ruthless ACP, Catherine Alvares (Neha Dhupia), lands up with her team at the doorsteps of the playschool.The atmosphere is tense, with concerned parents and the media curious to know Naina’s demands.
At the very onset of the police negotiations, Naina makes it clear that she would release a child after the fulfillment of each of her demands.Her first request is to negotiate only through Alvares’ junior Javed Khan (Atul Kulkarni).
Being obstinate, Naina gets her way through with her first two demands.But as her third and subsequent demands are laid forth, we realise that she is sending out strong messages, through her personal experience, about the malaise that’s plaguing our country and about the flaws in the system.
Yami Gautam, as Naina delivers her chops earnestly.She is unimposing in her disposition which is why her character does not connect with the audience emotionally.
Neha Dhupia and Atul Kulkarni, as police personnel, play stereotypical roles.Dimple Kapadia as Prime Minister Maya Rajguru is a bit flat and muted.
She is unimpressive and not convincing as the charismatic leader who can bring about a change in the country.Coasting along on its stretched star cast and good intentions the ‘stitched-together’ plot is derivative, influenced by films like 2008 released ‘A Wednesday’ and 2016 released ‘Madaari.’The film begins on an innocuous note and hits the inciting moment immediately but gradually one notices a few cinematic liberties taken over crucial moments which makes the telling casual and unrelatable.Also, Naina’s motive, ignited by a Deux ex Machina, though making the tale plausible, does not give a strong enough reason to mount the film- thus the entire set-up appears perfunctory.
Also, most of the scenes appear like oft-seen set pieces.It is every bit as generic as it sounds.Overall, the film fails to introduce any surprise, suspense, or humour.
troy/kr
At the very beginning of the talks with the police Naina declares that she will release a child upon the completion of every one of her demands.
Her first demand is to only negotiate through Alvares younger Javed Khan (Atul Kulkarni).Being stubborn, Naina gets her way through with her first two demands.
However, as the third demand and other demands are set out and we see that she is sending powerful messages, based on her own experience, about the crisis that is afflicting our country and the shortcomings in the system.Yami Gautam, in Naina performs her lines with aplomb.
She is not intimidating in her manner, and that’s why her character isn’t able to make a connection with viewers emotionally.Neha Dhupia as well as Atul Kulkarni, who play police officers portray stereotype roles.
Dimple Kapadia’s performance as the Prime Minister Maya Rajguru appears rather bland and tinny.She is not impressive and isn’t convincing as the charismatic leader that can make a difference in the country.
Coasting with its stretched stars and positive intentions, the’stitched together’ plot is a bit stale, and being influenced by films like A Wednesday’s release in 2008 and 2016’s ‘Madaari.The film begins with a banal premise and then reaches the inciting moment immediately , but then one notices the cinematic freedoms taken at crucial times, making the story unremarkable and uninspiring.
Additionally, the motive of Naina that is ignited by the climax of a Deux ex Machina while making the story plausible, doesn’t give an adequate motive to make the film.Consequently, the entire plot appears perfunctory.Also the majority of the scenes are often-seen sets.It’s just as common as it appears.Overall the film is unable to provide any suspense, surprise or even humour.
