Review of movie Setters

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Rating:2.5/5

Apurva is the henchman of bhaiyyaji (Pavan Malhotra), a megalomaniacal thug of Varanasi, who harbours political ambitions. In order to nab the ‘setters’, who are always one step ahead, Aditya hires a team of errant suspended police officers who he thinks can outsmart Apurva and his team. Who wins?

Director Ashwini Chaudhary focusses on the cop and criminal chase more than the scams that occur in our educational system. The crime thriller has the backdrop of the paper leak but it essentially deals with one-upmanship.

The film hopes to recreate the palpable tension you witnessed in films like Catch Me If You Can or back home, Special 26 or Baby. Unfortunately, the risky and dubious exam leaking business isn’t explored enough for it to deserve a buildup and chase of this proportion. The writing is jaded so the proceedings fail to keep you on the edge of your seat. Interrogation, investigation and the cops decoding cryptic messages of the criminals in order to crack their secret plan… none of it keeps you engaged.

Shreyas Talpade and Aftab Shivdasani, who are seen in a non-comedy roles after years, render convincing performances. While Aftab initially acts a bit too stiff to portray his serious character, Shreyas is effortless and makes you wonder why he doesn’t get the roles that are worthy of his talent. The two have a good screen presence. Vijay Raaz makes an impression as well.

Shot across Jaipur, Varanasi and Delhi, Setters captures the smells and sounds of our cities and towns well. Be it the street food or small bylanes, the setting of the film works. What doesn’t work is the film’s inability to evoke tension. You don’t fear for anyone’s life or future.