Khufiya (खुफिया)

​"Khufiya (खुफिया)"

Watched Hindi movie "Khufiya (खुफिया)". 

This movie is directed by Vishal Bharadwaj. Produced by Rekha and Vishal Bharadwaj. Written by Rohan Narula, Vishal Bharadwaj. Music by Vishal Bharadwaj. Cinematography by Farhad Ahmed Dehalvi. This movie features Tabbu, Ashish Vidyarthi, Wamiqa Gabbi, Azmeri Haque Badhon, Ali Fazal, Atul Kulkarni, Shataf Figar, Alex O’Nell. This movie was released in 2023 and runs for about 2 hour 38 min. I watched the movie on Netflix on 5th Oct 2023.

Tabbu is a divorced intelligence officer who can’t tell her teenage son why she misses so many occasions and celebrations. She has lost an asset in Bangladesh years ago and it still haunts her. She is assigned a case to investigate another intelligence officer suspected of espionage for enemy. She sets up the surveillance but can’t find the mode of transfer of information. When she does, the suspect escapes.

This movie is based on a book by Amar Bhushan titled Escape to nowhere. However it’s really very very loosely based on the book. Director tries to make the movie spicy by adding a lot of things to the story. So the jilted wife, revenge, intelligence following the suspect to America and bringing back etc. is added. Thus, the movie diverges completely from the book.

Tabu looks good and acts well. Atul Kulkarni is his pleasant self. Bangladeshi actress Azmeri makes her Bollywood debut with a cameo. Wamiqa impressed with her performance. She displays range of emotions and’s gives a commanding performance. Ali Fazal is disappointing. Doesn’t suit the role. He is a much better actor than this.

Direction is brilliant and mediocre in patches. Wamiqa’s silent screme when she is in bed with Ali is the best shot of the movie. Credit to director for the idea and execution and to Wamiqa for the performance.

Positives: Wamiqa, Tabbu

Negatives: Naive ending, stretched story, divergence from book.

OK as one time watch. If you have read the book, forget it’s based on it.