Alibaba Aani Chalishitale Chor

Review: Playing with words from the title of the popular story Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, director Aditya Ingale's film Alibaba Ani Chalishitale Chor is a fun take on the lives of a group of friends who are in their 40s. The film itself is an adaptation of a play by the same name, written by Vivek Bele and staged about a decade ago. Dealing with the intertwined relations, midlife crisis and more, the story is as relevant as it was when executed on stage.

The film revolves around the lives of three couples and a single man, all of whom are good friends. However, an incident plants the seed of suspicion in everyone's minds and what follows are efforts to find an answer to the question plaguing the group - who really did what they did?

Since it was originally written for the stage, the script is more dialogue-heavy for a medium like cinema, where visual representations take centrestage. However, Bele and Ingale do a fine job of keeping the viewers hooked. Equally responsible for the entertainment are the actors.

Boasting of a stellar cast, including Subodh Bhave, Mukta Barve, Anand Ingale, Shruti Marathe, Madhura Velankar Satam, Atul Parchure and Umesh Kamat, Alibaba Ani Chalishitale Chor catches the essence of married relationships and friendships. The interactions of the characters are relatable and the actors do their jobs with perfection.

That said, the film will make you feel like a third person listening to couples gossiping on screen. Since it's heavy on words, the film is not a visual treat per se. But, what Alibaba Ani Chalishitale Chor promises is an engaging watch. With relatability and humour, the film also touches upon issues like suppressed desires, extramarital affairs, jealousy and more.