Chok

What would you do if you found yourself in a situation where you accidentally murdered someone to protect a pregnant girl who turns out to be a drug dealer herself?This is the premise the recent webfilm “Chok – The Maze”, by OTT platform Cinematic, throws the protagonist Ashraf Babu into. Babu, played by renowned musician and actor Tahsan Khan, finds himself in this bizarre situation one night while working as a waiter in a nightclub. Chok 2021.

To make matters worse, the girl Babu tries to protect turns out to be a drug smuggler herself, embroiled in multiple illegal businesses and crimes.

Yet, to escape the consequences of his actions, Babu tries to flee. The girl – Koli, addressed as “Queen” by her fellow gang members – promises Babu safe passage to India if he agrees to act as per her commands. But the plot thickens and pushes the puzzled protagonist into further trouble.

The murdered body of the drug dealer back at the club creates quite a stir among many, including the police and a local gang – all of whom begin to look for the mysterious girl and the fugitive club waiter.

As the chase continues, Babu and Koli flee to a local hotel to spend the night and prepare an escape plan for crossing into India. The story progresses with what can be regarded as an intimate and romantic scene between the duo, which I must admit seemed a bit awkward and rushed.

The plot picks up pace in the second half of its hundred minute run and some of the plot points get explained. The chase comes to a head with the story finally ending in a twist.

Though the film explains a few of the mysteries, it leaves a lot for the audience to guess or assume. Apart from the twists and surprises, the ending scene also generates multiple questions igniting speculation about a potential sequel.

Though the story was an interesting one with a fairly well-reputed cast, its execution was far from perfect. I would say the weakest point of “Chok” is its screenplay. With some of its unrealistic scenarios, paired with the boring and linear storytelling at times, the movie lacks the ability to keep the audience hooked throughout the run of the film.