- Crook (film)
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Crook 
Theatrical release posterDirected by Mohit Suri Produced by Mukesh Bhatt Story by Ankur Tewari Starring Emraan Hashmi
Neha Sharma
Arjan BajwaMusic by Pritam Distributed by Vishesh Films Release date(s) 8 October 2010 Running time 121 minutes Country India Language Hindi Budget 
17 crore[1]Crook is a 2010 Bollywood erotic thriller film popularly known by the title of It's Good to be Bad!. The film stars Emraan Hashmi and Neha Sharma in the lead. It is directed by Mohit Suri and produced by Mukesh Bhatt. It was released on 8 October 2010.[2] Before the release, the film was given an 'A' certificate from the Indian Censor Board. Mostly shot in Australia and South Africa, the film is based on the controversy regarding the allegedly racial attacks on Indian students in Australia between 2007 and 2010.[2][3]
Contents
Plot
Jai Dixit (Emraan Hashmi), a youngster who sells pirated DVDs. One day, his uncle Joseph (Gulshan Grover) caught him and changed his personality completely, he changed his name to Suraj Bhardwaj and sends him off to Australia. At the airport, he meets Romi Latti, a teenager who got a scholarship to a University College. He also meets Suhani (Neha Sharma), a young girl who has come to pick Romi up. Suraj gets attracted to Suhani, and therefore he pretends to be Romi and leaves with Suhani. When Suhani finds out that he is not the real Romi, Suraj makes a runs into happy-go-lucky Goldie's flat, where he starts living. While Suraj visits a supermarket, he finds that Australians are attacking the Muslim shopkeeper, and approaches them with a gun, when one of the attackers points out "See no evil, hear no evil!", Suraj runs away. Suraj hides in Nicole's car. She works in a strip club named 'Duke's Club'.
Suraj decides to be Suhani's brother, Samarth's (Arjan Bajwa) driver. When Samarth's car breaks down, Suraj has to get help, but instead he tells Romi to go and fix his car so Suhani and Suraj can spent a night together. Soon enough, Romi is attacked by Australians, and all the Indians start to protest, until Samarth is attacked. He decides to fire back and kidnaps Nicole. Suraj then realizes that Samarth is planning to murder Nicole and blame the murder on himself. Romi and Suraj together murder Samarth, save Nicole, and Suraj & Suhani decide to get married.
Cast
- Emraan Hashmi as Jai Dixit / Suraj Bharadwaj
- Neha Sharma as Suhani Singh
- Arjan Bajwa as Samarth Singh
- Gulshan Grover as Inspector Joseph
- Kavin Dave as Romi Latti
- Shella Alan as Nicole
- Francis Chouler as Russell
- Mashhoor Amrohi as Goldie
- Smilie Suri as Sheena (Special Appearance)
Soudtrack
The film's soundtrack has been composed by Pritam and was released on 6 September 2010. Lyrics are penned by Kumaar.
