BOTTOM LINE
Not Perfect, but Tense and Gripping
PLATFORM
PRIME VIDEO
RUNTIME
1h 33m
What Is the Film About?
At a railway station in a remote village, Gautam waits to pick up his brother Raman. Their mother is getting married again, and they’re running late for the festivities. Suddenly, chaos erupts when a baby named Champa is kidnapped from the station. Raman, accompanied by a snobbish and reluctant Gautam, takes it upon himself to help Jhumpa find her missing child, fighting through the chaos and uncertainty.
Performances
Abhishek Banerjee, the only familiar face in the cast, delivers a credible performance in a life-and-death situation, convincingly sells his transformation to the audience.
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Mia Maelzer, in the role of a resilient mother, is a revelation; her performance without overselling through histrionics, instead offering the right mix of intensity, vulnerability, and emotional strength.
Shubham Vardhan brings quiet integrity to the role of Raman, leaving a strong impression. Harish Khanna and Shahidur Rahman provide formidable support to the leads.
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Analysis
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Stolen is precisely the kind of strong, compact, concept-driven film that OTT platforms are perfectly suited for, where lesser-known actors get their due through a deserving story. The narrative is tight, with no room for fluff, while the busy screenplay keeps you on edge, and the characters evolve naturally over time. This road thriller is gripping and heartfelt, with its heart firmly in the right place.
The story’s foundation is straightforward: a baby named Champa is stolen from Jhumpa’s arms at a railway station by a woman. She bumps into Raman, who has just arrived from another train, with his brother Gautam waiting nearby. Mistakenly, the mother believes Raman to be the kidnapper. The police arrive just in time to clarify the confusion.
Gautam’s attempts to curb Raman’s aggressive exchanges with the police prove futile. The brothers find themselves caught between their mother and law enforcement, facing one tense situation after another, confronting a corrupt system and a violent mob, in their desperate quest to find the child. The storytelling is raw, sharp, and impactful, anchored by a compelling premise.
Director Karan Tejpal skilfully sets the tone for the characters’ sense of helplessness. This isn’t a metropolitan setting where Gautam might have had more influence or options to escape the situation. Before the tension subsides, Raman’s impulsive activism begins to get the better of him. Meanwhile, the mother, while resilient, harbours a secret and relies on these two strangers to help trace her child.
Amidst the volatile backdrop, a subtle tension between the brothers, rooted in a family member’s death, adds an extra layer to the narrative. As expected, Gautam, the character most viewers are inclined to dislike, must step up when circumstances demand it. Meanwhile, the police, preoccupied with systemic issues, seem indifferent to the larger good.
The writing (by Shubham Vardhan, Karan Tejpal, Swapnil Sarkar, Gaurav Dhingra) remains consistently tight, avoiding over-explanation but also providing adequate context. The sequences unfold naturally, allowing viewers to believe in the unpredictability of the raw atmosphere. The action director crafts intense, realistic sequences, complemented by agile, fly-on-the-wall cinematography that immerses the audience into the backdrop.
The power dynamics among the trio, a snob, a supposed humanitarian, and a marginalised woman, shift as they overcome obstacle after obstacle across diverse terrains, both literally and figuratively. For a survival thriller set on the road, this character mix pays off beautifully, providing variety and space for confronting conflicting viewpoints.
Despite its straightforward narrative and deliberate absence of preachiness, the film underscores the irrelevance of ego and privilege in life-and-death situations, while also warning against the dangers of unwarranted activism. Furthermore, it depicts how fake news can rapidly incite violent mob reactions, leaving individuals powerless to challenge its authenticity.
Stolen is a credible road/survival thriller, where the small details that reflect the uncomfortable realities of the country are as impactful as the plot itself. Alongside the crisp writing that lays a strong foundation for the execution, the film benefits from commendable performances, compelling action choreography, and valuable contributions from the technical team.
Music and Other Departments?
The music score by Arpad Bondy steadily builds tension without resorting to showy tricks, greatly aided by Susmit Nath’s terrific sound design, which uses varied ambient sounds to create a lasting effect. Ishaan Ghosh’s cinematography is sharp, dusty, and raw, just as you’d expect in a story set in the heart of North India, amplifying the rustic ambience and capturing the urgency of various situations. The slick editing by Shreyas Beltangdy and the film’s compact runtime ensure that the viewer’s interest remains engaged throughout.
Highlights?
Gripping screenplay
Technical finesse (stunts, cinematography)
Sharp writing, good performances
Drawbacks?
Briefly loses its spunk in the latter half
The predictability in Gautam’s characterisation
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes
Will You Recommend It?
Certainly
Stolen OTT Movie Review by M9
