🎬 Overview & Premise
Gangland: The City of Crime, written and directed by Savio Sandhu and produced by KV Dhillon, Anmol Sahni, and Parteek Sharma, hit theaters on April 25, 2025 reddit.com+13thepollywood.com+13indian.community+13. Rooted in the web series Gangland in Motherland, this feature film plunges into the underbelly of Punjab’s organized crime — exploring violent rivalries, police dilemmas, and shifting loyalties.
🧭 Plot & Themes
The narrative begins in 1986 with Sultan and Hakam, childhood friends leading a six-member robbery gang. A successful heist triggers tension when Sultan seeks retirement, setting off a bloody feud that draws in rival gangs across Punjab yukonfilmsociety.com+2en.wikipedia.org+2indian.community+2. The film delves into themes of friendship turned sour, the cyclical nature of revenge, and blurred lines between law enforcers and lawbreakers — echoing the moral ambiguity seen in Gangs of Wasseypur .
🎭 Performances & Characters
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Sippy Gill carries the emotional core, portraying the conflicted gangster caught between loyalty and violence reddit.com+10thepollywood.com+10indian.community+10.
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Nishawn Bhullar brings internal conflict to life, embodying the fallout of betrayal in a visceral, grounded manner fandango.com+9thepollywood.com+9indian.community+9.
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Amiek Virk, Dheeraj Kumar, Vadda Grewal, Hobby Dhaliwal, Kul Sidhu, and others round out a robust ensemble—each adding texture and authenticity thepollywood.com+7thepollywood.com+7indian.community+7.
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Supporting roles from Vadda Grewal and Amiek Virk stand out, particularly in enhancing the gangster world’s complexity thepollywood.com+8thepollywood.com+8indian.community+8.
🎥 Direction, Cinematography & Technical Craft
Savio Sandhu delivers a raw, unflinching vision of crime-ridden Punjab. Scenes are drenched in moody realism, from tightly choreographed heists to brutal revenge cycles punjabimania.com+6indian.community+6thepollywood.com+6. Cinematographer Kumar Saurabh uses sharp contrasts and shadowy tones to mirror the moral murkiness of the storyline thepollywood.com+1fandango.com+1. Action sequences are realistic and visceral, with stylized fights and shootouts that echo international standards . The film sustains intensity for over two hours, though some scenes meander in the mid-act .
🔊 Music & Sound Design
The soundtrack includes tracks like the title song by Guri Lahoria, “Jail” by Labh Heera, and “City Gangland” by Deep Jandu & Mijaz. The hard-hitting beats and haunting melodies reinforce the film’s gritty tone en.wikipedia.org+1indian.community+1. Background scores intensify key sequences, enhancing dramatic impact without overpowering dialogue the-numbers.com+15indian.community+15timesofindia.indiatimes.com+15.
✅ Strengths
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Bold Genre Exploration: A raw, Punjabi crime saga that pushes the regional scene beyond rom-coms and musicals thepollywood.com+3thepollywood.com+3indian.community+3.
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Strong Ensemble: Powerful performances by Gill, Bhullar, and supporting cast lend depth and authenticity fandango.com+9thepollywood.com+9indian.community+9.
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Technical Polish: Cinematography, action choreography, and sound deliver on cinematic quality .
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Engaging Storytelling: The revenge-driven plot, though familiar, is layered with well-timed twists and moral ambiguity en.wikipedia.org.
⚠️ Weaknesses
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Mid-film Drag: Certain sequences dip in pacing, slowing narrative momentum before ramping up again .
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Character Development Gaps: Side characters could have been more fleshed out to enrich the ensemble narrative.
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Emotional Undercurrents: The heavy focus on action sometimes suppresses deeper emotional exploration.
👥 Audience Reception & Impact
Pollywood sources declare it a “power‑packed Punjabi crime thriller winning hearts” thepollywood.com+2thepollywood.com+2thepollywood.com+2. A review in Indian Community praises its raw tone, gripping pacing, and ensemble impact, rating it 4/5 indian.community. Viewers laud its dark realism and lack of sugarcoating . While box office numbers have yet to be widely released, it’s seen a limited overseas release including the UK and New Zealand .
🎯 Final Verdict
Gangland: The City of Crime is a compelling milestone in Punjabi cinema—gritty, violent, and unapologetically intense. Bolstered by a gripping storyline, an impactful cast, and high technical quality, it succeeds in delivering a serious crime drama with regional authenticity. Its occasional pacing slumps and underdeveloped side characters are minor blips in an otherwise powerful saga.
Rating: 4 / 5 stars — A must-watch for audiences seeking mature, raw, and thrilling Punjabi cinema.
Bottom line:
Gangland isn’t just another gangster flick—it’s a electrifying, hard-hitting crime epic that Dares to push Punjabi cinema into darker, more sophisticated storytelling territory.
