Jewel Thief Movie Review

Cast: Saif Ali Khan, Jaideep Ahlawat, Kunal Kapoor, Nikita Dutta
Director(s): Kookie Gulati, Robbie Grewal
Rating: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5)

Script Analysis

Jewel Thief aims for a slick heist adventure, with picturesque locales and a “cat and mouse” setup, but it quickly loses the plot due to sheer lack of logic.

Rehan (Saif Ali Khan) somehow becomes an unstoppable thief, a smooth operator, a hacker, and an expert fighter — making him nearly superhuman. Meanwhile, the supposedly sharp authorities (Vikram and Aulakh) fall for every trick, making the whole premise laughable.

The most ridiculous example? An in-flight heist where Rehan operates openly despite a search warrant in effect. The screenplay doesn’t justify character motivations or interactions, making every scene feel superficial and improbable.

Even the central relationships fall flat — from the romance between Rehan and Nikita Dutta’s character to the rivalry between Rehan and Jaideep Ahlawat’s character. Meanwhile, Kunal Kapoor’s character feels like a weaker version of Abhishek Bachchan from the Dhoom franchise, making every scene he appears in feel redundant and irritating.

Star Performances

Saif Ali Khan looks disinterested throughout. Despite a charming persona, he fails to make Rehan compelling. Nikita Dutta shines in moments but lacks depth due to limited screen time and poor writing.

Kunal Kapoor’s character feels like a forgettable caricature, and the actor struggles with monotonous expressions and a flat character arc.

The lone saving grace? Jaideep Ahlawat. Even in a stereotypical role, he exudes swag and delivers a captivating performance. Not to forget, his dance in ‘Jaadu Sa’ is a quirky highlight that wasn’t on anyone’s bingo card!

Direction & Music

Kookie Gulati and Robbie Grewal, the director duo, aimed to create a flashy heist drama, but what we get is just the same old story with a few new twists.

We have the street-smart hero with a troubled family background, a villain who’s downright menacing, and of course, the hero falling for the villain’s wife or girlfriend. Initially, he’s working for the bad guy, but secretly, he’s plotting to outsmart him with a grand scheme. If that wasn’t enough, the numerous plot holes make this film a bit of a slog to sit through. The music? Well, it’s pretty forgettable overall, except for ‘Jaadu Sa,’ which at least has the standout moment of Jaideep Ahlawat’s dance.

The Last Word

Jewel Thief had the potential for a sleek, intriguing heist. Instead, it turns into a logic-less snoozefest with a disinterested lead performance. Its only jewel is Jaideep Ahlawat, who shines bright despite the mess around him.

Verdict: Watch for Jaideep Ahlawat… if you must. Otherwise, skip this one.

If you liked this review, you can also read our review of Chhorii 2 or Jaat for more blockbuster stories.