Costao Movie Review: A gold smuggling ring, bold pursuit of justice and Nawazuddin Siddiqui at his best

Costao story: ZEE5's Costao is a biographical crime drama. The film follows the story of the customs officer, Costao Fernandes, and his efforts to catch the gold smuggling ring in Goa. During the process, a person involved in the smuggling case gets killed at the hands of Costao. The film explores the themes of duty, sacrifice, corruption, and the consequences of standing up to a corrupt system.

Costao review:

Directed by Sejal Shah, the biographical crime drama narrates the story of the customs office Costao Fernandes' pursuit of justice in a gold smuggling case. Set in 1990s Goa, the movie stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Costao. The film opens with the introduction of Costao (Siddiqui) as a person, as a customs officer, as a father, and as a husband. 

He is not only a courageous man but also bold enough to fight for justice till the end. As a customs officer in Goa, Costao has a lot of insiders who inform him about smuggling and other wrong deeds that harm the nation, and one day, he comes to know that Rs. 1500 crore of gold smuggling will take place in Goa. The smuggling is carried out by an influential politician, D'Mello, and Costao is all set to catch him and his allies, especially Peter D'Mello.

From Pad Man to The Accidental Prime Minister, and Uri: The Surgical Strike — watch powerful Hindi movies based on true stories now on OTTplay Premium.

Costao takes permission from the higher authority to begin his mission and puts in his full effort to catch the smuggling ring. He gets into a fight with Peter D'Mello, involved in the gold smuggling case, and this incident changes Costao's personal and professional lives. He leaves Goa and his family and shifts to Mumbai. The direction of the plot was carried out bravely by the director, and nothing seems wrong in the film. 

It is the acting bravery of Nawazuddin who shows how a person feels when he becomes helpless, but never gives up. He faces the worst, people misbehaving with him, getting beaten up by D'Mello's family, but he holds his head high in the hope that he will get justice one day. 

Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Costao rightfully brings the story of Costao Fernandes to the screen. While watching the film, I was amazed by his natural acting, and it is needless to say that he is one of the best actors, and he once again proved that in Costao. During an argument with his wife (Priya Bapat) due to the threats, Nawazuddin showcases his acting prowess. He effortlessly shows how a family argument takes place when they face danger. 

Not only Siddiqui's but also Priya Bapat's acting deserves applause. Among his three children, Costao's daughter always has the confidence that her father can never be wrong, highlighting a beautiful father-daughter bond. Costao is not only a customs officer but also he is a family man, but his work hardly lets him enjoy time with his family.

One of the goosebump-inducing and thought-provoking lines that Costao says in the film is "Humare society mein sabko chahiye ki Officer honest ho aur brave ho... lekin Ghar mein Nahi" (Everyone in our society wants officers to be honest and brave... but not at home). The story of Costao also highlights the power of influential people and social injustice, as D'Mello uses his power to win the court case. 

The plot is filled with intense ups and downs, suspense, personal sacrifice, and more. Costao's case is life-changing and history-making because his bravery proves his determination, dedication, and perseverance toward his work and nation. 

Costao, who received the President's Award in 1996, is one of the bravest customs officers. Thanks to Nawazuddin Siddiqui for neatly presenting his life on the screen. From the direction to the scriptwriting, the whole cast, crew, and makers deserve praise for making the film.

Biographical films are always exciting as they show a person's real life, but not all biographical films mesmerize you. However, Costao is an exception, and it truly passes the vibe check of a biographical film. However, at some points, the plot lacks proper execution, but it does not do any damage to the overall performance. Another thing that needs to be mentioned is that the background narration by Costao's daughter is simply amazing. The narrative of Costao through his daughter's perspective is an enthralling watch.

Costao verdict:

Nawazuddin Siddiqui does justice to the role of Costao. Through his acting, we learned the story of one of the bravest customs officers, Costao Fernandes. The film is an absolute binge-worthy and makes you feel proud when Costao tries his best to get justice. The captivating story of Costao's pursuit of justice amidst Goa's smuggling ring is going to be a topic of discussion for a long time. 

Costao begins streaming on ZEE5 (OTTplay Premium) from May 1, 2025.