Collar Bomb review: Action-packed thriller serves valuable social lesson

Rating: 3.5/5

Directed by Dnyanesh Zoting, ‘Collar Bomb’ explores a decorated cop’s race against time as he tries to save the town school from a suicide bomber.

Story

‘‘Collar Bomb’’ showcases the story of a decorated cop, Manoj Kumar Hesi (Jimmy Sheirgill), whose ‘‘purana paap’’ (old sin) comes to haunt him years later.

When suicide bomber Ali (Sparsh Shrivastava) enters a town school trapping children at gunpoint with a bomb strapped to his chest, threatening to blow them up unless Hesi does his bidding, the plot dives into chaos and mystery.

While the mastermind directs him throughout, the truth threatens to spill out. It’s a do-or-die situation, and Hesi needs to make a choice. Will he let go of his stardom to save the people or stand back to see destruction in his victory?

Performances

Playing SHO Manoj Hesi, Jimmy Sheirgill has the spotlight on himself, and he shines bright with his performance. The intensity, emotions, and vulnerability are very well-portrayed through his action.

Television actress Asha Negi, playing the role of ASI Sumitra Joshi, a stoic, level-headed cop, justified her scenes. Her heroic action sequences and portrayal of the role are impressive. Her local accent is on-point.

The plethora of actors from the suicide bomber, played by Balika Vadhu actor Sparsh Shrivastav, Naman Jain as Akshay Hesi (Manoj’s son), all execute a commendable performance.

However, Rajshri Deshpande’s acting comes off a little worn out and is slightly disappointing.

Positives

The 87-minute action-packed drama gives everything it claims; combining crime, drama, action, mystery, and emotions.

The acting definitely stands out as one of the positive factors in the movie, and the heart-thumping sequences keep you hooked.

Cinematography by Jitan Harmit Singh not only captures the essence of the small-town but somehow brings relief to the otherwise thrilling, crime-filled narrative.

The storyline is compact, to the point, and pushes a powerful message that looks can be deceiving, but society still chooses to judge people by their outward appearance. It speaks of mental health and people’s perception of those who suffer from it. The climax seals the deal as the mystery unfolds.

Negatives

The compact narrative has its drawbacks as it gives minimal scope for character development and exploration.

Hesi, as the central character, could have been explored further and given more weight. Without Shergill’s amazing performance, the character would have fallen bland.

The dialogues seem outdated and don’t manage to do justice to the narrative. At the same time, plotholes in the storyline dig out a big hole for the movie as well.

Worth it?

Owing to the impressive acting and fast-paced plot, this is a good one-time watch. It keeps the suspense alive but doesn’t have the wow factor. It does question the mindset of people, and for that compelling lesson, it is worth a try.


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