Aliya Basu Gayab Hai Movie Review : A twisted tale of kidnapping gone wrong done right

Story: Aliya Basu (Raima Sen), a daughter of a wealthy businessman, finds herself kidnapped by two goons. But what starts as a simple case of kidnapping for ransom, soon turns into a diabolical game of greed and betrayal.

Review: This twisted thriller revolves around just three characters whose actions define their fate. Vikram Singh (Vinay Pathak) and Deepak Kumar (Salim Diwan) hatch what they think is a fool-proof plan. They abduct Aliya Basu, the daughter of a rich business tycoon and take her to an undisclosed location, hoping to get a hefty ransom for her release. But do they really know who Aliya is beyond her last name? Clearly, it’s a hurriedly put together plan and the men are in for a rude surprise. Revealing anything more than this about the plot would be equal to giving away the spoilers.

Let’s just say director Preeti Singh and writers J Blakeson and Gibran Noorani lace a seemingly straightforward story with unexpected twists and turns that are also unpredictable. And that remains the biggest highlight of this modest budget thriller that often leaves its viewer guessing about what will happen next. While the story is restricted between just three central characters, it ends up exploring a range of possibilities between them. Singh keeps her cards close to her chest till the very end unraveling the layers, with one twist at a time.

Vinay Pathak as the more dominant bad guy and the mastermind of the crime does most of the heavy lifting. The actor, who is known for his effortless comic timing, is equally good here as a dangerous kidnapper, who isn’t sure of what he is capable of. Raima Sen is convincing and effective in her role of a beleaguered woman trapped in a very uncomfortable situation. But the actress does rise to the occasion when it comes to showing the strength of her character. Salim Diwan, with all the shades of his character had a huge scope to perform. However, the actor doesn’t go beyond a few expressions to convey the range of his character. Surprisingly, it works in his favor as his character is a mix of gullibility and danger. While the entire film revolves around the kidnapping of Aliya Basu, a little more contextual fleshing out with some backstory of each character would help the audience connect better with the overall premise. The background score complements the proceedings while the lack of any unnecessary detours like songs helps maintain the pace of this taut thriller.

‘Aliya Basu Gayab Hai’ may not revolutionise the thriller genre, but it certainly knows how to play its cards right. With a tight plot, unexpected twists, and strong performances, the film keeps you on the edge of your seat minus the unnecessary theatrics or bloodshed. It’s a smart, suspenseful ride that proves even a modestly scaled thriller can pack a punch.