슬롯사이트˜Costao슬롯사이트� Movie Review: Nawazuddin Siddiqui Is His Usual Self in This Gritty Biopic With a Flat Screenplay (LatestLY Exclusive)

Sejal Shah슬롯사이트™s directorial debut Costao stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui as a real-life customs officer caught in a murder trial and systemic corruption. A sincere but subdued drama that lacks the punch it promises. The movie also stars Priya Bapat, Kishore, Hussain Dalal, and Mahika Sharma.

Costao Movie Review (Photo Credits: Zee5)

Costao Movie Review:슬롯 머신 사이트 추천Cinematographer Sejal Shah makes슬롯 머신 사이트 추천her슬롯 머신 사이트 추천directorial debut with Costao, a biopic of former customs officer Costao Fernandes. The film centres on the murder trial that nearly derailed his career and family life, and the events leading up to it. On paper, Costao has all the ingredients of a solid potboiler drama - an upright officer trapped in a dangerous situation, pitted against a powerful adversary, with the system seemingly stacked against him, only for the hero to triumph against all odds. Except, instead of a climactic fight, the final showdown unfolds in the courtroom.슬롯 머신 사이트 추천슬롯사이트˜Costao슬롯사이트� Teaser Out: Nawazuddin Siddiqui Locks Horns With Goa슬롯사이트™s Most Notorious Smuggler in This OTT Film.

While Costao does pack in some masala elements - including a hospital fight scene - it also adopts a more restrained tone, staying true to the fact that it is based on a real person and a real story. This attempt to blend thriller with realism results in a few compelling moments, but it also robs the film of the dramatic highs it sorely needs to make a lasting impact.

'Costao' Movie Review - The Plot

The story follows Costao (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) who receives a tip-off from an informer that a powerful smuggler and aspiring politician, D'Mello (Kishore), is bringing 1,500 kilos of gold into Goa. Determined to catch him red-handed, Costao sets up a bust - but in the ensuing chaos, D'Mello슬롯사이트™s brother Peter (Hussain Dalal) is killed in an act of self-defence, and the gold vanishes.

Watch the Trailer of 'Costao':

Accused of first-degree murder, Costao must now fight to prove his innocence, all while being pursued by D'Mello슬롯사이트™s men and abandoned by a system unwilling to support him. His family, especially his wife Mariya (Priya Bapat), suffers the collateral damage of his uprightness, as she struggles to protect their children amidst the turmoil.

'Costao' Movie Review - An Okayish First Half

The film divides Costao슬롯사이트™s life into two phases - before and after Peter슬롯사이트™s death. We see how he operates as a no-nonsense officer and how the incident impacts his reputation, mental state, and home life. His young daughter narrates parts of the story, describing her father as both a diligent officer and devoted family man, and later, how D'Mello슬롯사이트™s goons harassed them, even as Costao refused to give in. The film aims for a gritty yet realistic tone, seemingly in the vein of E Niwas슬롯사이트� Shool -슬롯 머신 사이트 추천though there슬롯사이트™s no Shilpa Shetty here dancing to "Aayi Hoon Panaji Lootne".

A Still From Costao

The narrative takes its time getting to the incriminating incident, first establishing Costao슬롯사이트™s flippant charm, his use of sports skills in fieldwork, and his textbook dedication to the job, often at the expense of his family. We witness his relentless pursuit to intercept D'Mello슬롯사이트™s gold shipment, although it슬롯사이트™s never entirely clear how he intended to catch 1,500 kilos of smuggled gold on his own. The action is occasionally let down by awkward continuity - at one point, Costao dives headfirst through a car window, and in the very next shot he슬롯사이트™s already inside - but Peter's death scene is otherwise neatly executed. The film, set three decades ago, also captures the communication hurdles officers like Costao faced at the time.

'Costao' Movie Review - Too Grounded For Its Own Good

I expected Costao to get grittier after Peter슬롯사이트™s death, as the protagonist is forced to grapple with the consequences while the missing gold becomes a lingering mystery. The film attempts to channel Ardh Satya territory, exploring how honesty amounts to little in a corrupt system. Costao is insulted, ostracised, and even beaten up (by a mob of women, including Peter슬롯사이트™s widow) for what he sees as simply doing his duty. While the framework is familiar, its basis in a true story lends it some weight. Still, the film lacks the punch that made Govind Nihalani슬롯사이트™s work so enduring. Its commitment to being too grounded results in a tone that슬롯사이트™s too subdued to be compelling, and it leans too heavily on repetitive beats - like Mariya슬롯사이트™s ongoing trauma - to elevate the drama.

A Still From Costao

A few moments stand out: a shouting match between Mariya and Costao that marks the beginning of their relationship슬롯사이트™s downward spiral, and a tense face-off between Costao and D'Mello where the former finally gets the upper hand in a war of words. Otherwise, D'Mello, despite being positioned as a dangerous antagonist, comes across as surprisingly restrained, opting for psychological torment over outright menace, while obsessing over discovering the identity of the informer.

'Costao' Movie Review - The Performances

Although the legal battle is central to Costao슬롯사이트™s story, the courtroom scenes fizzle, lacking the dramatic heft found in the sequences outside the court, sometimes quite literally. But where Costao truly stumbles is in letting it become a Nawazuddin Siddiqui showcase rather than a full embodiment of Costao Fernandes. The film relies heavily on Nawazuddin슬롯사이트™s trademark deadpan delivery and wry one-liners, which turn even tense moments into commentary. He largely sticks to this mode, except in a rare scene near the end at Peter슬롯사이트™s grave, where he finally sheds the veneer and lets the character슬롯사이트™s emotional vulnerability show - it슬롯사이트™s the only moment that truly lands.

A Still From Costao

Priya Bapat delivers a moving performance as Mariya, particularly strong in the emotionally charged scenes. Kishore, meanwhile, plays his role a bit too quietly to leave a lasting impression. Gagan Dev Riar, as a sleazy investigating officer, does his part convincingly.

A Still From Costao

Set in the 1990s, the film leans heavily on the usual yellow-brown tint to evoke a period look, which, while functional, prevents it from carving out a distinct visual identity. Though I was surprised that슬롯 머신 사이트 추천Sejal Shah, being a cinematographer herself, hands over the camera duties to Rafey Mahmood.

'Costao' Movie Review - Final Thoughts

Costao is a film that wants to honour the grit of a real-life officer caught in the storm of duty, corruption, and consequence, but it ends up playing things too safe to truly leave a mark. It슬롯사이트™s earnest in its storytelling and anchored by some committed performances, but the lack of dramatic bite and a too-measured tone stop it from becoming the hard-hitting drama it could슬롯사이트™ve been.슬롯 머신 사이트 추천Costao is streaming on Zee5.

Rating:2.5

(The opinions expressed in the above article are of the author and do not reflect the stand or position of LatestLY.)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 30, 2025 10:07 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).

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