Stealing hearts, one heist at a time: Why audiences can't get enough of the genre

India Today

03-05-2025

There's always something universally sexy about a well-executed heist. Whether it's robbing a vault, scamming a billionaire, or pulling off an impossible con in broad daylight, it's the kind of cinematic fantasy that hits harder than a plot twist at midnight.And Indian audiences? Oh, we eat it up. Give us some disguises, a touch of swag, a morally grey hero with killer charisma - and we'll ride shotgun for the whole ride. From Akshay Kumar's Special 26 to Dhoom franchise, Aankhen to even the chaotic brilliance of Happy New Year, we've seen that when a desi-heist thriller leans into its drama and desi-ness, it's gold. Or diamonds. Or both.advertisementAlso, there's no denying that there's a certain magic in watching a heist unfold on screen. A misfit crew, a high-stakes plan, a target too risky to ignore, and a payoff that promises freedom (or revenge, or closure). It's intense, clever, and full of surprises.
Tamil filmmaker Nalan Kumarasamy, who directed the 2013 film Soodhu Kavvum starring Vijay Sethupathi, admitted that the success of such films largely depends on their characters. 'Having characters who make the impossible seem possible is what makes these films so enjoyable, because we don't encounter such people in real life,' he said.But why are we so obsessed with heist stories? Why do filmmakers across cultures, budgets, and streaming platforms continue to experiment with it? And why has this genre become a global phenomenon? We discuss all of this in this week's Cinematic Saturday.A SAFE SPACE FOR FANTASY AND REBELLIONadvertisementIn real life, robbing a bank is a terrible idea. But in fiction? It's intoxicating. Actor Gagan Arora, recently seen as Avi Roy in 'Jewel Thief' (2025) alongside Saif Ali Khan, spoke to India Today and shared why the genre is appealing to viewers.He said, 'I think the reason the thriller genre is so appealing to the Indian audience is because, mostly, we're not that adventurous in life. We are all tax-paying, simple people who like to save money, and we don't do too many adventurous things - at least most of us. And then suddenly, out of the blue, we see somebody looting a bank - the same bank that charges us a lot on our loan EMIs.'He continued, 'So what happens is, it kind of gives us a thrill that we don't experience in our own lives. Maybe it's because it's a little out of our comfort zone. We would never do something like this in real life, so it always looks glorious to watch.' THE HEIST EFFECTThe thing about a good heist movie is - it makes you feel like you're in it. You're not just watching a robbery happen; you're part of the plan. The tension pulls you in, the stakes keep you locked, and when the big reveal drops, it feels like you pulled it off too. It's cinematic adrenaline, dressed in style and served with swagger and a kind of fantasy that you can't resist.advertisementActor Vivaan Shah, who played a crucial role in Farah Khan's Happy New Year, said, "I think the genre really takes us back to some of the fun of the children's games that we used to play, like 'chor-police' and 'cops and robbers'.""There is an almost primal fascination with the whole business of a robbery or a theft. An exhilaration too! It is one of the most involving of genres which gives us a sense of the fugitive experience," he told India Today.That's the reason classics like director Neeraj Pandey's 2013 drama Special 26 still hold up. The cons weren't just clever - they were rooted in something real. The film made you feel like it could happen. It felt homegrown and sharp, with enough emotional depth to make the payoff hit harder. That con job wasn't just cool - it was personal.Watch a clip from Special 26 here: Gagan, while speaking to us, explained, 'I think the most important thing about the script of such a film is that it shouldn't be too alienated from logic. The closer the heist feels to being possible, the more fun and enjoyable it becomes for the audience. The problem starts when illogical things begin to happen on screen. And I think these are good enough elements.'advertisementAdditionally, heist thrillers give us permission to root for rule-breakers - especially when they're taking on corrupt systems (Money Heist, Special 26), greedy corporations (The Italian Job), or even time (Tenet [elements of heist]). These stories tap into a primal desire: to outwit authority and win big.'People like law and order,' said director Kumaraswamy. He added, 'Regular people like us do not go against the system. So, when somebody goes against it, we like to see it.'A BLUEPRINT BUILT FOR TENSION AND PAY OFFAt its core, the heist genre is structured like a rollercoaster: Assembling the team, the plan, the execution and the twist.Every heist begins by bringing together a diverse crew, each with a specific skill. And it's like watching a dream team being