Sarzameen

Sarzameen is a half decent Kashmir-set thriller that never quite reaches its potential. The film follows an Army officer torn between duty and family, creating conflict when his military principles damage his relationship with his son.

There are clear echoes of Shakti (1982) in the father-son conflict, but where that film had two powerhouse actors creating electric tension, here the mismatch between Prithviraj's commanding presence and Ibrahim's limited range makes the central conflict feel uneven.

Prithviraj Sukumaran delivers a strong performance as the patriotic father, bringing necessary gravitas to anchor the film. Ibrahim Ali Khan shows improvement from Nadaaniyan but remains dramatically lightweight. Kajol is wasted in an underwritten role that doesn't utilise her talents properly.

Kayoze Irani's directorial debut handles the Kashmir conflict with reasonable sensitivity, though the execution feels safe rather than bold.

The script could easily have been trimmed by 30 min, or chopped at the editing table, and that is the film's biggest bane. The pacing drags considerably in places, emotional beats often feel contrived, and the film plays things too safely when it should take risks.

It's watchable but frustratingly ordinary given its strong premise.

Rating: 6.5/10 (Good performances can't quite elevate predictable material that wastes its dramatic potential)

Review: Sarzameen 1.5/5

Sarzameen is a cinematic autopsy of what happens when a powerful premise is murdered by weak writing, hollow emotion, and a complete disconnect from truth. It doesn't move you, it doesn't disturb you-it just leaves you cold and disappointed.

A story that had the potential to explore identity, pain, and the deep scars of conflict instead becomes a confused mess of half-baked dialogue, implausible decisions, and characters who feel more like cardboard than flesh. Even Kajol, with her immense depth, is utterly wasted here. The emotional stakes are spoken of, but never felt. The performances float without weight, and the narrative-built on a critical revelation-falls apart under the simplest scrutiny.

When a supposed twist rests on a DNA test in a region soaked in surveillance and tension, you expect precision. Instead, we get melodrama over meaning. The script treats its audience as passive observers, never inviting them to engage, only to endure.

Cinema like this does more harm than good-because it pretends to speak truth, but it whispers fiction dressed as depth.

A missed opportunity. A wasted canvas. A story that deserved so much more.

A movie which claims itself to be patriotic fail to deliver patriotism. It shows how a military man is emotionally driven which is totally opposite also harman who is a terrorist is not killed just because he is the son of military man. Is there any mean of the movie?

Producer and Writer must be answerable for the script...

Sarzameen had all the ingredients for a gripping patriotic drama. But it's predictable, emotionally hollow, and ultimately exhausting to sit through. With a story that had the potential to strike a chord with viewers, the film could have been a compelling watch. Unfortunately, weak writing, uninspired direction, and sluggish pacing weigh it down from the very start.

The biggest culprit behind Sarzameen's failure is its below par performances and weak screenplay packed with unrealistic plot points. The direction is equally uninspired, lacking any real cinematic flair or purpose. The film tries to juggle emotion and action, aiming for nationalistic fervor while touching on personal sacrifice.

Prithviraj Sukumaran gives the film his all. He's a committed actor and tries hard to bring intensity to his role. However, even his sincere effort can't rise above the muddled writing. Ibrahim Ali Khan looks convincing in action sequences but struggles with his dialogue delivery and emotional scenes fall flat. Kajol feels entirely underused here. Other supporting actors gave below-average performances.

Direction 1.5/5 Acting 2/5 Dialogues 1.5/5 Story 1.5/5 Screenplay 1/5.

I watched the movie Sarzameen. In my opinion, it's a decent movie to watch. The storyline and scenes are quite predictable. The second half brings some excitement, but by the end, it feels like a movie that's good to watch-nothing extraordinary. The lead actor's performance is good. Overall, I would rate it around 5.5 out of 10.