This ‘Sikandar’ fails to rise Cast: Jimmy Sheirgill, Avinash Tiwary, Tamannah Bhatia, Divya Dutta, Zoya Afroz Rating: 2* OTT: Netflix ...
This ‘Sikandar’ fails to rise
Cast: Jimmy Sheirgill,
Avinash Tiwary, Tamannah Bhatia, Divya Dutta, Zoya Afroz
Rating: 2*
OTT: Netflix
A lot is expected out of Neeraj Pandey but along with ‘Auron Mein Kitna Hai Dum’ this Netflix film also disappoints. It seems Neeraj is trying to move out of his comfort zone (read espionage thrillers) and trying to do what is not up his sleeves. SKM could have been another taut thriller like his earlier heist film (Special 26) turns out to be extremely predictable and boring, especially in the second half. The film drags so much that you just want to find out how the heist if at all, took place. The film, which could have been very thrilling and promising at the start, loses its grip as it progresses. The heist is so unconvincing that you feel that Pandey took the viewers for granted. The climax is a major letdown. Yes, the story is unusual and direction very uncomplicated but the execution lets it down. This is not what one expects from Neeraj Pandey.
The story oscillates to and fro from 2009 to 2024. At the 10th DFFI Exhibition held on February 15, 2009, at the NICSO Exhibition Centre Mumbai, Kamini Singh (Tamannah Bhatia) and Mangesh Desai (Rajeev Mehta) are managing the stall of Divine Diamonds & Jewellery of which they are employees. Sikandar Sharma (Avinash Tiwary), a computer technician is also present to check the audio-visual slides in the exhibition. All of a sudden, the police officer on duty Santosh Kamble receives an anonymous call that four masked men with arms are going to rob the diamonds. The cops identify the assailants and eliminate them but not before the attendees are moved to the refuge area.
On returning, Kamini and Mangesh find that 5 red solitaires worth ₹50-60 crores are missing from their stall. With no CCTV working, expert cop Jaswinder Singh (Jimmy Sheirgill) with a 100% track record is assigned to investigate and solve the case within 24 hours. Since he works on his ‘mool vriti’ (instinct), Singh feels that the solitaires are stolen by Kamini, Mangesh, Sikandar, or all three of them together. He arrests them and strip searches them but to no avail. Despite getting them a police remand, he is unable to break them or get a confession out of them. The trio is acquitted. Fifteen years later, Singh has lost his job, has become an alcoholic, and is also divorced from his wife Kaushalya (Divya Dutta). But he still keeps a tab on Sikandar and Kamini who are now married. Sikandar who now works in Abu Dhabi returns to Mumbai and comes face to face with Singh to settle old scores.
Jimmy Sheirgill is tops and it is he who tries to elevate the film with his performance. Avinash Tiwary also tries to rise above the script and gives a thumbs-up performance. Tamannah Bhatia is stunning but is wasted in the second half of the film despite trying her best. In a cameo, Divya Dutta shines. Riddhima Pandit (Priya Sawant who is in love with Sikandar) and Zoya Afroz (Tabassum, a colleague of Sikandar in Abu Dhabi) do well in their respective parts. Rajeev Mehta has hardly anything to do.
A special mention must be made of the DOP Arvind Singh whose panning shots build up the intrigue. He does a wonderful job.
A disappointing fare by Pandey, but the performances make Sikandar Ka Muqaddar somewhat watchable.
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