Charlie Kay Chakkar Mein

Director: Manish Srivastav
Writers: Amit Sial, Manish Srivastav
Cast: Naseeruddin Shah, Disha Arora, AuroshikhaDey
Strength: Naseeruddin's Acting, Plot
Weakness: Weak direction, Failure of engagement
Runtime: 102 minutes
Rating: 2.5/5

Plot: The film deals with a group of drug addict friends, who get entangled with illegal drug trade nexus, leading to multiple homicides.

Review: The movie is divided into two parts -- the first gives us an idea about the crime and the other half is the investigation.
A bunch of youngsters (Amit Sial, Anand Tiwari, ManasiRachh, Disha Arora, AanchalNandrajog and NishantLal), who are high on some 'charlie' (cocaine) get into a brawl with a young man (Sanam Singh) at a club and kill him accidentally. To save themselves from trouble, they have to finish the work that the dead man was appointed to do. They have to deliver two suitcases full of 'charlie' to the dealers but they end up dying or killing one another. All this while, one of them, who is an aspiring director, shoots the entire episode on a camera. Naseeruddin Shah plays the investigative office along with AuroshikhaDey. They try to solve the murder mystery with the help of the footage found in the camera.

The first half is bland, as the crime is unveiled in flashbacks, however, we're treated to some interesting twists and turns post-interval.
The same series of events narrated three-four times with a different story each time might get confusing but you won't stay puzzled for too long. Eventually, it manages to surprise. The abusive language is frequently muted, and the silences can get annoying after a while. The actors have done a decent job. SubrataDatta, who plays a drug peddler, delivers a fine performance. NishantLal, the aspiring filmmaker, plays the desperate creep to perfection. Naseeruddin Shah's performance, like always, is brilliant. His portrayal as the investigative office is precisely what is needed. He hasn't overdone his role at all.

Drugs. Cops. Gangsters. Youngsters. Mix 'em up, and you get 'Charlie KeChakkar Mein'. Or at least that's what the film had set out to do. Which, if done effectively, could have been a fun caper. What you get instead is a confused mish-mash of scenes, with characters doing lines, snorting, shooting up, and shooting at and so on. Overall, this film fails to engross viewers.

Reviewed By Intisab Shahriyar