formed for an impossible mission - and we're already intrigued.The plan is where all the fun happens. The audience gets a peek at the team's genius (and usually over-complicated) plan, which builds suspense. But here's the catch: while it seems foolproof, we know trouble's lurking around the corner.advertisementThe Execution - The heist is finally happening, and it's intense. The plan is put into action, and things usually start going sideways. Take the 2001 multi-starrer Ocean's Eleven, for example. This is where the crew faced close calls with security or unexpected glitches in their plan. The chaos is what kept us on the edge of our seats.No heist movie is complete without a twist. Just when we think everything is going smoothly, something unexpected happens - a betrayal, a double-cross, or a reveal that changes everything.Gagan believes that 'the success of Indian heist films lies more in the plot twists'. He added, 'And I think that applies to almost all kinds of scripts - it totally depends on how a script is written, how the plot twist plays out. The characters, of course, are important, but I think it's the plot twist that the Indian audience really loves.'The finale is where we see whether the crew succeeds or fails. The payoff is often bittersweet - sometimes they get away with it, sometimes they don't. The tension that's built up throughout the movie gets resolved in a final, satisfying (or shocking) way.advertisementAnd why does this blueprint work? Because it taps into the core of what makes thrillers so engaging: suspense, high stakes, and surprises. This formula also works because it's designed to keep us hooked. We're always a few steps behind or ahead of the plan, guessing what will go wrong, or being floored by a reveal that turns the whole plot upside down. HEISTS ARE ABOUT TEAMS - AND WE LOVE FOUND FAMILIESHeist movies or shows thrive on found families. Another reason why this genre works - the crew.The "assembling the team" montage is now iconic. It creates a vibe of camaraderie, diversity, and banter-filled chaos that modern audiences love. These crews often resemble found families, where outcasts unite for a shared mission. It's Fast and Furious but with blueprints instead of nitrous.Take, for instance, the team from Farah Khan's iconic Happy New Year (2014): a street boxer with a troubled past, a hard-of-hearing strongman, a seizure-prone safecracker, a master hacker, and a bar dancer. Together, this unlikely crew managed to pull off a daring diamond heist from one of the most secure vaults - the Shalimar.Gen Z in particular connects with these stories of loyalty, skill, and self-made justice. The characters feel real, layered, and often anti-heroic - more flawed than perfect.A VISUALLY AND STRUCTURALLY FLEXIBLE GENREOne of the major reasons heist thrillers are so beloved by filmmakers is their flexibility. The genre allows for a ton of creative freedom, both visually and structurally, making it an ideal playground for directors, writers, and producers. Whether they want to make a slick, stylish crime drama or a fast-paced action ride, the genre has the room to adapt to various tones, settings, and structures.Another factor that serves well with the genre is having multiple perspectives. For example, Kaleidoscope, a 2023 Netflix series, literally lets you watch the episodes in any order, offering a fresh perspective on a familiar heist.This nonlinear approach keeps the story dynamic and engaging, as the audience sees different sides of the same crime, with each episode revealing new twists and insights into the characters and their motives.Another cool thing about heist films is that they aren't bound to just one genre - they often mix seamlessly with other genres. A heist story can be a thriller, a comedy, a romance, or even a sci-fi epic. This flexibility allows filmmakers to get creative and play around with different tones, pacing, and themes. THE POPULARISATION OF THE ANTI-HERO TROPEPerhaps the most interesting part? Heist thrillers play with morality. Such films allow characters to be morally complex. You're rooting for people who break the law, lie, steal, and sometimes even hurt others, yet you connect with them because they're often portrayed as underdogs or people fighting a system.Echoing a similar thought, Gagan, who played the righteous brother of a morally grey Saif Ali Khan in Jewel Thief, said, 'These films carry a strong moral undertone because they're not meant to inspire real-life heists. While the characters may seem heroic and their world looks glamorous, the reality is very different—everyone eventually gets caught. It's important to leave the audience with the message that wrongdoing always comes with consequences.'While watching such films, the audiences root for thieves and why. Because often, the "bad guys" are more principled than the system they're stealing from. They're clever, charming, and full of purpose. The people