- Date of Release: 14 March 2025
- Genre: Drama, Thriller
- Language: Hindi
- Watch On: Theatres Only
The Diplomat
Introduction
The movies involving a socio-political setup with a dash of nationalism are always slippery with their foundation. This is because the flavour of nationalism has the potential to transform into chest-thumping jingoism that would completely overhaul the soul of the drama. In that regard, the new Hindi film The Diplomat is different. There is a grounded vibe that engulfs the narrative from its opening act, and while there may have been a temptation to go full throttle with the flavour of nationalism, the writers do a commendable job in containing the drama to an understated demeanor, that often dictates the fabric of storytelling. In fact, the contrasting vibe of the setting itself acts as one of the many themes of the film. So when you are acquainted with the characters in its opening act, the Buner region of Pakistan often is ripe of the undercurrents of tension, even as a young boy is being trained to use arms. This is in sharp contrast to the very next setting of the Indian Embassy that remains like a separate area of calm surrounded by a sea of chaos. This is also put to context when one of the characters repeatedly says – “Yeh Pakistan Hai, Yahaan Kuch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai” (This is Pakistan, here anything can happen at any given point of time). In that regard, the understated nature of the drama is all the more praise-worthy from the makers!
Story & Screenplay
Based on an incredible true event in the life of Uzma Ahmed in 2017 and written by Ritesh Shah, The Diplomat traces the journey of Uzma (Sadia Khateeb) along with the Indian Officials lead by JP Singh (John Abraham) and our erstwhile Minister Of Foreign Affairs Late Sushma Swaraj (Revathy), that is filled with obstacles owing to the geo-political setup while seeking for justice and a corridor back home! And this one liner of the plot is established very early on, when Uzma rushes into the Indian Embassy to seek their help. The challenge for JP Singh and his other officials is two-folded – firstly, to verify the claims of the unknown woman, and secondly, to safeguard her from the potential threat of the locals, particularly Tahir (Jagjeet Sandhu) who is Uzma’s husband. Likewise, the conflict here also remains two-fold with respect to the claims of Uzma – whether to treat her claims as that of domestic violence, or to integrate the concept of nationality with her plea to be sent back to India. And the answer lies in Uzma’s past!
There are subtle layers to the storytelling that touches upon the concept of feminism as well, along with nationality. In a scene, you see JP Singh inquiring about Uzma’s claims with his female colleague Seerat (Vidhatri Bandi) who suddenly snaps while sharing her account citing that every woman in the world will be able to tell what Uzma has been through just looking at her wounds. And ironically, the brief stumbling block in the tale is related to the flashback when Uzma meets Tahir in a foreign land. Ideally, I would have liked their initial part of their relationship to be a little more fleshed out, just so the impact of the naivety of Uzma would be elevated. Likewise, her journey into Pakistan, and how the police verification and other documents of relevancy were either overlooked, or brushed under the carpet in reality could have further added key plot-points to the drama. Even the back story of JP Singh and his tryst with trauma didn’t quite curcle back to the main plot effectively. But, the drama is quite intriguing and horrifying post this juncture!
In a scene when JP Singh requests Uzma to give her statement to the media, to counter the manipulative statements doing the rounds from Tahir’s perspective, you are witness to a strong sense of reluctance from her. The psychological scar that Uzma is subjected to is showcased as a part of the flashback when she enters the beautiful landscape of Buner for the first time (after falling in love with Tahir and visiting him in Pakistan for marriage). Contrary to the beautiful landscape, the place was a haven for hell to transpire, even as you are subjected to her pain, both physically and mentally that shapes up her present while justifying her condition.
A big win for me as far as the writing is concerned, remains the portrayal of the Pakistani locals, and how not all characters are broadly stroked with the same paint of hate. While you are witness to the atrocities subjected by Tahir and the ISI government official (Ashwath Bhatt), you are also introduced to an affable advocate (Kumud Mishra) who is able to distinguish between right and wrong while helping Uzma in her plea for justice. In that regard, the politics in the drama is wonderfully balanced, even while giving an account of the geo-political tensions erupting between the two nations India and Pakistan. Just to put things to perspective, the drama here was set one year after the Uri attacks, and around the same time when Kulbhushan Jadhav was incarcerated in Pakistan. So, the tensions remained palpable, something that is ably addressed in the film too.
