'Savi' movie review: Gripping crime drama with sterling performances

Just minutes into Savi, the eponymous protagonist is distraught. But soon, she is looking a cop in the eye and saying, “If you search hard enough, you can even find God.” Building on this, the film articulates hope as the quintessence of all human struggles.

Savi (Divya Khosla) is a homemaker settled in England. Her world revolves around her husband and son. Life turns upside down with the arrest of her husband Nakul (Harshavardhan Rane) for the murder of his boss Stefany Fowler. He is sentenced to life. She is steadfast in her belief that Nakul is innocent. She leaves no stone unturned to get him acquitted. Her desperation triggers a transformation and she seeks inspiration from Paul (Anil Kapoor), an ex-convict. She takes the law into her own hands in an exhilarating race against time.

Similar to the ‘Taken’ series and the ‘Dhrishyam’ movies (originally Malayalam), the idea of protecting the family, even at the cost of antagonising the law, strikes a chord with the audience. With gripping emotional scenes, witty dialogues and a riveting climax, ‘Savi’ keeps the audience glued to their seats.

Divya is stunningly impressive. While she anchors the show, Anil Kapoor lights it up with his characteristic charisma. With wry humour and a consistent swagger, he takes the film to its peak with his chemistry with Divya. The camera work is effective and the music suits the film’s fast tempo.

The problem with ‘Savi’ is a failure to script Divya’s transformation. It feels as though the homemaker becomes a superwoman overnight. However, a morally pleasing narrative and excellent performances far outweigh this drawback.