Lahore Confidential Review : The narrative centers on Indian spy Ananya and ISI agent Rauf Ahmed Kazmi, who, unbeknownst to each other’s identities, fall deeply in love amidst escalating tensions across the Indo-Pak borders.
Movie Ratings
| Release Date | 4 February 2021 |
|---|---|
| Language | Hindi |
| Genre | Crime, Drama, Romance, Thriller |
| Duration | 1h 8min |
| Cast | Richa Chadda, Karishma Tanna, Arunoday Singh, Alka Amin, Khalid Siddiqui, Kanan Arunachalam, Abdullah Osman, Fareed Khan |
| Director | Kunal Kohli |
| Writer | Vibha Singh, Hussain Zaidi |
| Cinematography | Karthik Ganesh |
| Music | Sameer Uddin |
| Producer | Ajay Rai |
| Production | ZEE5 |
| Certificate | 18+ |
In “Lahore Confidential,” we follow Ananya (Richa Chadda), an emotional Indian woman with a mundane desk job in the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW). Her life takes a dramatic turn when she is assigned a secret intelligence mission in Pakistan. There, she encounters Rauf Ahmed Kazmi (Arunoday Singh), a well-connected man in Lahore known for organizing mushairas (Urdu poetry social gatherings) and cultural events. Their shared passion for Urdu literature draws them together, but their romance is complicated by the revelation of their true identities.
Directed by Kunal Kohli, this spy thriller initially promises a gripping tale of espionage amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan. However, it quickly shifts focus to the romantic entanglement between Ananya and Rauf, which feels disappointing.
Throughout the film’s brief runtime of 1 hour and 8 minutes, the plot toggles between romance and espionage without fully exploring either aspect. Writer Vibha Singh’s rushed narrative fails to do justice to the potential of S. Hussain Zaidi’s concept, lacking depth and taut storytelling.
Richa Chadda’s portrayal of Ananya is somewhat confusing, with her expressions remaining static throughout, hindering her on-screen chemistry with Arunoday Singh. However, Singh shines as Rauf Ahmed Kazmi, effortlessly weaving wordplay into his Urdu conversations, particularly with Ananya, adding an intriguing poetic dimension to their interactions. Karishma Tanna impresses as R&AW agent Yukti, while Khalid Siddiqui provides solid support as the agency head RD.
“Lahore Confidential” ultimately falls short of its potential, delivering an average espionage thriller with romance at its core. Nevertheless, it surpasses its predecessor, “London Confidential,” making it a relatively better watch in ZEE5’s Confidential franchise.
