Raazi

One of the best war spy thrillers I have ever seen. The tension is sustained from the opening scene to the closing, with not a single dull moment. Alia Bhatt richly deserves the multiple awards she won for this film. It is painful to see her character being torn to shreds, as she commits one unspeakable act after another, all for duty to her country above all. Her depiction of the struggles with a conscience is remarkable. The fact this is based on a true story makes the events all the more plausible and relatable. 1971 was a monumental year for the sub-continent, as that which was one and split to two, further split into three. These periods of history are always cataclysmic, and the stakes are tremendously high. As a spy movie, the events portrayed here are rapid-fire and striking. Spycraft is authentic with little melodrama or hijinks. The production design is exemplary - we are steeped into the 70s, and every frame is on point for the era. Overall one of the best I have seen, laser-focused on the tremendous personal cost paid by those who risk everything for their countries.

Engaging and heartfelt I saw Raazi, just few days after it came out, and I didn't regret it. This is a story which is enthralling, engaging and heartfelt at the same time. Alia Bhatt stars as Sehmat Khan, the shy, sensitive daughter of an ailing businessman Hidayat Khan(Rajit Kapoor). On hearing about the imminent war looming over India and its lasting effects during 1971, he decides to train his daughter as a spy and send her to Pakistan by marrying her off to his longtime friend Parvez Syed's(Shishir Kumar) younger son, Iqbal(Vicky Kaushal) . Her task would be to gain the innermost information about the war. It is indeed endearing to watch Sehmat transform form a sensitive college student to a bold, fearless and a trusted spy. Based on a novel, "Calling Sehmat" written by Harinder Sikka, which is based on a true story, the direction given by Meghna Gulzar is tight and engaging, and manages to keep you, if not on the edge of the seat, but intrigued, nevertheless. A stellar performance given by the supporting cast, Jaideep Alhawat(Khaled Mir), Arif Zakaria(Abdul),Vicky Kaushal(Iqbal Syed), Shishir Sharma(Parvez Syed), Amruta Khanvilkar(Munir) make up for am exciting yet heartfelt period thriller. The songs do not incessantly bring out the patriotism in every scene, but it is subtle, and will stay with you for long. It is a story dedicated to those unsung heroes whose names are never written in history.