Endless tales are buried under the sand dunes of Indian deserts. Anil Kapoor and Harshvardhan Kapoor have come up with a new movie on Netflix that unravels one such story. After watching the film, I am thinking of its impact on cinema lovers if it had been released on the big screen. Nevertheless, here’s my Thar review preceded by a summary.

Thar Movie Review Summary

It is a gory thriller that takes time to fly, but once it does, there is no stopping Thar. The movie keeps growing on you, ensuring no lazy moments until the end. The father-son duo of Anil Kapoor and Harshvardhan Kapoor act as the accelerators of this killing, thrilling, and chilling film.

Keep reading my Thar review to know where the film lacks and the aspects it executes perfectly. 

Thar Movie Synopsis

Helmed by Raj Singh Chaudhary, Thar stars Anil Kapoor (Surekha) and Harshvardhan Kapoor (Siddharth) in lead roles. Fatima Sana Sheikh (Chetna), Satish Kaushik (Bhure), Jitendra Joshi (Panna), Sanjay Bishnoi (Dhanna), and Mukti Mohan (Gauri) play pivotal parts in the film.

The story of Thar is set in Munabo, a village in Rajasthan. It follows the life of Surekha, a Police Inspector who is on the verge of retirement when a gruesome murder and violent robbery shake the walls of a usually sleepy desert town.

Furthermore, a stranger has arrived in Thar, whose intentions are known to none. Will he succeed in his deeds, or will Surekha get the better of him?

What works for Thar?

Story

Thar has a beautifully woven tale to present on the screen. Its story feels fresh in this world of remakes. With elements like dacoits, police action, infidelity, chasing scenes, and most importantly, the violent intentions, Thar ensures a balance of necessary ingredients.

For most of the part, it keeps you glued to the screen. There is no over-emphasis on emotions, which helps hold the story close to reality.

Performances

Anil Kapoor is the first thing that hits my mind when it comes to Thar. He came around the time when I was not even born, and if I had to compare the two of us today, the Mr. India actor looks younger than me.

In Thar, Anil Kapoor does nothing new. He has been a cop, chased criminals, and got rid of them throughout his career. However, this time around, Kapoor twists it a bit. He is more real and raw. He drops the masculine hat and portrays a regular, more authentic version of a cop.

On the other hand, Harshvardhan Kapoor finally does justice to the talent he possesses. There were talks of nepotism and favoritism, but when someone has the skills, why can they not be in the same profession as their parents?

Harshvardhan plays Siddharth in Thar, a mysterious man in a small desert town. Moreover, he is on a secret mission involving some of the village men. Harsh’s delicate expressions and crude intensity do complete justice to the role.

Satish Kaushik, as always, is a subtle piece of art. He comes, delivers, and conquers your heart without making a fuss about it. The job to keep the funny side up is given to him, and he aces it pretty well. Finally, after Bloody Brothers and Guilty Minds, Kaushik gets to portray a positive character.

Fatima Sana Sheikh, the Dangal girl (as people fondly remember her), brilliantly accentuates the scenic settings of Thar. Playing a local woman, she had to grasp a tight hold on the dialect and accent, and to my surprise, she did that perfectly. Fatima as Chetna is a prime example of how to take up a minor character and make it big with a stellar act.

Then comes the extraordinarily talented Jitendra Joshi, our common man. This time he plays a gray character, and how well does he do that? Marvelously!

The best parts of his outing are the moments where he had to depict a man in extreme pain. Believe me, it is not easy to fake agony, and that too when it is excruciating. Furthermore, the likes of Mukti Mohan, Sanjay Bishnoi, etc., are in complete sync with the parts they are asked to play. Mukti’s role, though short, is executed well by the actor.

Visuals

Most of the time, the thought of being under the scorching sun stops me from planning a trip to Thar. However, I have always loved the aesthetic beauty the place possesses. Raj Singh Chaudhary brings some stunning visuals from India’s most traveled desert to screen.

There are also some scenes of salt marshes that look gorgeous and striking to the eye. Additionally, I loved the chase sequences and the wide-angle views captured by the cinematographers. I am not sure if they have done complete justice to the overall beauty of the place, but they surely have tried their best.

Execution of Gory Scenes

Thar has several scenes of extreme violence, which are put to action amazingly on screen. They look genuine despite being done using VFX. And what is better than making the audience believe in what you are presenting? There are no unruly splashes of blood, flawed knife cuts, or bullet wounds. 

Screenplay and Background Music

The Anil Kapoor starrer has a well-planned screenplay that doesn’t give away anything that it doesn’t want to the audience. It maintains the film’s pace, disentangles the mysteries at the right time, and ensures you are hooked till the end.

All of it is complemented beautifully by the background music, which is just about perfect. Thar’s music contains some cultural tunes as well, which sound like magic. 

Duration

With a runtime of under two hours, Thar never feels overwhelmingly stretchy. It remains crisp and precise while unfurling the plot.

What doesn’t work for Thar?

In complete honesty, I didn’t find anything to write in my Thar review that doesn’t work for the film. I feel it is a must-watch if you love dark suspense thrillers.

*The following section might contain spoilers*

FAQs

Is Thar a remake?

No, Thar is an original Hindi movie written and directed by Raj Singh Chaudhary.

Anurag Kashyap is in Thar?

No, Anurag Kashyap doesn’t star in the movie. However, he has written dialogues for Thar.

Thar ending explained.

After killing the three culprits, Siddharth is shot by Chetna in the presence of Surekha, the cop. However, the police don’t punish her for the crime. This is because Surekha must have testified that Siddharth died in a fire exchange with the cops.

Since Siddharth and Chetna were involved sexually with each other, the latter becomes pregnant with his child. You must be wondering how did she get pregnant despite being infertile? Probably, there were no issues with her, the problem was in his husband, and since the movie is set in the 1980s, there’s no chance a man would accept his fault in such matters.  

How is Mandana Karimi related to Harshvardhan Kapoor in Thar?

The name of Mandana’s character is Cheryl, and that of Harshvardhan’s is Siddharth. Though the makers don’t shed light on how the two were related, in my opinion, they were husband and wife. 

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