Article 370

‘Article 370’, featuring Yami Gautam and Priya Mani in the lead, released in theatres on February 23. Is the film worth a watch? Read our review and decide.

In Short

• ‘Article 370’ was releases in theatres today, February 23.
• It features Yami Gautam and Priya Mani in the lead.
• Read the review before you decide to watch the film.

“I do not know what the film is all about, but yesterday I heard on TV that a film is coming on ‘Article 370’. Good, it will be useful for people to get correct information,” PM Narendra Modi said while addressing a rally in Jammu earlier this week. If after hearing him, you planned to pack your notebook and pen to take notes while watching this Yami Gautam-starrer, you are in for a disappointment. As soon as the film rolls, the makers claim that the film is ‘inspired’, and given it’s not a ‘documentary’, creative liberty has been taken while recounting the chain of events.

Directed by Aditya Suhas Jambhale, ‘Article 370’ is a well-made film but will test your patience with its run-time of 2 hours and 40 minutes. The filmmaker could have easily chopped the first half that is wasted in setting up the premise. Crawling slower than a tortoise, the film wakes up only in the latter half and dashes like a hare towards the finish line with paced drama but with predictable twists.

You can watch trailer here:

If there is a note of victory for the team, it definitely comes from the actors’ performances. The two women in power and shouldering most of the job, Priya Mani and Yami Gautam make an impact. Priya Mani as the joint secretary at the PMO (Prime Minister’s Office) emerges as the brain behind getting the special status abrogated from Kashmir. Yami, the woman with a tragic past, is the usual ‘arrogant’ officer on duty, like most heroes in Bollywood actioners usually are. Named Zooni, it also reminds you of Kajol in ‘Fanaa’, who fought against love for her country. In ‘Article 370’, Zooni is a Kashmiri Pandit, and it’s her deep love for the valley that sets the ball rolling. Although it’s amusing, after a point, how she always gets to pack the last punch and shoot the last bullet to hail her as the undefeatable star.

Set in six chapters like any History and Civic book, the film, set between 2015 and 2019 tries to tell the harrowing tale of how Kashmir has been betrayed time and again, by politicians and bureaucrats. To keep themselves in power, they have allowed radicalisation, and continue to brainwash the youth into making them stone pelters and hail the call for ‘Azaadi’. While makers call it an ‘inspired’ film, you cannot ignore how the two leaders in Kashmir have been painted as Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, albeit in a darker shade.

Credit given where due, the makers did hold themselves from doing the obvious – bashing Pakistan or the Muslims – which most films have been doing recently. Also, there are no cliche dialogues or overtly desh bhakti songs to prove one’s patriotism. The film is high on production value, which producer Aditya Dhar had earlier also managed in ‘Uri’ (2019). Even though not jingoistic, ‘Article 370’ is tuned to the propaganda value as it tries to put the BJP government in the spotlight, ahead of the general elections.

Arun Govil and Kiran Karmarkar in shoddy avatars of PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah respectively, seem to be the only ministers with a heart in the film. Jawaharlal Nehru too hasn’t been spared as the Ajay Devgn-narrated introduction tries to blame the first prime minister for the ‘blunder’ in Kashmir.

Some of the unconvincing theories about the Kashmiri movement for autonomy in the film will make you want to read up on its actual history. We guess that’s what the PM meant when he said that ‘Article 370’ will be ‘useful for people to get correct information’.

This article is part of India Today publication

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