Savi Movie Review: For those who don't know, Savi is an official remake of the 2010 American thriller The Next Three Days (itself a remake of the French film Pour Elle). Savi is nearly a scene-by-scene adaptation of the Russell Crowe-starrer, except the protagonists are gender-swapped. If you have seen the original, there won't be much to surprise you, aside from putting you in the mental struggle to try hard not to compare the lead actress to Crowe. If you haven't seen the Paul Haggis film, Savi still underwhelms as a thriller due to Divya Khossla's inconsistent lead performance and dramatic moments that undercut the thrills and logic. Savi: Did You Know Divya Khossla’s Film Is Inspired by Russell Crowe’s The Next Three Days? All You Need to Know About 2010 Thriller and Where to Watch It Online.

Savi (Divya Khossla) and Nakul (Harshvardhan Rane) are a happy couple living with their spelling-bee-obsessed child in Liverpool. One day, Nakul is arrested by the cops on charges of murdering his boss. The evidence is against him, though Nakul insists he is innocent.

Watch the Trailer of Savi:

Savi tries all legal means to get him out, but since he cannot prove his innocence, the court gives him a life sentence. After Nakul is brutally assaulted by fellow inmates, Savi is determined to break him out of prison and goes to any lengths to do so.

Anil Kapoor to the Rescue

Anil Kapoor, credited as a 'special appearance' in the opening credits despite having a substantial role, plays the character Liam Neeson did in the original. He plays an ex-convict who has escaped prison seven times and writes best-sellers about his experiences. He later helps Savi in her quest. Neeson's role in The Next Three Days didn't have much screen time, but Kapoor's role is expanded here, and I am thankful for that.

A Still From Savi

There are many opportunities where Savi - both the character and the film - needed him to rescue them, and Kapoor does so with gleeful aplomb, even indulging in some fun fancy dressing. Mostly his character is a glorified deus ex machina, yet I can't thank Anil Kapoor enough for being cast in the film.

An Uninspiring Remake Job

Without this extended cameo, Savi could have easily fallen apart by the time it reached its somewhat redemptive third act. The plot has the potential to thrill and Abhinay Deo's direction is decent, but the screenplay does such a copy-paste job that it doesn't play around with aspects that don't always make sense. For instance, Nakul and Savi insist that a button from the real killer's coat is still lying around the crime scene, but it's not exactly explained how one button could prove his innocence.

A Still From Savi

Additionally, the cops suddenly become suspicious of Savi enough to follow her, just because a lady cop saw her vomiting near the prison. Why? And why don't they become suspicious when they see her waiting outside the prison nearly every day in her car and driving past the guards to follow an ambulance?

The Dramatised 'Changes'

Let me be honest here - I am not entirely correct in saying Savi is a copy-paste remake of The Next Three Days. There are some changes, but Parveez Shaikh and Aseem Arora's screenplay doesn't make much sense of them. In the American film, the title is justified when the hero learns his wife will be transferred in three days to a high-security prison, and he has to break her out before that happens. In Savi, the three-day stipulation arises because Nakul is too stubborn to save his own skin. There is also his father, easily the most annoying character in the film, who, being Punjabi, has to say "balle balle" when he is happy.

A Still From Savi

There are a couple of melodramatic songs added to show the intensity of the couple's relationship, but they only kill the pacing. You don't need those to understand the protagonist's motivations (even if it feels rushed). This extra dose of melodrama nearly ruins a thrilling third act—a WTF intimate moment that somehow saves their asses when cops chase after them. Savi Song 'Humdum': Divya Khossla and Harshvardhan Rane's First Track Radiates Love and Romance, Crooned by Vishal Mishra.

A Still From Savi

Mostly, Savi struggles because its lead actress struggles to convey the required emotions for the situations her character faces. Divya Khossla either underplays her part too much—watch her plaintive reaction when the cops first inform her that her spouse is being arrested—or goes too theatrical. She gets better as the film progresses in the second half, and thanks to the pacy finale with its twists and turns, her performance becomes much more bearable by then. The underrated Harshvardhan Rane is decent in a role that doesn't give him much scope, save for the last act.

Final Thoughts on Savi

There is a scene where Savi pays homage to Russell Crowe, with a prison inmate shouting Gladiator's iconic line, "Are you not entertained?" (I want to believe that was the case). In response, I want to say, not as much as I expected, bro. As a thriller, Savi is hampered by the lead actor's inconsistent and wavering performance, and the extra overdose of melodrama. Where Savi works is when it sticks to what clicked best for The Next Three Days, and then has the great Anil Kapoor to save the day.

Rating:2.0

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 31, 2024 10:17 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).