Introduction
Naam Shabana (2017) and Special OPS (2020) fame Shivam Nair is back on the director's chair and this time it's about the 'Uzma Ahmed case of 2017'. The screenplay has been penned by Kahaani (2012) and Pink (2016) fame Ritesh Shah. The film stars John Abraham, Jagjeet Sandhu and Sadia Khateeb in lead roles, whereas Kumud Mishra, Revathy and Sharib Hasmi appear in supporting roles.
Basic Plot
An Indian girl, Uzma Ahmed, runs into the Indian Embassy in Pakistan, seeking refuge, to hide from her Pakistani husband who forcibly married her and held her captive in Buner.
Positives
John Abraham
John Abraham has smartly converted his shortcoming of 'limited range acting' to his favor, by selecting scripts where he plays a rough and tough person, who is mentally strong and doesn't let emotions take over him in his profession. We have seen him play similar characters in films like Parmanu: The story of Pokhran (2018), Batla House (2019), RAW (2019) and Pathaan (2023), all of which have given him box office successes and his latest film 'The Diplomat' tries to play it safe by boasting the same tried and tested format. John Abraham has delivered a solid performance nonetheless. Although the character that he plays (J.P Singh, Deputy High Commissioner of India in Pakistan) did not have the bulky stance that John naturally has, but his physique rightfully amplifies the gravitas of the character that he plays and that's a positive for sure. His overall presence in the film and the straight-face, limited-emotion body language that he has, lends this political thriller just the right amount of weightage that it required.
Direction, Cinematography and Technicalities
Director Shivam Nair uses his expertise in the thriller genre to align this film with some of his other acclaimed works and his vision gets a considerable boost with Dimo Popov's cinematography. The breathtaking yet somber valleys of Buner, the somber hilly paths, the gloomy house (dormitory frankly) of Tahir; all of it have been very well shot and when combined with the color grading, they really set up the intended tone of the film. The background score is smartly used throughout the film which enhances the dark tone of the film. Tension is built up quite well by the director which enhances the overall thrill quotient of the film. In fact, the director's approach to the movie is quite commendable. The director doesn't try to level up the game by creating unnecessary mass elements, which he would've even got away with (had he done that) by relying on John's able shoulders, and instead, keeps things subtle and realistic. Certain important and intense scenes (making Uzma enter from the back door into the court, misguiding Tahir and his men by mind games, etc) are very smartly dealt with and this overall subtle treatment by the director helps the film remain true to it's context rather then demeaning itself.
Underwhelming Aspects
Minor issues
While majority of the film has contributed only to it's positives, there are certain aspects that I believe, that could have been better. The screenplay by Ritesh Shah surely required a bit of spice. Although pretty good in particular, the fact that the audience is exposed to global thriller content, keeps this film in the back burner, courtesy an ordinary writing. The screenplay is very flat and linear, with no scope of excitement. While some may counter this argument as the film has a particular portion dominated by non linear screenplay in literal sense, it's not something that will catch your attention owing to the dated execution and lukewarm on screen presentation. Also, Sadia Khateeb's performance as Uzma Ahmed needed a bit more aptness. She does well in certain places but looks a bit off in others. Overall, her performance didn't fully reflect the sheer mental and physical torment that the real Uzma Ahmed faced.
Conclusion
All in all, 'The Diplomat' has been a film to watch out for especially due to it's topic, tone and John Abraham's towering presence and performance. Cast performances by Revathy, Kumud Mishra and even Jagjeet Sandhu lend significant support to the film. Although the last courtroom scene could have been a bit more intense and the brief scene towards the end of the film at the Indo-Pak border seemed a bit set-up, films like these have become solely for the OTT platforms nowadays. Even if the film takes a slow start, the business will grow in the long run due to positive word of mouth. And if films of these kind (that have been type-casted to OTT platforms) manage to do good numbers at the box office, it will surely be an event to witness. This film deserves a watch at the theatres to witness what really happened to Uzma Ahmed, but wait, 'Kaun Uzma? Uzma to hain hi nahi!'
Watch Out For
- John Abraham
- Cool cinematography
- Cast Performances
WTF Rating
7.5/10