Jewel Thief – The Heist Begins is a 2025 Indian Hindi-language heist action thriller directed by Kookie Gulati and Robbie Grewal. It’s produced by Siddharth Anand (Marflix Pictures). The film premiered on Netflix on 25 April 2025.
The story follows Rehan Roy (Saif Ali Khan), a globally known jewel thief. Rehan is tracked by Indian Secret Service agents under Officer Vikram Patel (Kunal Kapoor) while based in Budapest. The plot thickens when Rehan’s younger brother Avi Roy arrives with troubling news about their father, Dr. Jayant Roy, who is framed in a laundering scandal by powerful art collector Rajan Aulakh (Jaideep Ahlawat). To protect his father, Rehan is manipulated into a daring heist called the Red Sun, displayed at an exhibit in Mumbai. From there, deception, betrayal, identity swaps, and double-crosses build up to a mid-air heist and an elaborate plan to clear his father’s name.
Jewel Thief Movie Review – Cast & Key Contributions
- Saif Ali Khan plays Rehan Roy, the charming yet conflicted thief.
- Jaideep Ahlawat as Rajan Aulakh, the art collector with a dark side and villainous ambitions.
- Nikita Dutta as Farah, Rajan’s partner who becomes entwined with Rehan’s moral conflict.
- Kunal Kapoor as Officer Vikram Patel, the law pursuing Rehan.
- Other supporting actors include Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Gagan Arora, and others who fill in family, adversarial, and side characters.
Technical crew highlights:
- Cinematography by Jishnu Bhattacharjee
- Editing by Aarif Sheikh
- Songs by Sachin–Jigar and others; score by Shezan Shaikh
What Works in Jewel Thief Movie Review
- Stylish Production & Visuals
The film looks polished. From Budapest to Mumbai, scenes are framed with aesthetic flair. The cinematography captures opulence, shadows, and tension well. - Strong Cast Potential
With actors like Saif Ali Khan and Jaideep Ahlawat, there’s charisma and screen presence. Jaideep in particular gets to play a villain with style. Nikita Dutta provides emotional tension in her scenes. - Heist Sequences & Setup
The premise of the Red Sun heist and the layers of betrayal provide moments of intrigue. The film does succeed in building some suspense, especially around the identity swaps and double games.
What Doesn’t Hold Up
- Predictability & Weak Writing
Multiple critics have noted that many plot points are telegraphed early on, with twists you can see coming. The script recycles many heist tropes without adding fresh insight. - Underused Characters & Motivations
While the leads have moments, supporting characters often lack depth or believable motivations. Villains are stylish but one-dimensional. Moral conflict feels shallow. - Tone & Originality
The film borrows heavily from earlier heist films (domestic and international). Critics feel Jewel Thief fails to find its own voice, leaning on visual gloss and action rather than emotional stakes.
Reception & Critical Response
Critical response has been largely negative:
- The Indian Express calls it “lazy and banal … has zero sparkle.”
- Rotten Tomatoes’ critic reviews also skew low, mentioning underuse of talent and script weaknesses.
- Audiences are mixed; some enjoy the spectacle and stars, others feel frustrated at the missed potential.
Final Verdict
Rating: 2 / 5
Jewel Thief Movie Review suggests that while the film has style and a promising cast, it falls short in terms of originality, tension, and emotional engagement. It’s entertaining in parts, especially for viewers who like polished visuals and heist-drama setups, but it doesn’t fully deliver on suspense or character depth.
If you’re a fan of heist flicks and don’t mind predictable plot turns, Jewel Thief might still be watchable. But if you expect a smarter, more inventive thriller, you may come away feeling underwhelmed.
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