in power, meanwhile, are greedy, violent, or indifferent.Vignesh, a self-proclaimed cinemaholic with a thirst for edge-of-the-seat thrillers, shared why he eagerly looks forward to a well-made heist drama. Speaking to India Today, he said, 'I think heist movies are appealing to me because our favourite actors are playing anti-hero roles, and it's refreshing to see them channel their inner villains."He continued to explain, 'One of my favourite heist movies has to be Ocean's Eleven, which has become an iconic movie over the years and bloomed into one of the best franchise movies. A star-studded cast that comes together to do a casino heist is more relatable than a bunch of Avengers coming together to save Earth.'WHAT ABOUT THE LATEST RELEASE, JEWEL THIEF?This ideological edge gives the genre weight and relevance beyond its entertainment. And which is why the latest film, Jewel Thief - a Netflix release, with the irresistible duo of Saif Ali Khan and Jaideep Ahlawat - felt like it should've been a slam dunk. But instead of thrilling, it tripped. Instead of dazzling, it dulled. And instead of stealing the show, it barely left a fingerprint.Things were different with this film. Saif looked the part - smooth, mysterious, layered. Ahlawat brought his usual intensity. The cinematography was moody, the locations slick, the vibes immaculate. And yet, something was off.The problem? It was all surface, no soul.Watch the trailer of Jewel Thief here: Despite the title, the film wasn't a spiritual cousin of the 1967 Dev Anand classic. It was more like a pale imitation of Western noir thrillers in fancy packaging. The characters looked like they had deep secrets, but you didn't care enough to dig. The twists came, sure - but they felt more like mechanical whiplash than emotional gut-punches. You know that moment when a movie throws a reveal at you, and you go '...okay?' instead of 'NO WAY'?And pacing? Don't even get us started. For a thriller, the film crawled. Scenes dragged, tension evaporated, and the big reveals felt less like mic drops and more like damp fireworks. A genre that's built on timing, urgency, and razor-sharp momentum ended up feeling like it was on cruise control.Which is such a waste, because India has always had a flair for the heist genre - when we do it our way.INDIANS' LOVE FOR DESI HEIST FILMSTake Aankhen (2002), for example. It was loud, dramatic, and utterly bonkers. A revenge heist with three blind men robbing a bank? It sounds like satire, but it worked. Why? Because it had heart. It had stakes. It wasn't just about pulling off the job - it was about why the job mattered. That's the emotional engine that Jewel Thief never quite revved.Sharing his take on Indian heist thrillers, Vivaan told us, "Our crime films and our heist films have a distinct aesthetic which, although influenced by the cinema of other countries, is wholly original and unique. Indian Cinema brought vitality and an electricity to the genre."Which brings us to a larger truth: Indian audiences don't just want sleekness. We want connection.We don't just want to watch a con - we want to be emotionally invested in it. The characters need to be messy, flawed, funny, tragic. We want jugaadu plans, emotional motives, over-the-top risks, and at least one heartstring-pulling backstory. Heist thrillers are fun, sure, but the great ones also leave you thinking. Or, at the very least, gasping.And let's be real - part of the appeal is that these stories offer rebellion with glamour. Anti-heroes who don't use guns or gore, but charm and brains? That's a fantasy we love to root for.Hrithik Roshan in Dhoom 2 wasn't just a thief - he was a fashion icon, a parkour master, and somehow emotionally vulnerable under all that perfection. We knew he was breaking the law, and we didn't care. If anything, we were cheering him on.That's what Jewel Thief missed. It didn't give us anyone to cheer for. Or fear. Or feel betrayed by. It just unfolded like a clever PowerPoint presentation, ticking off genre boxes without ever giving us a real hook. And no amount of slow-motion shots or suave suits can fix that.Because at the end of the day, a great heist film is about the why, not just the how. Why does this character risk it all? Why is the plan so urgent? Why should we care if it works? When those questions are answered well, the genre thrives. When they're not, we scroll back to old comfort watches and forget what we just saw.Look, we're not saying don't make stylish, ambitious, experimental thrillers. Please do. But don't forget your audience. We're sharp. We love twists. But we also love emotion, masala, and motives that hit closer to home than a European art gallery heist. The most successful desi thrillers work because they balance tension with tradition, spectacle with sentiment. And when that balance is off, it shows.So here's hoping the next big heist flick doesn't just steal diamonds - but also steals our hearts.