Tabu, Kareena Kapoor, and Kriti Sanon starrer Crew totally smashes through stereotypes. It’s an honest-to-goodness rollercoaster ride. Geeta Sethi, portrayed by Tabu, Jasmine Bajwa, played by Kareena Kapoor Khan, and Divya Rana, depicted by Kriti Sanon, are members of the crew working for Kohinoor Airlines. The airline serves as a thinly veiled representation of the now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines. The chairman of Kohinoor Airlines, portrayed by Saswata Chatterjee, is a clear reference to the notorious billionaire Vijay Mallya, known for his escapades. The film’s writers, Nidhi Mehra and Mehul Suri, make no effort to conceal this connection, naming their character Vijay Walia, who absconds, declares bankruptcy, and leaves thousands of employees stranded.

Geeta, along with her husband Arun Sethi, portrayed by Kapil Sharma, runs a cloud kitchen on the side and the duo dream of owning their own restaurant in Goa. Jasmine epitomises the perpetual desire for more, she’s happy posing with an LV bag or a BMW, even when she doesn’t own them. She longs to open her own beauty products company but lacks the money to bankroll it. She’s the apple of her beloved grandfather’s (Kulbhushan Kharbanda) eye. Divya Rana from Haryana, as she’s affectionately called by the smitten customs officer Jaiveer (Diljit Dosanjh), is actually a trained pilot, who became an air hostess as she couldn’t land a job as a pilot and is still paying off student loan.

They all have their motive for pulling off a gold heist. Fate leads them to a corrupt airline officer (Rajesh Sharma), who hires them to smuggle gold to Al Burj. It’s only when they start questioning as to why gold is being smuggled to the Gulf and not vice versa, that they understand they’re actually helping their own launder his wealth abroad. Their conscience ignited, they plan a Mission Impossible-like heist for the sake of justice.

Director Rajesh Krishnan has woven a comedy which celebrates women power. It makes you reflect even as it entertains. Geeta, Jasmine and Divya here aren’t one-dimensional but multifaceted, dealing with the same curveballs of life and career as women around you. They are besties for life, leaning on each other for emotional support and more. They do need men but also cherish the bond they share as friends. The friendship, which transcends age, is non-judgemental and all-forgiving. They know their flaws and they know their strengths as well. It’s fun to spy on their engaging banter. Their conversations make you feel you’re actually listening to three women talking their hearts out, rather than some pompous dialogue.

The film has a fabulous, easy breezy first half and flies without turbulence. It’s the second half which meets with some uneven weather and the landing is a bit bumpy, nevertheless, they do manage to land the plane and give you an enjoyable ride in the process. It’s not strictly a heist film. It’s a film about female friendships and about taking life head on. The camaraderie between the three stars is extraordinary. One can see that there were no ego hassles on the sets and the three genuinely enjoyed working with each other. Kareena employs her comedic genius to the fullest and her expressions and one-liners get the maximum laughs. Tabu has a better emotional arch in the film than the others and navigates it like the seasoned actor she is. Her scenes with Kapil Sharma feel like a peek into an average middle class, middle-aged couple. They don’t have much but they have love and it’s enough. Kriti Sanon is acting with some heavy hitters but hasn’t let herself get subdued by the company. She glows in the presence of the senior actors, playing off them nicely and brings her A-game to the film in the process. Her romantic scenes with Diljit, though brief, carry a spark.

The men in the film, be they Diljit Dosanjh, Kapil Sharma, Rajesh Sharma or even Saswata Chatterjee know that the limelight, for once, is not on them and gamely stand back. We surely need more such secure male co-stars for sure.

Watch the film for the barrelful of laughs it provides and for its powerful message in praise of female friendships. As also for the acting chops displayed by Tabu, Kareena Kapoor, and Kriti Sanon.