Review: 'Crazxy' is a high-octane thriller that races to the edge only to crash at the end

Let’s cut to the chase—Crazxy is unlike anything Bollywood has attempted in recent times. It’s bold. It’s relentless. It grips you from the very first frame, dragging you into a 90-minute ride of sheer tension. But does it stick the landing?

Sohum Shah, back after the cult hit Tumbbad, carries this entire film on his shoulders; scratch that, inside his car. Yes, almost the entire movie unfolds inside a vehicle, with Shah playing Dr. Abhimanyu Sood, a disgraced surgeon whose life spirals out of control within a single, chaotic day. And let’s just say, his comeback is nothing short of spectacular.

The Setup: Fasten Your Seatbelts

The film wastes no time. Abhimanyu, a man already on the edge, is racing to settle a botched surgery case out of court with a massive cash payout. Just when he thinks he's navigating one storm, a bigger one crashes down, his estranged daughter, Vedica, has been kidnapped. And the ransom? The exact amount he’s carrying to save his career. Coincidence? Yeah, right.

This isn’t just any kidnapping. Vedica has Down syndrome, a child he abandoned years ago out of shame and cowardice. So when the ransom call comes, his first instinct is to dismiss it as a cruel prank. But the moment he sees a chilling video of his daughter tied up and unconscious, the real horror kicks in.

Now, he has a choice pay to save himself or pay to save his daughter. Every second counts. And every call he takes in his car pushes him further into his own personal hell.

The Packaging

Here’s where Crazxy scores. The entire film is shot in and around a car. No big set pieces. No elaborate action sequences. Just one man, his phone, and an unrelenting crisis unfolding in real time. It’s claustrophobic, intense, and brilliantly executed. The cinematography keeps you glued, the camera rarely leaving Shah’s face as he spirals into desperation. The BGM? Oh, it’s a beast of its own. Jesper Kyd’s haunting score, coupled with well-placed classics like Abhimanyu Chakravyuh Mein Fas Gaya Hai, amplifies the tension tenfold.

And let’s talk about the voices. That’s right, apart from Shah, no other actor appears on screen. Instead, we get disembodied voices- his ex-wife (Nimisha Sajayan), his lover (Shilpa Shukla), his boss (Piyush Mishra), and the kidnapper (Tinnu Anand). It’s a creative risk that pays off brilliantly, making you feel like an eavesdropper in Abhimanyu’s crumbling world. Every phone call peels back another layer of his broken relationships, fractured past, and suffocating guilt.

The A-Game

You can't miss the flat tire moment. Abhimanyu is forced to multitask like never before. While changing the tire, he’s simultaneously on a video call guiding a junior doctor through a critical surgery AND coaching the kidnapper on how to calm down his panicked daughter. It’s a dizzying display of tension, making you hold your breath as he juggles all three crises at once. Until the interval, Crazxy is a masterclass in tension-building. It keeps escalating, each new call pushing Abhimanyu deeper into a moral and emotional dilemma. You feel his panic, his anger, his regret. The screenplay is tight, the editing razor-sharp. There’s no room to breathe, no unnecessary detours. It’s a thriller that respects your time and keeps you on edge.

The Crashing Climax

And then… bam! Just when you expect Crazxy to go full throttle, it takes a nosedive. The climax—oh boy, where do we even begin? For a film that builds up such an electrifying narrative, the ending is a total letdown. Instead of a jaw-dropping twist or a heart-stopping revelation, we get a melodramatic, sappy conclusion that feels painfully out of place. After everything Abhimanyu goes through, after every pulse-racing second, the film chooses to wrap up in the most predictable, emotionally manipulative way possible. It’s frustrating. What could have been a genre-defying thriller ends up drowning in forced sentimentality.

Final Thoughts

Despite its disappointing climax, Crazxy is still a film worth watching. Sohum Shah delivers a powerhouse performance, proving once again that he’s one of the most unconventional and fearless actors in Bollywood today. The cinematography, sound design, and real-time storytelling keep you hooked. The movie dares to be different—and for that, it deserves credit.

However, it’s not for everyone. If you love unconventional thrillers like this will be right up your alley. But if you’re expecting a mainstream thriller with a neatly wrapped-up ending, be prepared for some disappointment.

The Verdict

A film that starts with a bang, keeps you glued, but ultimately stumbles when it matters the most. Watch it for Sohum Shah, the tight screenplay, and the insane tension. Just don’t expect to walk away entirely satisfied.

3/5 stars