Track listing
No. Title Performer(s) Length 1. "Challa" Babbu Mann, Suzanne D'Mello 3:45 2. "Mere Bina" Nikhil D'Souza 4:49 3. "Kya" Neeraj Shridhar, Dominique Cerejo 3:49 4. "Tujhi Mein" KK 5:00 5. "Tujhko Jo Paaya" Mohit Chauhan 3:04 6. "Challa (Remix)" Babbu Mann, Suzanne D'Mello 4:26 7. "Mere Bina (Unplugged)" KK 4:49 8. "Tujhi Mein (Reprise)" KK 4:40 Critical reception
India
Reception of the film in India has been mixed. One critic writes praises the music, writing: "this along with its already popular songs makes Crook a full on entertainment package that should not be missed when it releases all over on 8 October".[4] Movie critic Taran Adarsh, criticized the film as a "half-hearted effort", but praises Mohit Suri's handling of the subject during the second hour of the film.[5] Another critic praised the film for presenting "an altogether different approach to the situation and (the director) takes both the sides and speaks in favour of Indians and as well as the Australians.[6]
Among negative reviews, a critic at India Today complained that the film racially vilifies Australians as:
“ A country of ex-convicts. A country where they sleep with each other without marrying. A country where they don't take care of their families. Yes that's the sort of venom that's spewed against the Australians in Crook ...... ” Also that "it is badly directed and doesn't even have that one redeeming feature of all"[7]
A critic at Rediff.com complained of a weak script and story line.[8] A reviewer at bollyspice.com said that the film was "too insensitive" and "superficial".[9]
Australia
One media outlet in Australia voiced concern about the film, repeating Indian newspaper reviews that Crook portrayed Australia as "A country of ex-convicts. A country where they sleep with each other without marrying. A country where they don't take care of their families. Yes that's the sort of venom that's spewed against the Australians in Crook."[10]
Among Australia's local Indian population, Gautam Gupta, spokesman for the Federation of Indian Students criticised the piece, saying: "They have performed their research so badly, it's shocking." He also complained that, far from helping the situation, that the film could help inflame tensions.[11]
Director Mohit Suri responded to these charges, rejecting the claims of bias. The Hindustan Times quoted Suri saying:
“ I am facing flak from both sides. Indians are saying that the film is pro Australia, and they are saying it shows them in bad light. I think Australians should watch the film as a cinematic experience. The film does not show them as ‘wrong’.”[12] ” Responding to allegations that the film is "poorly researched", Suri says, “I have just made a film. At 28, don’t expect me to have a cure to racism worldwide. I have just expressed my opinion.[12] Suri also complained that during the production of the film:
“ “Permissions were not given in several places and even our online Australian producer had his doubts. One day, we were stopped from entering a club by an Indian bouncer who allowed other foreigners in! Then there was the incident where Emraan Hashmi asked an Aussie to click a picture of all of us at a beach. He agreed, and then tossed the camera far into the air and walked away!”[13] ” Awards and Nominations
- 6th Apsara Film & Television Producers Guild Awards
Nominated
- Apsara Award for Best Music - Pritam
- Apsara Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role - Arjan Bajwa
References
- ^ "Box Office: Vishesh Films' Crook takes poor opening". Business of Cinema. http://www.businessofcinema.com/news.php?newsid=17101. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
- ^ a b "Emraan Hashmi’s Crook to release Oct 8". WorldSnap. http://www.worldsnap.com/news/entertainment/bollywood/emraan-hashmi%E2%80%99s-crook-to-release-oct-8-91030.html.
- ^ ""Crook is based on racial discrimination" - Mohit Suri". Bollywood Hungama. http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/features/2010/02/25/5994/index.html. Retrieved 8 October 2010.
- ^ http://www.glamsham.com/movies/scoops/10/sep/22-crook-its-good-to-be-bad-is-not-just-about-action-091004.asp
- ^ Crook: Movie Review by Taran Adarsh
- ^ ‘Crook- It’s Good To Be Bad’ Movie Review
- ^ http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/115753/Cinema/film-review-crook.html
- ^ http://movies.rediff.com/report/2010/oct/08/review-crook.htm
- ^ http://www.bollyspice.com/movie-reviews.php/0772-crook-its-good-to-be-bad-movie-review.html
- ^ http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/bollywood-film-paints-australians-as-violent-racists/story-e6freuy9-1225938649634
- ^ Firkin, Katherine; Bradshaw, Finn (15 October 2010). "Bollywood blockbuster paints Melbourne as racist". Herald Sun. http://www.news.com.au/national/even-indians-say-new-bollywood-movie-errs-with-melbourne-violence/story-e6frfkvr-1225938939099#ixzz14x9pWOUw.
- ^ a b Crook panned by Oz media
- ^ Of Dark Narratives
External links
- Crook at the Internet Movie Database
Films directed by Mohit Suri Films Categories:- 2010 films
- Indian films
- Hindi-language films
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