Sarzameen movie review: Kajol and Ibrahim Ali Khan's action drama is surprisingly entertaining, Prithviraj Sukumaran justifies his presence

Director: Kayoze Irani

Star cast: Kajol, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Ibrahim Ali Khan

Runtime: 2hr 17mins

Where to watch: JioHotstar

Rating: 3.5 stars 

Set against the backdrop of Kashmir, Sarzameen is the story of Colonel Vijay Menon (Prithviraj Sukumaran), a dedicated Indian Army officer and his strained relationship with his son, Harman (Ibrahim Ali Khan). A terrorist group abducts Harman, and he disappears. Eight years later, Harman returns to Vijay and Meher's (Kajol) life. However, Harman has transformed.  The drastic shift in personality makes Vijay suspicious. Is he really Harman, Vijay and Meher's lost son, or is he someone else? 

When you have a story of an estranged son going against his father, backed by the themes of patriotism, terrorism, at the backdrop of Kashmir, you will instantly think about Mission Kashmir. Sanjay Dutt and Hrithik Roshan-starrer is a well-made action thriller that has left a deep impact on the moviegoers. The reason why I'm praising Vidhu Vinod Chopra's film is that Sarzameen gives a major hangover of Mission Kashmir. 

Prithviraj Sukumaran, Kajol, and Ibrahim's film looks like a revamped take on the 2002 classic. However, debutant director Kayoze Irani (Boman Irani's son) makes sure to give a fresh spin to the mundane narrative and makes it surprisingly entertaining. The best way to enjoy Sarzameen is to watch it with little to no expectations. I didn't have great expectations from the action thriller, and ended up getting surprised and to some extent stunned by the climax. The film has a predictable storyline. Even the events that will unfold are easy to guess. Still, you are hooked to the film because of the performances. 

Sarzameen works primarily due to the performances. Ibrahim Ali Khan shows a good improvement in his second film. In a few sequences, his character demands to portray Harman's vulnerable, sinister, and innocently puzzled side, and does it well. Prithviraj Sukumaran, the Malayalam star, grabs your attention right from the first frame. In my words, Sarzameen is the first Hindi film that truly justifies its presence. The talented actor was part of awful duds, including Aiyaa and Bade Miyan Chote Miyan. Sarzameen is a redemption arc for him in Bollywood. Last, but not the least, Kajol delivers a master performance. She gets the meatier part, and her character brings the biggest twist in the third act. Apart from them, other actors were decent in their parts. 

Speaking about the shortcomings, the first half of the movie looks like a remake of Mission Kashmir. The music is a letdown. At times, the film looks predictable. Post-interval, the movie looks a little sluggish, and it could have been 10-15 mins shorter. Overall, Sarzameen is a good attempt at a patriotic action drama, and debutant Kayzone shows promising potential as a filmmaker. The film could have been a big screen release, and it would be interesting to enjoy it in cinemas.