Nirupama Teghbahadur

My rating: 2.5/5 Raazi, is an evenly paced out spy flick, that draws your attention to Sehmat, a sheer protagonist at the crux of the story. Directed brilliantly by Meghna Gulzar, the film is scripted with a perfectionistic touch. Topping it all, is Alia Bhatt’s cutting edge performance, followed by Vicky Kaushal at his effortless best, albeit his limited role. For some, the gaze might seem to lose pace, but if you’re connected to what’s playing on the screen, it’ll surely keep you glued to your seats, with crossed fingers and guessing for more! Set against the backdrop of 1971, when the buzzing Indo-Pakistan tensions had already come to terms with the all-out-war that had broken out although, it was avoidable. Sehmat, a kind-hearted young woman, goes on to become a spy for India, within enemy lines of Pakistan. Sehmat (Alia), who is married to the Brigadier’s son, Iqbal(Vicky), sets out on an emotional roller-coaster of a ride, having been placed as a functional spy within her in-laws’ home, where all the males hold top-notch ranks in the Pakistani army. For a sensitive girl like Sehmat, it’s a gutsy and a bloody job, since she must kill anyone that blocks her way. Moreover, the compelling supporting cast, all the more ramps up the ambience taking us back in time, as the plot unravels. Alia’s momentous expressions change colours, ranging across guilt, the desperation of a caring wife, the fear of being caught a spy, frustration, the alert one, encoding all the intel info and tapping it across, to the Indian Intel. Alia pulls it off, a thrilling trailblazer!! There are several erroneous technicalities and protocols, however. This apart, there is little coherence in the sequences, involving wiring as well as, decoding the transcripts. Gulzar has gone completely offbeat here. Raazi isn’t tailored for a select audience, owing to the fracturing glitches and the haywire order of semblance particularly, where the spy becomes active, leave the rest. The nuances of the workings of intel agencies are simply not in sync with the wavelength of the drama portion. Sehmat, is shown to be undertaking a mission that lacks a vision until, she happens to “accidentally,” stumble upon confidential graphics of the PNS Ghazi! All said and done, Raazi is a commercial flick, that would’ve done better, had the everlasting question, as to why there are wars, not been raised. The question is just, but it doesn’t fit into the context of the practical tactics of the wicketkeepers of National Security because war actually happens! Not to recreate Tolstoy’s ‘War and Peace,’ Sehmat lags behind in possessing the grit determination, of this close and confidential, a spy! Well..thumbs down here! Between the lines, Sehmat declares being forced into the “duniya,” of espionage, through her actions. She’s clearly tied down to her dying father’s wish, that she serve India, at a time when war was inevitable.... Gulzar has botched up distinct edges of the tale’s crust, as you behold a stiff Sehmat listening to the news of India’s victory, but mentally hung between collateral issues, related to why wars wage and why the ground-zero reality is starkly contrasted. The director has bypassed the fact, that guardians of the nation have no space for personal emotions on battlegrounds. It’s only about those with maximum capacity to swallow emotions and still keep going, about those who can withstand harshest training, that such people alone, end up making badass heroes...unlikely of Sehmat. Towards the climax, when Sehmat breaks down and tells her mentor, “Aapki aur meri duniya Bahut alag hai... mujhse aur nahi hoga ye sab mujhe Ghar wapas jana hai!” Defeated the purpose of the dialogue, “Mere Watan ke aagey kuch nahi hai.” A good attempt, though!

On the whole, the movie is worth a watch. However, its direction, to me, seemed scattered and the script could’ve been more maturely gripping, had the key terror attacks launched by Omar Sheikh, been portrayed with emphasis, instead of lacklustre sequences being extended uselessly, especially, the graphic murder sequence of the journalist, Danny. Omerta, had the promising potential of hitting screens with a cut above the rest, but the plot unfortunately, kept losing focus in several parts, broadly turning out to be somewhere between a film and a technical documentary. As for the character of Omar, played by Rajkummar Rao, it’s nothing short of brilliant, as always with him! The cinematography too, was an increment to the asset of the biographical summary inside a terrorist’s thought cycling processes. The attempt to naturally enact the nitty-gritties of fundamentalist ambience, penetrated by an impactful, nerve-wrecking aftertaste, scripted to be displayed matter-of-factly, was a bland misfire🙁! Nevertheless, Omerta was an honest attempt by Hansal Mehta.

