Farrey Review: Alizeh Agnihotri, Prasanna Bisht, Sahil Mehta, Zeyn Shaw Passed This Exam With Flying Colours!
Is it their cheat sheet to success?
Salman Khan’s niece Alizeh Agnihotri has been the talk of the town ever since her Bollywood debut film Farrey was announced. Directed by Soumendra Padhi, the film has been co-written by him along with Abhishek Yadav and produced by Salman Khan Films and Reel Life Productions. Starring Alizeh Agnihotri, Prasanna Bisht, Sahil Mehta, Zeyn Shaw, Ronit Bose Roy and Juhi Babbar Soni, the film is all set to hit the big screen on November 24. And you definitely don’t want to miss watching this edge-of-the-seat thriller about cheating in exams in the theatre. Read our review to know more about the film.
The Plot Of Farrey
Farrey follows an orphan Niyati (played by Alizeh Agnihotri). Raised by Shailesh Singh (played by Ronit Roy) and Zoya (played by Juhi Babbar Soni), Niyati tops her 10th board and lands a scholarship to a top-tier school. Niyati joins the school alongside Aakash (Sahil Mehta) who also happens to be a scholarship student. But their admission in the elite schools changes their life after they cross paths with Chhavi (Prasanna Bisht) and Prateek (Zeyn Shaw). Niyati and Aakash get caught in a web of lies, manipulation and greed while helping Chhavi, Prateek and other students cheat in exams not by making farrey (chits) but rather by using their code language. But all hell breaks loose when Niyati loses her one chance at a fully paid scholarship to Oxford University after she is caught helping others with money involved in the situation. Greed and the need to earn enough to support her family makes her continue helping others cheat for money but how long will Niyati’s brilliance save her? Watch the movie to know more.
Performances
Alizeh Agnihotri as Niyati: Alizeh shines in her role as Niyati and shows potential. For her debut film, the actress’ performance is top-notch and deserves to be appreciated. The actress eases into her role as Niyati and does justice to her character by playing it with honesty and passion. Alizeh has delivered an impactful performance by nailing the portrayal of every single emotion that Niyati goes through as well as showcasing her vulnerability with sensitivity.
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Prasanna Bisht as Chhavi: Prasanna’s Chhavi is a very complex character and the actress excels in the role. She plays her role with conviction and I promise you, you’ll hate Chhavi with passion which only goes to show that Prasanna has done her job well. At the same time, her nuanced acting makes it easy to feel invested in Chhavi’s story and relate to her need for validation from her father.
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Sahil Mehta as Aakash: NGL, but I hate what the makers have done with his skin colour. But that has nothing to do with how Sahil has portrayed Aakash who is a complex and layered character trapped in the web of greed. His character arc makes him a rather interesting character to watch out for and Sahil managed to grab eyeballs every single time he’s on the screen and make his presence known.
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Zeyn Shaw as Prateek: Zeyn’s Prateek is all about the boyish charms until shit gets real and the actor breathes life into his twisted character who is willing to take things up a notch to get what he wants. TBH, his character was half-baked but Zeyn’s acting makes it easy to forgive the shoddy writing of this character who had so much potential to elevate the script.
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Supporting Cast
Ronit Roy proves his mettle with his skilled acting once again in the role of Niyati’s adoptive father. In spite of all the other actors who grab the limelight, Ronit manages to shine and leave a lasting impression as a father who is willing to do everything in his power to parent his daughter(s) right. Juhi Babbar Soni also does justice to her character despite the limited screen time.
Verdict: Performances Elevate This Emotional But Intense Thriller
Before I start sharing everything that works for this film, I’d like to address the issue of Sahil Mehta’s skin darkening for the role of Aakash. Guys, not all poor people are dark-skinned and not all fair-skinned people are rich. Skin colour does not define class, it’s so passé. Seriously, that’s not cool. Having said that, this film is fast-paced and scores high on the thrill. Moments when the kids are cheating to score good grades will have you sweating as you sit on the edge of your seat wondering if they’re get caught, rooting for them to not get caught because let’s be honest, we’ve all cheated or at least helped someone cheat in exams.
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The film hits hard on the reliability and nostalgia factor as it takes you down childhood memory lane when people would come up with new ways to cheat and sneak in chits for exams. From clichés of hiding books in bathrooms to rolling up a chit in your pen, Farrey will remind you of your school days and the jugaads the students come up with to cheat in exams. The film is equal parts gripping and equal parts emotional. Apart from the thrill of cheating and the complexities of relationships and greed, the film also explores human emotions and how far kids can go to seek validation from their parents. This film is not just about cheating in exams but also about cheating to seek validation from parents. Alizeh Agnihotri’s Niyati is out to seek validation from her adoptive father in her own way, first by silently helping him and then by allowing truth to liberate her. On the other hand, Prasanna Bisht’s Chhavi is out to seek validation from her father who wants her to score well and get into Stanford University.
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What makes Farrey even better is that it showcases human emotions, the complexity of relationships, teenage confusion, peer pressure, greed, manipulation and so much more without being preachy. The film does not get into the rights and wrongs of cheating but rather shows the risk and reward ratio. Everything in Farrey seems to take a turn for the worse and every character seems to surprise you with their twisted character arc. More so after the plot twist when cheating in exams turns into an international-level cheating scam which results in chaos but ends in the most unpredictable manner. Unlike the other thriller movies, this film hasn’t been shot in the dark with a gritty feel but rather it has colours, bright scenes, dance sequences that will have you grooving and so much more while keeping it riveting at the same time.
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Everything from the casting to the direction to the cinematography to the screenplay is nearly perfect. This edgy thriller is not your run-of-the-mill preachy story about how cheating can mess up your life but rather about how far people can go for greed and why teens cheat and the deep-rooted emotions and problems behind it all. The storytelling and performances by the actors elevate the film. It falters when the plot delves into the unnecessary, half-baked subplot of a budding romance between Aakash and Niyati. The one-dimensional characters of Ronit Roy and Juhi Babbar Soni also leave a bad taste in one’s mouth. NGL but considering the potential that Prasanna Bisht’s Chhavi and Zeyn Shaw’s Prateek had to offer, their characters and their stories seemed untouched. The characters seemed deep but their stories barely scratched the surface.
Also Read: Alizeh Agnihotri’s Fantastic Footwear Collection For Farrey Promotions Is Both Pretty And Pricey
Having said that, let me warn you the last 15 minutes of the film will disappoint you because Farrey does not end the way one would expect it to considering the build-up throughout the film. It makes you feel slightly cheated of a satisfactory ending but come to think of it, it’s still rather unpredictable. And that, my friends, is why I cannot give this film more than 4 out of 5 stars.
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Psst…don’t forget to book your ticket to witness Alizeh Agnihotri, Prasanna Bisht, Sahil Mehta and Zeyn Shaw cheat. Farrey releases in theatres across India on November 24.
