JOHNNY GADDAAR: A slick, intelligent thriller

DIRECTOR: Sriram Raghavan
STARRING: Neil Nitin Mukesh, Rimi Sen, Vinay Pathak, Dharmendra, Zakir Hussain, Daya Shetty, Govind Namdeo, Ashwini Kalsekar.
REVIEW: The movie 'Johnny Gaddaar' is one on which rides the expectations of many a person involved in its making. It is a debut for the actor Neil Nitin Mukesh, and I can tell you, he does not disappoint. Director Sriram Raghavan delivers another edge-of-the-seat thriller after the superlative 'Ek Hasina Thi', and I am sure it would be adored by the audience and will be remembered as a fitting Bollywood tribute to film-noir.
The film tells the story of a gang of five shady characters, the youngest of which is Viram (Neil Nitin Mukesh), and the oldest member is Sheshadri, played by Dharmendra.
The gang has an obsession for quick money, and carries out various illegal deals in order to earn money. One such deal offers them a lot of money in return of a lesser amount of money. All the members of the gang contribute their share of the cash. However, one of them turns out to be a traitor and wants to have all the share of money for himself, leading to various mishaps and unforeseen incidents. In the midst of all this, the protagonist, Vikram, want to run away with his lady love Mini (Rimi Sen), who is, ironically, already married to another member of the gang.
The great thing about 'Johnny Gaddaar' is that the audience know the identity of the real gaddaar from almost the beginning, but still there is an aura of suspense, and the viewers remain glued to their seats, waiting for the next escapade of the protagonist. The direction is great, and the screenplay is taut and flawless. This is surely a thriller of a high standard, and a refreshing break from the masala and typical Bollywood musicals. It is a great experience for the viewers who like sensible and logical thrillers.
It pays a huge tribute to the trademark and conventional elements of a thriller, like train rides, flights, airports, and also to the suspense novelist James Hadley Chase.
Raghavan again proves that he has an awful lot of talent and tells his story magnificently. He surprises his gripped viewers by the twist in the climax of the movie.
Also, it pleases me to see that the whole movie is filmed in the Indian background, and rather than being an extravagant venture, its a full desi thriller, that must not be missed at any cost.

RATING: A strong 4/5 for a flawless plot, fine acting, and taut screenplay and direction.