‘Crazxy’ Movie Review: Sohum Shah’s Ace Performance Steers This Thrilling Ride That Skids in the Final Stretch (LatestLY Exclusive)

Crazxy Movie Review: Move over, Ivan Locke - we have Dr Abhimanyu over here, and like you, he's having a real hard day in his car. Girish Kohli's directorial debut, Crazxy, shares a similar setting with the 2013 British film Locke, starring Tom Hardy, where the focus is purely on a single visible cast member as his life unravels before him through a car ride, interacting with the rest of the unseen cast via phone calls. Well, almost - since Crazxy doesn't fully commit to this singular-cast approach. It still fits in a few visible human characters, most of them appearing through virtual screens, but one properly onscreen. Nevertheless, there’s a clear attempt here to do something different, making Crazxy watchable - even if it doesn’t exceed expectations beyond that. ‘Crazxy’ Review: Critics Rave About Sohum Shah’s Impressive Performance in This Edge-of-Seat Thriller, Call Girish Kohli’s Film a ‘Must-Watch’.

Dr Abhimanyu (Sohum Shah, who is also the producer) is driving with five crores in cash, though its purpose isn’t immediately revealed. He then receives a call from an unknown number - the caller claims to have kidnapped his teenage daughter Vedica, who has Down’s syndrome.

Watch the Trailer of 'Crazxy':

The rest of the film follows Abhimanyu as he tries to figure out whether the ransom call is genuine or if someone is pulling a fast one on him. Through phone calls with his ex-wife, current girlfriend, employer, and other callers, we also get a picture of who he is as a person and his past transgressions. Nimisha Sajayan (ex-wife), Shilpa Shukla (Jaan), Piyush Mishra (boss), and Tinnu Anand (kidnapper) are the prominent cast members whose voices we hear, though their physical presence is limited to pictures.

'Crazxy' Movie Review - A Riveting First Half

While I mentioned Locke as a possible inspiration for Crazxy, the Steven Knight-directed film was more of a drama, whereas Crazxy benefits from being a suspenseful thriller. This makes the first half of the film a riveting watch, allowing the mystery of the ransom call’s authenticity to simmer while Abhimanyu navigates the situation. These portions also do a good job of developing his character, revealing his flaws - how he has been a bad father and possibly even a bad surgeon - while also playing with his suspicions about the call. The film’s limited setting works in its favour, offering little to no distraction as we become immersed in Abhimanyu’s warped day.

That said, Crazxy doesn’t bring anything particularly new to Bollywood with this setup. We’ve had Rajkumar Gupta’s impressive debut Aamir (2008) - a remake of the Filipino film Cavite - where a protagonist (Rajeev Khandelwal) is manipulated by a mysterious caller. Khandelwal also starred in Table No 21, where a couple is put through an ordeal by a stranger whose motivations are revealed near the end. ‘Crazxy’ Box Office Collection Day 3: Sohum Shah’s Thriller Sees Slight Growth, Collects INR 4.25 Crore in India.

'Crazxy' Movie Review - An Okayish Second Half With A Couple of Good Moments

It’s hard not to recall these films, so despite Crazxy’s mystery and suspense, I was expecting it to take a more moralistic route in the second half. Unfortunately, that’s where the film falters. Some of the dramatic conversations that offer Abhimanyu a chance at redemption don’t feel organic, coming off as drama for drama’s sake. Take his final conversation with his girlfriend - it suddenly shifts from concern to conflict, expecting us to see him as an arse for mishandling his relationships, yet it’s the woman who ends up appearing more insensitive, almost vampish.

Similarly, even the ex-wife - after repeatedly calling to ask about their daughter’s whereabouts - conveniently gives him a wider berth in the second half because the movie has him do other stuff. There is, however, a thrilling sequence where Abhimanyu assists his junior in performing a major surgery via video call while simultaneously changing a tyre and handling frequent updates from the kidnapper about his daughter’s health. Sohum Shah is excellent in selling the frantic mental state of a man pushed to his limit, and the scene is well-edited. However, the tension never quite lands because the outcome feels predictable.

It’s the climax where Crazxy left me in two minds about its third-act twist. The revelation behind the crime aligns with Abhimanyu’s flawed history as a father, but it’s both predictable and unnecessarily convoluted. The logic of how the culprits pulled off their scheme doesn’t quite hold up.

'Crazxy' Movie Review - Final Thoughts

If you’re not a picky thinker like me, Crazxy does offer a wild ride for most of its tight runtime. It makes good use of its locations, remains largely engaging, and features Sohum Shah in fine form. The inclusion of yesteryear songs like Satya's "Kallu Maama" and Inquilaab's "Abhimanyu Chakravyuh Mein" is also well-placed. Just don’t overthink the logistics - especially the ending - and you might have a decent time.

(The opinions expressed in the above article are of the author and do not reflect the stand or position of LatestLY.)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 03, 2025 09:19 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).