Sarit Ray's review: Chor Chor Super Chor

Indie cinema must compete by sheer dint of ideas. Lead actor Deepak Dobriyal is a powerful actor and convincing as the ‘super chor’. Yet, as far as ideas go, they are just about as novel here as the film’s title. Sarit Ray writes.

Chor Chor Super Chor
Direction: Rajesh K
Cast: Deepak Dobriyal, Priya Bhatija, Anshul Kataria, Anurag Arora
Rating: **

Director-Rajesh-K-has-helmed-this-project-where-starring-Deepak-Dobriyal-in-the-lead-role

Commercial masala films bring star-studded casts, gravity-defying fights and glossy romances to the table. Indie cinema must compete by sheer dint of ideas. Lead actor Deepak Dobriyal is a powerful actor and convincing as the ‘super chor’. Yet, as far as ideas go, they are just about as novel here as the film’s title.

The canvas (once again) is Delhi, its narrow lanes juxtaposed against its glossier malls and metro stations. Yet, this story of petty criminals could have played out anywhere. ‘Beware of pickpockets’ is a warning to heed even on Mumbai’s local trains and Kolkata’s rickety buses.

Satbir (Dobriyal) is a conman who wants out. He’s a romantic, and hopelessly in love with a girl who’s out of his league (TV actor Priya Bhatija as Neena). That apart, we know little about him. What are his motivations? What led him to the profession? The film glosses over such things. There are no back stories or insight into the criminals’ lives. Acts of theft, and a police-criminal nexus, merely make for comic set pieces. A Punk’d-style reality show, however, provides some novelty.

The film is, however, well-shot. And the editing is crisp (it clocks an impressive 99 minutes).

Exciting things are happening in the indie space. Films like Ship Of Theseus, even BA Pass to an extent, are proof. Chor Chor..., however, is a below-par effort.