Khufiya

Whenever confronted with the term 'espionage thriller', we automatically assume that the narrative will be laden with action and explosions; we seldom anticipate a slow-burn drama that may take its time and proceed with caution.

Therefore, projects like "Khufiya" would always face severe criticism because of how they approach this genre, which is very atypical of the standards set by decades of arbitrary rituals!

That said, my disappointment doesn't correlate with its moderately alien tonality; on the contrary, I liked how different it came across from all other spy movies.

Most of my qualms are regarding the screenplay's insipid and lethargic nature. The first half is fine, but the second half struggles hard to maintain the sense of engagement. The writing took too much time to get to the definitive juncture, but even then, the payoff was mild compared to what I wanted.

The performances are commendable, though, with Tabu shining in her role again. But it's Wamiqa Gabbi who made the greater impression, especially in the latter half of the tale.