Raazi Movie Review: A Realistic Spy Thriller

Whenever one thinks of a spy thriller, the image that comes to mind is that of a debonair and charming spy, capable of killing bad guys and mouthing cool one-liners with effortless ease.

However, the espionage sector is not as glamorous as the silver screen wants us to believe and there are a few films (like ‘Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy), which have portrayed the world of ‘cloak and dagger’ quite realistically. After watching Meghna Gulzar’s Raazi, I can assure you that this film deserves a place in the list of realistic spy thrillers.

Set in 1971, the story revolves around Delhi University student Sehmat Khan (Alia Bhatt), whose father (Rajit Kapoor), a veteran spy marries her off to Pakistani army officer Iqbal (Vicky Kaushal) on discovering that his days are numbered due to a lung tumour and that the Pakistani armed forces have some nefarious plans for India.

Sehmat, a soft-spoken and gentle girl, is trained by spymaster Mir (Jaideep Ahlawat) and married off to Iqbal. Soon after the marriage, she embarks on her mission of spying for India and the difficulties and challenges she faces on this mission, forms the rest of the plot.

Alia has proved her mettle as an actress with films like Highway and Udta Punjab and she can easily add this film to her list of best performances. As Sehmat, Alia simply blows away your mind with the way she easily shifts between gentleness and deviousness. All spies are not like James Bond and Alia beautifully projects the stress and the uncertainty that an undercover agent must be facing on a daily basis. Vicky Kaushal is dignified and gallant as Pakistani Army officer Iqbal and though he represents the enemy here, you can’t help but feel your heart go out to him when he discovers Sehmat’s identity. Jaideep Ahlawat provides solid support while Soni Razdan shines in a brief role.

As for the film, like mentioned earlier, Raazi is quite unlike any spy thriller you may have seen. Even though the plot is crisp and taut and edgy, it is not a fast-paced potboiler with car chases or gun battles or slick action sequences. However, despite this, Meghna manages to keep the viewers on the edge of their seats and that is precisely where Raazi proves to be a winner. Meghna also deserves kudos for not making the film a jingoistic fare and keeping the plot restrained and dignified.

On the flip side, a few sequences are somewhat predictable, but thanks to the admirable performances and the treatment, Raazi is a film that deserves a watch…