Raazi

Film: Raazi
Directore: Meghna Gulzar
Cast: Alia Bhatt, Vicky Kaushal, Jaideep Ahlawat, Shishir Sharma
Genre: Thriller

I have heard rave reviews about Raazi. When mother-in-law expressed her desire to watch the flick we decided to go ahead with it. Orion Mall's box office floor was jam-packed with people. I have never seen these many crowd before here. It almost gave the feeling of being in single theater. We would be disappointed if the tickets weren't booked online. The next to best thing is sitting and watching the upcoming movies, cast, and their release dates on screen. The best thing is obviously people watching.

In Nutshell: The film is an adaptation of Harinder Sikka's novel "Calling Sehmat", which is inspired by real events. Set during the Indo-Pak war of 1971, Raazi is a story of a young girl Sehmat whose father is a secret service agent for Indian government. He asks his daughter to carry on his legacy of being a spy when he learns he has lung tumor and a few days to live. He arranges her marriage to his friend, Pakistan's Brigadier Syed's son, Iqbal (Vicky Kaushal). Khalid Mir (Jaideep) trains Saimat to be a spy and she had to learn all the skills before the wedding, like code language, self defense, transmitting information, eavesdropping, and so on.

Sehmat comes to Pakistan as a coy bride and dutiful wife. She starts working and passes important information without being suspicious. She gets required help from other undercover Indian spies in her dangerous endeavors. She had to ruthlessly eliminate two members of her new family. By this time Pakistan government gets message that secret codes had been transmitted to India from Brigadier's residence.

Now Sehmat had to escape before she gets caught. Will she be rescued by fellow countrymen? Or will she die in Pakistan?

My Take: As it is based on true events chances are that Sehmat gets killed. The story is gripping, thrilling, and totally frantic. It is out and out Alia Bhatt's movie. The girl is super talented. When I thought she couldn't do a better job than Udta Punjab here she is playing Sehmat to a T. You feel her vulnerability, you sense her fear and dread, you heave a sigh of relief every time she manages to pull off a scary situation, and you cry with her breakdown. Vicky Kaushal is endearing as Iqbal. People who criticize him for his role, I have only a thing to say, "Please go watch Masaan and Raman Raghav 2.0 first". Then you maybe able to understand what a brilliant actor he is. In this movie he has few scenes and he downplayed without going overboard, mostly he let his eyes do the talking. Jaideep as Mir is wonderful. He is another bright actor and I hope this film gives him much adulation he rightfully deserves (for unknown he was in Gangs of Wasseypur and Vishwaroopam). Meghna Gulzar handled a rather controversial subject with utmost sensitivity without preaching or badgering us about patriotism. I genuinely believe every countrymen/women is patriotic. It is just that they don't have to wear it on their sleeve every single day.

The best thing I liked about Raazi is it takes no sides, that it shows humanity and ruthlessness exist in both the countries. Don't miss to watch it.