If you are looking for a gateway into the smarter side of Indian cinema, Sriram Raghavan is the director to know, and this was his breakout moment. Before he made the global hit Andhadhun, he delivered this lean, mean thriller that feels like it was ripped from the pages of a vintage pulp magazine.
The film follows a five-man crew—including a corrupt cop—who are putting together a simple drug buy. The youngest member, Vikram, decides he wants the whole pot for himself and hitches a plan to steal it. From there, the movie becomes a giant domino effect. What makes it stand out is the style. Raghavan uses split screens, a retro soundtrack, and constant nods to the crime fiction of the past to create a world that feels both nostalgic and dangerous.
For parents, it is worth noting that while the movie is about a drug deal, it does not glamorize the lifestyle. If anything, it is a cautionary tale about how one 'smart' lie leads to a dozen fatal ones. It is a great pick for a movie night with a mature teen who is starting to appreciate the craft of filmmaking beyond just explosions and CGI. It is clever, it is mean, and it holds up remarkably well nearly two decades later.
