Class Of '83 Movie Review: A not so gripping crime-drama

STORY: When a top cop is sent away on a punishment posting as the Dean of a Police training academy, he decides to get back at a corrupt system by training five cadets to carry out what he couldn’t finish. But his plan may not be as sure-fire as he imagines it to be. REVIEW: Based on Hussain Zaidi’s book with the same name, 'Class of 83' tells the story of a committed Mumbai Police cop, Vijay Singh (Bobby Deol) who goes through professional and personal losses simultaneously. As his quest to nab a dreaded underworld gang-lord goes awry, he is relegated to the post of a Dean at a Police training academy in Nashik. At the same time, he has to come to terms with the sudden death of his wife. At the academy, his past still haunts him and he realises that even though he followed the law diligently, he wasn’t able to play smart enough to protect himself from falling prey to a corrupt nexus between the politicians and the underworld. Armed with a new resolve, he picks five cadets from the academy and decides to train them skilfully with his insights and insider tips. Even though these five young men - Pramod Shukla (Bhupendra Jadawat), Aslam Khan (Sameer Paranjape), Vishnu Varde (Hitesh Bhojraj), Janardan Surve (Prithvik Pratap) and Lakshman Jadhav (Ninad Mahajani) - are the bottom performing students in their batch, they soak in the practical knowledge bestowed on them by Vijay Singh.As they pass out and join the Mumbai Police force, it takes a few years before Singh’s plans can start to take shape. However, by then each of them are seasoned policemen themselves with their own notions about law, order and corruption. And moreover, the landscape of Mumbai’s crime and underworld has changed. The premise of 'Class of 83' is undoubtedly an interesting one and the film does a commendable job of recreating the early 80s era –completely imbibing the look and feel of that time. And the recreation of the Police training sessions have an authentic touch to them. However the narrative, which at times is non-linear, doesn’t quite manage to build up enough tension or thrill, except in a few portions. Despite a run-time of just over an hour and half, the pace is uneven - laboured in parts and then picks up at some points. But the impact is somewhat muted. On the upside, Bobby Deol effortlessly slips into his role of the older, mature and determined cop, pulling off a restrained and convincing act. Newcomers Sameer Paranjpe, Bhupendra Jadawat and Hitesh Bhojraj also put in spirited performances and leave an impression. Joy Sengupta and Vishwajeet Pradhan also add with their measured, dependable acts. But ultimately, although 'Class of 83' had all the ingredients to make a gripping crime drama and recreates a realistic setting, it ends up dishing out a tedious watch.