Sans Any Filmy Bravado, Alia Is Heart-Breakingly Honest in ‘Raazi’

Alia Bhatt as ‘Sehmat’ is never for once is turned into a prototype ‘superwoman’ fighting Pakistani ‘fiends.’

The beauty of this character is the fact that thanks to Meghna’s vision and Alia’s staggering craft, she never for once is turned into a prototype ‘superwoman’ fighting Pakistani ‘fiends.’

(Photo Courtesy: Movie Poster, altered by The Quint)

Camera and Producer: Abhishek Ranjan
Video Editor: Kunal Mehra

Talking about nationalism these days tragically always falls into a bottomless abyss of jingoism and unbridled hate. Films made on this subject mirror the same madness with heavy-duty dialogues accompanied with aggressive flag-waving and war-mongering.

Therefore, to break through this noise and reclaim love for ones country in the purest form is Meghna Gulzar’s biggest win in Raazi. It’s a true story based on Harinder Sikka’s novel Calling Sehmat about how a young Indian girl who, undercover in Pakistan, gave priceless intelligence information that eventually helped save INS Vikrant from a Pakistani attack.

The year is 1971, and India and Pakistan are dangerously poised for war. Bangladesh, the then erstwhile East Pakistan, and their Awami League’s Mujibur Rehman’s close association with India has led to increased tension where a military action seems inevitable. And so, both sides are actively gathering intelligence against the other to lend them an advantage on the battlefield. Circumstances conspire and a fresh-faced ingénue Sehmat is pitchforked into this crisis.

Sehmat, aka Alia Bhatt, is summoned from Delhi, where she is still studying in college, to Kashmir by her dad (Rajit Kapoor), unaware that her life is set to be overhauled.

When faced with the last wish of her dying father and the choice of following a tradition of sacrificing ones life for the nation, young Sehmat readily consents. She is supposed to be married off to a highly-placed Pakistani official and then send classified information back. It’s dangerous, the stakes are high, and Sehmat might have to pay with her life.

And we are constantly kept at the edge of our seat gripped by the fear of what might happen next.

The beauty of this character is the fact that thanks to Meghna’s vision and Alia’s staggering craft, she never for once is turned into a prototype ‘superwoman’ fighting Pakistani ‘fiends.’

At every step, she grapples with her fears, lets out a sigh of relief when thanks to a stroke of serendipity is saved from being caught by a whisker. Sehmat is human and she routinely breaks down, but as she puts up a brave front and continues to assiduously fulfil her duties, she shines.

It would have been easy to paint the enemy all black, but Bhavani Iyer and Meghna Gulzar’s screenplay allows them the same dignity and respect that the brave men and women this side of the border warrant. This allows actors like Vicky Kaushal and Shishir Sharma to showcase a nuanced performance. Jaideep Ahlawat, in the role of a bespectacled Indian Intelligence head who trains Sehmat for what lies ahead, has a difficult role to essay and is impressively understated.

Alia is the soul of the film. Never for once does she let her character be hobbled with ‘filmy’ bravado as it were.

Heartbreakingly sincere, she gives a devastatingly touching performance. Suffice to say, it is her best so far!

The ensemble cast has Arif Zakaria, Shishir Sharma, Rajit Kapoor, Soni Razdan who are all welcome additions.

With all the elements of a crackling espionage thriller minus the unwanted belligerence, Raazi is a brilliant watch. Another significant feature is the background scrore and music by Shanker Ehsaan Loy. Penned by Gulzar, Ae Watan and Dilbaro are scintillating that further enhance the impact of the film.

5 out of 5 Quints!

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