Masterclass in deception: Saif Ali Khan and Jaideep Ahlawat face-off in 'Jewel Thief - The Heist Begins'

If you enjoy a slick action thriller in a similar vein to the “Race” and “Dhoom” franchises, then Siddharth Anand’s “Jewel Thief - The Heist Begins” won’t disappoint. 

Aside from the star-studded casting of Saif Ali Khan, Jaideep Ahlawat and Kunal Kapoor, the film is bolstered by a witty script, laden with deception and one-upmanship. 

The Netflix Bollywood film, with English subtitles, underpins the action with family drama as Rehan Roy (Ali Khan) is sought out by his younger brother Avi (Gagan Arora). 

Having been cut off by his principled doctor father, Jayant (Kulbhushan Kharbanda), who learned of his fraudulent lifestyle, Rehan has been harbouring lots of resentment towards him. 

However, when he learns that his estranged father has unwittingly gotten into business with Rajan Aulakh (Ahlawat), an unsavoury art collector, he has no choice but to return to India.

Sought-after by the authorities, especially Secret Service officer Vikram Patel (Kapoor), Rehan plans an artful return to the homeland, where he has to do one job for Rajan, who will then release Rehan’s father from their business agreement. 

The job in question is no easy feat. Rehan has to procure Prince Gamunu's (Peter Muxka Manuel) African ruby, ​​Red Sun, which is on display at a prominent Mumbai museum. 

Despite the tight security, Rehan is forced to come up with a plan to retrieve the ruby. Even with stringent security measures in place, Rehan must devise a strategy to get the ruby back. And he does - but it is thwarted by Vikram, who has been hot on his trail since he left Budapest.

Much of the movie is centred on the cat-and-mouse games with Rajan and Vikram. Despite having his every move monitored by Rajan’s men, Rehan plots to outsmart everyone with the help of a trusted tech associate as well as Rajan’s long-suffering wife, Farah (Nikita Dutta).

There’s also an impressive mid-flight scene that harks back to Kevin Hart in “Lift”, where meticulous planning meets effortless execution.

Ali Khan is an industry veteran, and the ease with which he plays this role is a testament to his experience. He is wonderfully matched by Ahlawat’s menacing performance. 

Talk about a clash of the titans, these two anchor the film with their scene-stealing face-offs. Kapoor helps heighten the thrills with his tenacious character. 

Overall, this is an enjoyable film, which keeps the audience on tenterhooks with myriad twists. 

• Rating: 3/5 solid and enjoyable film, though not groundbreaking.