Starring: Muzammil Ibrahim, Tulip Joshi,Anupam Kher, Gulshan Grover, Ashutosh Rana
Director: Pooja Bhatt
Whenever you think of Pooja Bhatt as a director, you expect movies with sizzling scenes or great chemistry between actors, such as her previous movies (Paap, Jism, Holiday). What you don’t expect is Dhokha, a ground breaking film, that keeps you at the edge of your seat. You can call this film a lecture, but, it tries to get through to people, the harsh reality of terrorism. Zaid Ahmed Khan (Muzzamil Ibrahim) is a dedicated Muslim police officer, who is happily married to Sara (Tulip Joshi). Director Pooja Bhatt, get’s straight to the point, as Zaid receives a phone call, telling him to report to duty. He soon finds himself in the middle of chaos, where everywhere he sees injured people rushing to the hospital. He joins the rest of the police force in recovering the ones who are dead, and helping the ones who are injured. Soon later, he discovers that a bombing occurred in the famous new century club. His wife, Sara who was supposedly visiting a friend, is found dead. After through research and many tests, the police accuse Sara of being a Suicide Bomber. Zaid refuses to believe that the woman he loved, could hide so much of her past from him, in the 2 years that they spent together. After being thoroughly interrogated, he is sent home. There, he finds a video of Sara confessing to the bombing, and the truth of her real identity. Heartbroken, he sets out to find the people behind Sara’s decision to commit suicide, and kill so many people.
Some scenes stay with you till the end of the film, especially the scene where Zaid goes to meet Sara’s father (Anupam Kher). Anupam Kher’s narration of the story is brilliant. You can’t help but be teary-eyed as he describes the torture of his family. Sara’s rape scenes are handled very well, Tulip Joshi impresses with this one scene. The whole concept of the film is terrorizing. To understand the film you have to put yourself in their shoes. Imagine for a second, that your wife or husband kept so much of their life, a secret from you. Or even, being raped/tortured for wanting your rights. The movie explores the thoughts and beliefs of Jihadi people, such as Sara and her brother. One dialogue that stays with you is when, Muzzamil is taken to the Jihadi leader, and the Jihadi leader says: “Hum mehfuz to mulk mehfuz”
Pooja Bhatt, or the writer don’t try to say that this side is right, or that side is right. They try to illustrate the harsh reality of terrorism, and what people go through everyday. Dhokha is the first movie to make me downright cry. You can make me sit down and watch KHNH or K3G a million times, and I won’t shed a tear. But, Dhokha is different. It’s raw emotion, real feelings, and a great mind behind this film. For her 3rd or 4th film, Pooja Bhatt excels in making a film that reaches out to the public and illustrates reality as it is.
Newcomer, Muzzamil Ibrahim does not fail to impress, in his debut film. Whatever differences Pooja Bhatt and Muzzamil had, did not seem to effect his performance, whatsoever. He handles emotional scenes with efficiency, and being a former model, his looks don’t surprise me. Tulip Joshi, isn’t given much scope at all, but she’s very photogenic and her expressions are beautiful. Anupam Kher inacts the role of the father, with ease. A few of his scenes, are very memorable. Ashutosh Rana, seems to be joining the bandwagon of the Vishesh films “regulars”. First Awarapan, and now this? He seems to be on a roll. The others are efficient.
