REVIEW AND OVERVIEW
IMDB RATINGS : 7.1/10
DIRECTER : HANSHAL MEHTA & SHAAILESH R SINGH
RELEASE DATE : 22 MARCH 2024
GENRES : ACTION, CRIME
LANGUAGE : HINDI
MOVIE QUALITY : 720p HD
FILE SIZE : 2.11 GB
Story And Summary
A ship carrying precious cargo is hijacked in the Somalian waters leading to bloody consequences.
Having inherited his father-in-law’s thriving business, Vikrant Gandhi (Vivek Gomber) has become the undisputed don of Somalia. But there is a simmering discontent brewing against him and his fate is about to change, forever. At the heart of the matter are the upcoming elections for the Somalian port and a precious cargo on a Ukrainian vessel that has been hijacked. It has an Indian crew onboard that is now in the crosshairs of Vikrant’s desperate plan to retrieve his five million dollar worth of consignment among many other complications.
Hansal Mehta, known for gripping series such as ‘Scam 1992’ and ‘Scam 2003 - The Telgi Story’ is the showrunner while his son Jai is the captain of the ship. Like the Scam series, this one also features an unlikely hero in Vikrant, who is way too ambitious and reckless. His unbridled greed for power and money fuels the narrative. But this time, it’s very hard to empathise with this protagonist because his actions are the root cause for so much bloodbath.
From the very first episode, ‘Lootere’ sets itself apart for its choice of two very distinct backdrops - Somalia and a cargo ship in the middle of an ocean. It’s thrilling, unpredictable and exciting from the word go. And the screenplay moves forward with fast paced developments in the first two episodes setting the stage for a gripping hijack drama. Some of the scenes onboard the ship are reminiscent of Tom Hanks’ 2013 blockbuster hijack drama ‘Captain Phillips’.
But unlike ‘Captain Phillips’, this one does get a bit slow and repetitive, as the internal conflict between the Somalian pirates, Vikrant’s messy dealings with his dreadful frenemies and the torture of the crew goes on and on throughout the show’s long-winding episodes. But there are also far too many spikes of adrenaline pumping scenes with a lot of action on and off the ship. It’s a violent, brutal and bloodsoaked screenplay, not for the faint-hearted. The writers (multiple credits) had a chance here to deep dive into the reasons for Somalia’s extremely volatile socio-economic environment, but they play on it superficially purely to generate drama and violence.
Vivek Gomber stands out as Vikrant Gandhi - a recklessly confident character that is created with finesse and indulgence. This bad boy demands your attention and whether you like him or hate him, you cannot ignore him. That’s mainly because Gomber makes it his own. Sadly, his character is bogged down by its own vulnerability, which includes his wife Avi (Amruta Khanvilkar) and his son, who only add to the runtime and needless confusion in an already busy screenplay teeming with too many characters. Their chemistry and reasons are inexplicable. What really pushes the show forward is its adrenaline pumping action onboard the ship and in the dusty bylanes of Somalia deftly captured by Jall Cowasji. Rajat Kapoor plays his character of the ship’s captain with restraint and finesse. Aamir Ali also makes his presence felt in a limited but effective role. Chandan Roy Sanyal is excellent as a spoilt rich womaniser, whose position of power shifts quickly and unpredictably. The Somalian actors deliver efficiently and consistently. Martial Batchamen Tchana is outstanding as the Pirate leader Barkhad.
The loud and boisterous background score often undercut the seriousness of the scenes. That could have been toned down, much like an episode or two. . Nevertheless, 'Lootere' remains buoyed by its thrilling narrative and engaging performances, sailing through turbulent waters to deliver ample entertainment and intrigue to its audience.
Hansal Mehta, known for gripping series such as ‘Scam 1992’ and ‘Scam 2003 - The Telgi Story’ is the showrunner while his son Jai is the captain of the ship. Like the Scam series, this one also features an unlikely hero in Vikrant, who is way too ambitious and reckless. His unbridled greed for power and money fuels the narrative. But this time, it’s very hard to empathise with this protagonist because his actions are the root cause for so much bloodbath.
From the very first episode, ‘Lootere’ sets itself apart for its choice of two very distinct backdrops - Somalia and a cargo ship in the middle of an ocean. It’s thrilling, unpredictable and exciting from the word go. And the screenplay moves forward with fast paced developments in the first two episodes setting the stage for a gripping hijack drama. Some of the scenes onboard the ship are reminiscent of Tom Hanks’ 2013 blockbuster hijack drama ‘Captain Phillips’.
But unlike ‘Captain Phillips’, this one does get a bit slow and repetitive, as the internal conflict between the Somalian pirates, Vikrant’s messy dealings with his dreadful frenemies and the torture of the crew goes on and on throughout the show’s long-winding episodes. But there are also far too many spikes of adrenaline pumping scenes with a lot of action on and off the ship. It’s a violent, brutal and bloodsoaked screenplay, not for the faint-hearted. The writers (multiple credits) had a chance here to deep dive into the reasons for Somalia’s extremely volatile socio-economic environment, but they play on it superficially purely to generate drama and violence.
Vivek Gomber stands out as Vikrant Gandhi - a recklessly confident character that is created with finesse and indulgence. This bad boy demands your attention and whether you like him or hate him, you cannot ignore him. That’s mainly because Gomber makes it his own. Sadly, his character is bogged down by its own vulnerability, which includes his wife Avi (Amruta Khanvilkar) and his son, who only add to the runtime and needless confusion in an already busy screenplay teeming with too many characters. Their chemistry and reasons are inexplicable. What really pushes the show forward is its adrenaline pumping action onboard the ship and in the dusty bylanes of Somalia deftly captured by Jall Cowasji. Rajat Kapoor plays his character of the ship’s captain with restraint and finesse. Aamir Ali also makes his presence felt in a limited but effective role. Chandan Roy Sanyal is excellent as a spoilt rich womaniser, whose position of power shifts quickly and unpredictably. The Somalian actors deliver efficiently and consistently. Martial Batchamen Tchana is outstanding as the Pirate leader Barkhad.
The loud and boisterous background score often undercut the seriousness of the scenes. That could have been toned down, much like an episode or two. . Nevertheless, 'Lootere' remains buoyed by its thrilling narrative and engaging performances, sailing through turbulent waters to deliver ample entertainment and intrigue to its audience.
