[1][2] The series is directed by Jai Mehta in his independent directorial debut and stars Vivek Gomber, Rajat Kapoor, Amruta Khanvilkar, Chandan Roy Sanyal, Martial Batchamen, Aamir Ali, Athenkosi Magamela, Chris Gxalaba and Preetika Chawla.
[6] The principal photography took place in Cape Town and Khayelitsha in South Africa, thus becoming the first Indian series to be filmed on the African continent.
[18] Jai revealed that the goal of creating this series was to change how people usually see hijacking stories and wanted to give it a fresh look and make it different from what the audience has seen before.
[22] To depict tension on screen, Jai studied various movies but was dissatisfied with them, so he referred to pictures by photographers Robert Doisneau and Steve McCurry, who aim to communicate a lot with only one frame.
The makers considered numerous locations, including Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and even Gujarat, as well as putting up a set in Mumbai, but there was no ship.
[39][40] Tatsam Mukherjee of The Wire reviewed the music, saying, "It has its roots in Afro-pop, but also manages to weave in the sound of ‘70s Salim-Javed noirs – evoking images of Amitabh Bachchan sporting crisp suits, sunglasses, profusely smoking cigarettes while overlooking deals of smuggled gold biscuits.
[43] The 42-second teaser presents a glimpse like a montage, cutting between shots of a stationed cargo ship and a group of armed Somalian pirates making headway towards it.
[46][47] The new teaser opens with a group of foreign men aboard a boat in the middle of the sea, armed with guns and seemingly heading towards an undisclosed destination.
[53][54] The series was originally shot in Hindi and was dubbed into Bengali, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Telugu, and Tamil languages in order to have a wide reach towards the audiences.
"[59] Shubhra Gupta for The Indian Express also gave it 3 out of 5 stars and stated "This is a tense, high-wire hostage drama which doesn’t dial back on danger, and manages to keep its stakes high: I enjoyed it, and the addictive title theme by Achint Thakkar is my newest earworm.
"[60] In The Hindu, Shilajit Mitra called Lootere "ambitious hijack drama" and summed, "The series has a tendency towards graphic brutality for shock—bleeding noses, severed limbs, a head popped open over lunch—which feels both desperate and a little surprising, given Mehta’s relative control over the material.
"[61] Tushar Joshi of India Today gave it a rating of 3.5 out of 5 while distinguishing it from Tom Hanks’s 2013 Academy Award-nominated Captain Phillips, who wrote, "Comparisons are bound to happen.
"[62] The Times of India reviewer Ronak Kotecha wrote in his 3.5-star review that it "remains buoyed by its thrilling narrative and engaging performances, sailing through turbulent waters to deliver ample entertainment and intrigue to its audience" and mentioned, "What really pushes the show forward is its adrenaline-pumping action onboard the ship and in the dusty bylanes of Somalia, deftly captured by Jall Cowasji.
"[64] Sonal Pandya for Times Now gave the film 3/5 stars and said it was unique for Indian audiences, stating, "The hijack thriller led by Hansal Mehta has its moments, but sometimes it feels like it's circling the same point again to stretch out the suspense.
"[66] Udita Jhunjhunwala of Mint praised production and Mehta's direction: "The locations and terrain, along with a blend of Indian and international actors, add authenticity to a well-produced show.
"[68] Saheli Maity of Bollywood Bubble praised the cinematography and storyline as the highlights of the series, saying, "Lootere is a crime survival thriller that manages to hold your attention in parts.
[69] Nandini Ramnath of Scroll.in opined, "...could have looked closer at Indian-origin businessmen who have lived in African countries for generations and become a part of the local economy and politics."
[71] Critic Vinamra Mathur from Firstpost rated 2.75 out of 5 stars and lauded its effort, stating, "Survival dramas don’t need to rely on any confined space, and Lootere displays that.
"[72] Vaibhavi Mishra of Gadgets 360 wrote that "Lootere is a decent crime thriller worth a watch... is somewhat new territory for the Indian digital space and even cinema, which means fewer cliches.
"[73] Reviewer Archi Sengupta appreciated the storyline and depiction of Somalia and its people and said, "In spite of its thrilling premise and some emotional moments, Lootere leaves you a little annoyed because of its rather stupid characters who, for some reason, do not understand the concept of consequences for your actions... the politics shown is pretty good, the acting is great, and I also loved the opening credits and the score, which encapsulate this high-octane action series well.
"[76] The Quint critic Pratikshya Mishra gave 3 out of 5 stars, saying, "the show does test your patience in bits" but she applauded the acting, dialogue, and music, adding, "Thakkar’s catchy title theme is only the cherry on top.
"[77] Mrunal Shubedar of Hauterrfly found, "Despite solid performances by Kapoor, Gomber, Khanvilkar, and more, this Hansal Mehta series hovers in limbo between its promising storyline and the tight execution it misses at times, but the exceptional cast takes it forward smoothly, resulting in a good viewing experience," with an average rating of 3/5.
[78] Reviewer Manik Sharma was broadly positive about the series and wrote, "It’s lifted by terrific performances, punctuated by a great background score, and even though it dips in terms of momentum every now and then sails out to sea on a high.
"[80] Snigdha Nalini for Outlook India rated 2.5 out of 5 stars, described the series as "fresh" and noted, "The show deserves praise because of how ambitious it is.
He lauded the smart writing and visceral performances, concluding, "In the ocean of possibilities, Lootere is a ship that sails with silent grace.