Overview – When Ambition Outpaces Execution
Kayoze Irani’s Sarzameen, starring Prithviraj Sukumaran, Kajol, and debutant Ibrahim Ali Khan, is the kind of film that promises an emotional rollercoaster with nationalistic overtones—but delivers a lukewarm ride riddled with clichés. Marketed as a poignant tale about duty, identity, and fractured familial bonds, this Hindi-language patriotic drama turns out to be a dated, overwrought production that doesn’t rise above its half-baked script or melodramatic tropes.
Despite an impressive setting in the breathtaking terrains of Kashmir, the film’s plot lacks freshness, its characters feel underwritten, and the emotion it tries so hard to evoke feels manufactured. Sarzameen is currently streaming on JioHotstar, but even the convenience of watching it from your couch doesn’t justify the time investment.
Plot – Familiar Beats in a New Uniform
Patriotism Meets Family Drama
The film centers on Colonel Vijay Menon (Prithviraj Sukumaran), a strict army man forced to face a painful choice between serving his nation and saving his estranged son Harman (Ibrahim Ali Khan), who disappears under suspicious circumstances and later reemerges as a suspected militant. Kajol plays the mother, Meher, caught between her unwavering love for her son and loyalty to her husband’s values.
What could’ve been a layered psychological and emotional narrative becomes a frustratingly predictable story that leans heavily on outdated formulas.
Performances – All Style, Minimal Substance
Prithviraj Sukumaran does what he can with the material. His portrayal of a hardened, principled officer has the right posture and poise, but the dialogues are too clunky to land emotionally. Kajol, too, seems misplaced in a role that requires subtlety and steel—what we get instead is a character painted in broad, melodramatic strokes.
The real letdown, however, is Ibrahim Ali Khan, whose debut feels premature. While he has the physicality for action scenes, his line delivery and emotive range feel shallow. Instead of a compelling transformation from a wounded son to a possible traitor, we’re left watching a confused performance that never quite settles.
Direction & Writing – Stuck in the Past
Irani struggles to craft a compelling full-length feature with Sarzameen. The film is riddled with lazy screenwriting choices, from fax machines in 2025 to implausible security lapses in army operations. The twists are predictable, the villain is cartoonish, and the script never explores the real psychological weight of radicalization or patriotism with any depth.
There’s no sense of tension or urgency in a story that demands both. Every time the film tries to escalate the stakes—be it an abduction, a betrayal, or a moral dilemma—it instead falls into generic Bollywood territory, complete with dramatic background scores and slow-motion walks.
Visuals & Technicals – Kashmir Shines, Everything Else Dulls
The only aspect that stands out is the cinematography. The snow-clad mountains, misty valleys, and serene lakes of Kashmir provide a stunning backdrop that makes you wish the narrative was as rich as the visuals.
Unfortunately, the editing is jarring, often cutting to black mid-scene in an attempt to inject seriousness. The action choreography feels sanitized, and the music score, though dramatic, fails to create any lasting emotional impact.
Final Verdict – All Terrain, No Traction
Sarzameen is a missed opportunity to tell a powerful, emotionally charged story about identity, conflict, and patriotism. What we get instead is a film that feels outdated, overstuffed with tropes, and undercooked in execution. Neither the father-son drama nor the patriotic message resonates deeply, leaving even the most seasoned actors looking adrift.
Bullseye Rating:★★ (2/5 stars)
A visually beautiful but emotionally hollow drama that fails to rise above its clumsy writing and underwhelming performances. Watch it only if you’re curious, but temper expectations.
Sarzameen is currently streaming on JioHotstar.