A Thursday Review: An intriguing hostage drama that’s high on emotion (2025)

A Thursday

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A Thursday

17 Feb, 2022

Hindi

2 hrs 30 mins

Drama Thriller

Streaming on: Disney+ Hotstar

A Thursday Review: An intriguing hostage drama that’s high on emotion (1)

A Thursday Review: An intriguing hostage drama that’s high on emotion (2)

Synopsis

Despite its far-fetched execution, this hostage drama dares to make an important point and that alone is its victory.

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Cast & Crew

Renuka Vyavahare, TNN, Updated: Feb 16, 2022, 01.27 PM ISTCritic's Rating: 3.0/5

Story: Naina Jaiswal (Yami Gautam), an unsuspecting 30-something preschool teacher rouses Mumbai Police and the media when she announces that she has held 16 kids from her nursery hostage. She issues a warning. Each child risks losing their life unless super cop Javed Khan (Atul Kulkarni) agrees to meet her list of demands. Naina’s day long stand-off with the cops forms the story.

Review: It’s an interesting time for women in cinema. Ladies are no longer looked upon as pretty props or damsels in distress. Stories are now being written about them. Stories that don’t just scratch the surface but go beyond. These are stories that matter. Director Behzad Khambata trusts Yami Gautam Dhar with an author-backed role, Yami’s first in her career. Her character expects her to be brutally cold and yet breathe fire through silence and ambiguity. When pushed in an uncharted territory, the actress struggles to stay subtle but amps up the required intensity eventually. Dimple Kapadia and Neha Dhupia also play significant characters here and the two render powerful performances. Atul Kulkarni’s talent needs no introduction. He is perfectly cast here as well.

Coming across as a spiritual sequel to Neeraj Pandey’s taut and terrific ‘A Wednesday’, Behzad Khambata’s suspenseful hostage drama has an interesting premise, too but a rather farfetched execution. It lacks the compelling nature of Neeraj Pandey’s storytelling but gets the underlying emotion right. Jarring background score and dated slowmo close-ups feel juvenile as the attempt to draw in the viewer feels too obvious. Conveying emotions shouldn’t be confused with spoon-feeding. While the plot raises intrigue, the film lacks technical detailing that could fulfil its ambition.

Despite a rather predictable backstory, A Thursday redeems itself with its powerful emotional arc and social commentary in the latter half. It touches upon a relevant issue that will resonate with women across the globe. This may not be an edge of the seat thriller that evokes paranoia or fear but it dares to make an important point and that alone is its victory. Khambata cleverly makes ample use of the social media within the film to take the story forward and it works. The film also makes an apt observation of clickbait journalism and the business of 'breaking news'.

Users' Reviews

A Thursday Review: An intriguing hostage drama that’s high on emotion (10)

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A Thursday Review: An intriguing hostage drama that’s high on emotion (11)

User User842 days ago

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Very impressive movie for all age. That's teach us protest against all rapists and punished them and get protection children, women's & men from sexual abuse and tourcher.

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A Thursday Review: An intriguing hostage drama that’s high on emotion (12)

Rekha Hegde977 days ago

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nice movie with full suspension till the last

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A Thursday Review: An intriguing hostage drama that’s high on emotion (13)

James George996 days ago

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It's always a cycle....kids who get abused in childhood ends up being abuser coz he doesn't understand what someone did to them in their moment of lust was wrong. And many times it's mostly close ones understand family who sweeps it under carpet these incidents to keep equilibrium in their family....

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A Thursday Review: An intriguing hostage drama that’s high on emotion (14)

Shreya Sharma998 days ago

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"A THURSDAY" is an amazing movie. this movie gave us an idea to recorrect our law and can make law against rape cases.

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A Thursday Review: An intriguing hostage drama that’s high on emotion (15)

Vaishnavi Mahajan1013 days ago

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according to me this film is good at highlighting few spots neglected by the society and its makes us question few things after it ends,this film has beautifully represented the concept and it holds the audience till the end making them question about women safety in our society.The best thing is a this film shows a pregnant lady as working and indian prime minister a lady too showing women empowerment

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