A Thursday, a Hindi thriller film on Disney+ Hotstar is directed by Behzad Khamtaba, made under the banner of RSVP and Blue Monkey Films. Behzad penned the story along with Ashley Lobo. The film stars Yami Gautam as Naina Jaiswal, Neha Dhupia as ACP Catherine Alvarez, Atul Kulkarni as cop Javed Khan, Karanvir Sharma as Naina’s fiance Rohit Mirchandani and Dimple Kapadia. The music is by Kaizad Gherda, and the cinematography is by Anuj Rakesh Dhawan and Siddharth Vasani.
The synopsis reads, “When a playschool teacher takes her 16 students hostage and makes a set of demands, it not only rattles the Mumbai police and the city, but sends shockwaves through the country and its leaders.”
Hotstar Movie A Thursday Review Contains No Spoilers
It’s a typical Thursday morning, and Naina Jaiswal is ready to watch for 16 children at her playschool. She’s back to work after 3 weeks of sick leave. When her house help and others leave, something unexpected happens. Naina holds the children hostage. She informs the Colaba Police Station that she has taken 16 children captive. Naina has a list of demands for the cops to meet. One of her demands is to talk with India’s Prime Minister.
A Thursday film begins on a bright note, with everything appearing to be in line. However, the plot takes a dramatic change in just 10 minutes, as Naina transforms from a teacher to a capturer. She puts cartoons on the TV for the kids, so they don’t know what’s really going on. A cheerful teacher turns into a dangerous lady who will go to any length to meet her demands.
The first half of Hotstar’s A Thursday is slow to start. Yet it manages to keep your interest throughout. The sight of Yami Gautam’s cruel eyes draws you into the story. Behzad doesn’t waste any time introducing us to ACP Catherine Alvarez and Javed Khan. In dealing with Naina’s case, Alvarez and Khan want to take a different approach. They often get into conflicts. Despite the shaky storyline, the first half leaves you worried about the threat rising over 16 innocent children and the uneasy dynamic of the cops.
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We’re more invested in Naina’s actions in the second half. She is unbothered about the consequences of her ruthless behaviour. The quick pace also adds enough adrenaline and develops our interest in discovering why she took such aggressive measures. As a viewer, you’re left numb when the big revelation unfolds. It’s a moral dilemma, and you’re not sure whether you should hold Naina responsible for what she did! The story is set during the monsoon season in Mumbai. The constant rain adds to the story’s already stressful tone.
Yami Gautam is every bit impressive as Naina Jaiswal. There isn’t a single instance where she goes overboard with the “villainous” part. After Bala, the actor has delivered yet another outstanding performance. But it was the repeated zoom focus on her face that bugged me. Her ferocious and extreme side was evident in the actor’s eyes and superb performance. The zoom focus on her face would’ve worked just once or twice. But it constantly happened after every 15 minutes.
As Javed Khan, Atul Kulkarni delivers another incredible performance. He’s a tough officer with some of the best lines. What distinguishes Atul is that some of his dialogues may not have been written to be funny often. However, the way he delivers them on-screen make them sound humorous. Neha Dhupia has a lot to emote and express as a pregnant cop. Dhupia also does a tremendous job. The rest of the ensemble, particularly the child actors, do an excellent job.
A Thursday Review: Final Thoughts
A Thursday on Hotstar has a shaky first half but a solid second half. The zoom scenes affect the honesty a bit with which the story is being told. The climax is chilling and powerful, providing much-needed drastic effect. It addresses a crucial issue that has been troubling the country for decades. There’s also a sequence in which anyone who belittles those with mental health conditions illnesses is slammed. You will be impacted emotionally by the last 15 minutes. It’s worth watching for the outstanding performances, particularly by Yami Gautam.
The film will be streaming on Disney+ Hotstar from February 17.
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