A Thursday Movie Review: Yami Gautam's performance and thrill quotient of the film makes you pensive

Cast: Yami Gautam Dhar, Dimple Kapadia, Neha Dhupia, Atul Kulkarni

Director: Behzad Khambata

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

'A Thursday' had managed to pique the interest of thriller lovers when the trailers hit the screens. It reminded us of the critically acclaimed 'A Wednesday'. Even the makers have dubbed it as a 'spiritual sequel' to the film.

A picture-perfect day takes a nefarious turn as Naina Jaiswal (Yami Gautam) puts innocent lives at risk after resuming work post a three-week break at a kindergarten school found by her. What happens when she draws a gun, holds children hostage and spill out one demand after another? The film takes the usual route of pushing the audience to wonder: what is the reason behind this absurd behaviour of the protagonist?

What makes the film stand out and gripping is the sensitivity of handling the core theme of the film. There are several societal issues that are touched and missed. However, rather than appearing as an ingenuous attempt by makers to stuff multiple themes in the script, it convinces you that the effort was to bring us back to the fulcrum of the storyline. Director Behzad Khambata keeps the film gripping till the end despite a few conspicuous unrealistic moments. The writers have made sure that the writing is crisp and clear. The director has managed to extract good performances from the cast. One minute clap for the background score. Behzad's experience as a sound engineer has helped the team craft the BGM to up the thrill quotient of the film.

Yami Gautam steals the show and makes it evident that she is here to stay. Yami's performance coupled with the thrill quotient of the film makes you pensive. She has done a fabulous job portraying her character with tints of grey with sensitivity and sensibility. Neha Dhupia (ACP Catherine Alvarez) is a cop in the last trimester of her pregnancy. She has held on to her character as a duty-bound and sincere officer whose inspiration is to win medals and earn fame. In real life too, Neha was pregnant during the film's shooting, and perhaps that has brought a new touch of life to her character on screen.

Atul Kulkarni (super cop Javed Khan) is as always impactful as a rough-tactics cop. His and Neha's on-screen chemistry maps the tussle of power dynamics between an erstwhile couple. It would be interesting to see them opposite each other in other films too. Dimple Kapadia, as a strong PM delivers on what's offered. She is blessed with few but impactful dialogue. Karanvir Sharma (criminal lawyer, Rohit Mirchandani, and fiancé of Neha Jaiswal) leaves his impression as he goes through phases of surprise, shock and desperation.

A narrative that explores the dark side of human nature and unpredictable events, especially in the climax, makes the movie worth the whistle. One of the biggest positives of the film is the sensitivity with which it deals with several issues, including mental health. The movie isn't entirely unpredictable, but it still holds water as a thriller that can be enjoyed till the end.

ALSO WATCH | 'A Thursday' trailer: Yami Gautam Dhar in a never-seen-before avatar