Why Cheat India (2019)

Emraan Hashmi: Emraan Hashmi’s performance as the wily and confident, Rakesh. The actor pulls it off in every frame with assurance and ease.

Shreya Dhanwantary: The fresh faces of Shreya Dhanwantary is perfectly cast in the role of naïve character

Snigdhadeep Chatterjee: The fresh face of Snigdhadeep Chatterjee is perfectly cast in the role of naïve characters.

STORY: Rakesh Singh runs a business that allows education scams to flourish in the country. He enrols bright students into his plan, makes them write proxy exams for students who are unable to score or pass, and then, helps them procure a fake degree. This story revolves around one such boy, Sattu, who dreams of a better life, and in turn, falls prey to Rakesh’s scheming plan.

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Good

SCREENPLAY: Inconsistent

DIRECTION: Writer-director Soumik Sen isn’t able to give the narrative the kind of edge and finesse that it deserves. Many scenes from the film feel disjointed, owing to the choppy editing and inconsistent screenplay. Certain situations in the film, like Sattu’s blind trust on Rakesh, despite being aware that he’s just another spoke in Rocky’s business wheel, doesn’t make any sense.

Cheat India (2019): The story and concept of Why Cheat India holds a lot of merit, and if the execution was the sharper and steadier, this one had the potential to graduate to another level. Even with the flaws in the story, the film and its various subjects have enough at hand to keep you entertained.

Review by Shreya Ghosh