By its design, the screenplay has a very Argo (2012) or even Baby (2015) vibe to it, that comes alive in the events transpiring in the final act. I was almost skeptical here given how John’s previous venture Vedaa (2024) went totally downhill in the final act. Thankfully, the understated tone of the drama takes centerstage, even as the beefed up and suited protagonist threatens to rip his shirt off, but instead keeps driving the car. There are a few roadblocks but the obstacles seem less threatening, and a little diluted. But I was willing to bargain this any day, as opposed to flying car and scorpios that would have disconnected me from the drama. The tone being maintained remains the biggest positive for me, even while allowing the emotions erupting as by-products to reach you at the end. This achievement has been a rare feat for the Hindi Film Industry that often trades the grounded vibes with something over the top. The screenplay is taut and quite impressive here that was willing to go an extra mile to tell a humane story! Kudos to that!
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are understated as well and never blown out of proportion with respect to the heavy one-liners that you would usually expect in a nationalistic subject. The BGM remains subtle as well, fully allowing you to stay connected to the characters and their realities while never deviating away from its core. The cinematography comprises of frames that coupled with the amazing production design manage to impress. You can see depth in the frames with respect to the landscape, that automatically creates vital characters out of them, which was such a plus for the film. The editing remains razor sharp, and at times too taut as opposed to pausing the drama for a bit in order to invest in the character dynamics. But one thing that the editing ensures is a focused narrative that doesn’t indulge in multiple subplots. Director Shivam Nair does an incredible job in holding on to the understated tone of the drama, which is even more commendable given the subject of nationalism. His sensitive approach is reflective in multiple scenes involving the torture of Uzma, even as he chooses to pan in on her eyes to reflect her pain and numbness. He also is never flustered or carried away by the urgency of the plot, thereby always holding on to the understated tone in the drama that makes it grounded. The direction wonderful here.
Performances
The performances are amazing by the members of the cast. Jeet Raidutt as Aamir and Shehnaz Sehar have their moments to shine. Vishal Vashishtha as Ayush is sincere and earnest in a good job done. Muzamil Bhawani as Tahir’s friend is intimidating and does a fine job here. Kumud Mishra as the advocate is affable and does a commendable job in pulling off a character that keeps his morality in check. Sharib Hashmi as Tiwari (oh The Family Man reference) has a lighter understated tone to his character, and he does a fine job with it. Vidhatri Bandi as Seerat remains subtly assertive so much so that you know that she has a mind of her own, even while speaking to her superiors. And this little trait was nicely highlighted in a wonderful act. Ashwath Bhatt is understated with his shrewd demeanor as well that makes his character doubly intimidating. Revathy as Late Sushma Swaraj delivers a dignified performance while maintaining a sense of empathy that her character reflects towards Uzma
Jagjeet Sandhu as Tahir has a raw energy to his character that almost resembles an animal. There is angst and wickedness that is reflective in his eyes, which is infuriating and intimidating in so many ways. And this is in sharp contrast to the sincere outlook that he had when he met Uzma for the first time. He was brilliant here in a deeply impacted act. John Abraham as JP Singh is refreshing to witness here, particularly because he chose to ground his character in reality. He built his character on the stoic expressions and a resounding body-language while choosing to remain understated, that actually made his performance work. But the star of the show is Sadia Khateeb who is incredible as Uzma. The pain and angst in her performance is so beautifully captured through her eyes that reflect on her psychological scars. There is a tremble in her voice when she interacts with folks early on, almost being weary of whom to trust next. Her vulnerability was brought up expertly through her body language that acquainted us with her story through some unspoken words. It truly was a performance to cherish and savour here, and hope she is cast more often in such substantial films!
Conclusion
The Diplomat is a deeply grounded political thriller devoid of any jingoism, and boasting of superb performances that makes for a wonderfully refreshing watch. Available in a theatre near you.
