Choona review: Namit Das' comedy caper aligns right in the Jimmy Sheirgill-headlined comedy heist

3/5

A heist is planned as a means of taking revenge on a ruthless yet superstitious politician (Jimmy Sheirgill) by an odd collection of misfits (Namit Das, Aashim Gulati, Atul Srivastava, Chandan Roy, Vikram Kochhar, and Gyanendra Tripathi).

Three years ago, it was Netflix that brought a show, Indian Matchmaking, where stars aligned to find a suitable match for a wedding. Who would have thought they would bring a show only to make those stars bait to deceive someone to an unimaginable level? Choona, the series, is exactly like its title, but instead of playing with emotions, they play with the beliefs of the person they are tricking and taking crores of cash from them.

The series features Jimmy Sheirgill as Urban Development Minister Shukla, also known as Calculator. He is never wrong with numbers and doesn't need a machine to work on them. Moreover, he believes in astrology and won't even take another step without knowing if it's the right time to do so.

However, Shukla is not a good person at all; at every step of his life, to get things done according to him, he has made mortal enemies. This includes six men who didn't have a direct connection with each other but whose hatred for Shukla united them for a mission.

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This includes Ansari (Aashim Gulati), who wants to avenge the death of his uncle. Then comes his best friend and cop, Bankey (Gyanendra Tripathi), who slaps Shukla and gets many slaps in return from him. JP (Vikram Kocchar), a contractor who suffered losses as a result of Shukla's one decision and believed his work was subpar, joins them. There is also Pandit Ji (Atul Shrivastava), who dedicated his time to making sure that Shukla's time was never wrong and also taught him well about astrology. But he was deceived, so let's take revenge! There's also a surprise package: Shukla's brother-in-law, Bishnu (Chandan Roy), who wants to avenge the death of his sister, becomes the core member of this master plan.

Last but not least is the master of disguise, Triloki (Namit Das), who helps them get this plan executed, and the actor is too good at showing what lengths he goes to get it done right.

In one of the scenes, he says, "Choona bohot kamaal ki cheez hai, dikhta nahi aur lag bhi jaata hai."

Pushpendra Nath Misra, the creator, works on this so well, and the execution also takes place in the right way. The story is so simple with no complications that the dialogue plays a better hand in making it more effective to watch. On top of it, the voiceover narration by none other than Arshad Warsi, who brings the right punch, makes the series more entertaining to watch.

The team of misfits plans to fool a powerful politician, Shukla, who has no remorse for slaughtering people or making them feel so insulted that their will to leave is only to seek revenge. However, his soft spot, astrology, comes into play, and the obvious enemies he has made are his close ones. Jimmy's portrayal of the character is so convincing that even with his flaws, he has the power to make people fear for their lives.

Coming to the men who are poles apart from each other, there's a safe play by Misra, who brings them together, and they keep on replaying the imaginary conclusion of what can happen if things go wrong. However, when it comes to fooling people, they are right in front of the line and make it look like a cakewalk. It's this less complication, and like JP says, getting pura gaav together for the heist is where the real fun starts.

Until Choona reaches halfway, you are sucked into this world but also left on a surface level, knowing that the bigger picture is the heist. However, planning takes most of the time, and it might get you slightly into boredom, mainly in the fifth episode, thinking it's cluttering down and in the most expected way. However, the sixth episode twist reignites the excitement, only to have fewer effects on the series but definitely on the viewers.

But in all this, there's only one show stealer, and that's Namit Das as Triloki. The character is a sociology major, highly educated, but a thief. His smooth criminal act with kickass dialogue is enough to crack you up instantly. There are some scenes where he translates the actual words of Pandit Ji with obscenity, and that too with a straight face that's too funny to describe. After Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, watching him as Triloki is Choona is definitely a treat.

On the other hand, Jimmy Sheirgill brings his charm from the Tanu Weds Manu and Saheb, Biwi Aur Gangster era, as a powerful man who has no remorse yet has his vulnerable side only in a particular aspect. The actor stutters right, abuses right, and even says dialogue right. Shulka is something that has been tailor-made for Jimmy given his past performances on similar characters. The actor takes charge very well, but my only concern is that the fate he meets is quite predictable and convenient, so to speak. I expected slightly more on his path, but I get where Misra comes from—that the thing you believe the most can be the major reason for your destruction.

Talking about the other characters, Aashim Gulati is definitely a revelation and a surprise package after his performance in Jee Karda, which premiered on Prime Video earlier this year. So are Chandan Roy, Gyanendra Tripathi, Atul Srivastava, and Vikram Kochhar. The female actors in Choona, Monika Panwar and Niharika Lyra Dutt, have little to offer; however, they are shown as badass as needed and make for great catalysts in making the mission execution a success.

Spanning over eight episodes, Choona hits its low midway but makes for it towards the end. In the first episode, drawing one takes time in the world that Pushpendra Nath Misra created. But once you get a grip on it, you will watch it to witness if this tough and dreamy plan can be successful or tumble down as it should be.

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Choona captivates with humour and sharp dialogue, and despite minor lulls, it pays off with a conclusion that seems surprising rather than satisfying.