Being an Indian youth myself, there’s been this particular question that keeps bothering me - Why are we so image-conscious? This movie, is the perfectionist’s way of digging into the core of vivid details about a true Prime Minister of the people and not any party. To all those, who claimed that Dr. Manmohan Singh was a puppet at the hands of Sonia Gandhi & Rahul Gandhi, they’d be compelled to take back their words after watching the film! Throughout the decade of serving as PM, Dr. Singh strategised the highest of labile National issues with the calmness, that one would notice about a candidate, after the examination’s been taken by them. Sanjaya Baru’s biographical tribute, is a marvel in itself and I completely agree that the same has done full justice, its neutrality, being its grace. Politics - a synonym for diplomacy, powered by craftiness, meant to act as a jargon of tactful governance, is a mudslinging blame-game, in the context of Indian politics. The parties and their hunger pangs for limelight and how, an honest, “non-politician PM,” functions at the focus of such turbulence, is all that this flick’s about. There’s no bias, or any propaganda depicted in The Accidental Prime Minister, whatsoever, apart from the bitterness of truth kept aside! This is not just a movie,there’s much more to it. It's a first-hand documentation of real facts at play inside the premises of the PMO. As Baru rightly implies, the PM’s chair isn’t a ruling monarch-family’s object of legacy, to be captured by successive heirs! The handover of Balochistani assets, was a twofold strategy of Dr. Singh’s, to divert Pakistan’s attention from the PoK. Had it been implemented, today would’ve probably seen a brighter economic sunrise in Kashmir. Hypothetically, the Pak stronghold over our land would’ve weakened thus, empowering Balochis on the other hand, as well. Constitutionally, it is not the decision of the party’s president, to have any say in such matters, wherein, the PM has flashed the green signal. But here, Dr. Sahab, is forced to say “Ji Madam,” which is outrageous! India is honoured to have had such a genius commanding the forefront for a decade. He was not a Gandhi Khandaan’s representative, but a true patriotic leader, who held himself accountable only to the citizens. Dr. Manmohan Singh, played a buffer between the lunatic discrepancies in the Gandhi family and the equally notorious Opposition’s Leftists, who have only led to National regression in the past 4.5 years of being in power. Take the example of the colourfully confusing currency notes, that change shades faster than a chameleon! Demonitized currency suffering from identity crises of sorts, hitting the lowest rock bottom value, at ₹ 75.06 as the settled rate of exchange, in terms of the USD. That makes for a perfect characterisation of the brutal, “Netagiri” concept! However, this movie succeeds in conveying it to us, that we are victims of self-inflicted problems. From scene one, right through, to the climax, Gutte has steadily maintained the narrative tone of the script. The background music, moreover, lightheartedly braces the pitch for the ups and downs faced by the central character, with a pinch of salt-kind-of flavour to it. The cast has Anupam Kher and Akshaye Khanna, in the lead roles, as they deliver obvious riveting performances. The supporting cast, too, is extraordinary, while the screenplay is one-of-its-kind, as well. Kudos to Gutte’s direction and the choice of the seasoned cast. Last, but not the least, an echoing round of applause, to none other than, Sanjaya Baru-a deliberate journalist, who can’t talk straight! By deciding to resign before the 2014 elections, Dr. Singh not only saved his honour, but emerged a lone hero, after refusing to take any untoward decision for the Democracy at his righteous expense. This “Accident,” was a much needed one. My rating: 9.9/10

Everything about this movie is just perfect !! Have nothing more to say.....! Spellbound!!! A neat 5/5!

5/5 for this one! A must watch for all Indians. Not all emotions and experiences can be penned down!