Silence of the spy – Beyond Bollywood

Writer-director Atul Sabharwal’s spy thriller film has a unique premise but fails to live up to the promise. Stellar acts by Aparshakti Khurana, Ishwak Singh, and Rahul Bose make it an engaging watch.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️💫 (2.5 / 5)

By Mayur Lookhar

The representation of Russia in Indian films is quite limited. Back in the days of Mera Naam Joker (1970), Raj Kapoor found admirers in Russia. With its circus setting, the film possibly featured a few Russians as part of the troupe. More recently, Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan (2023) included a Russian sequence. The Central Board of Film Certification ordered cuts, preventing the makers from naming the Russian president or using words like U.S.S.R, KGB.

Writer-director Atul Sabharwal’s film Berlin (2024) revolves around a fictional threat to the Russian president during his 1993 visit to India. After the break-up of the USSR, Russia faced a political and constitutional crisis, with Boris Yeltsin rising to power in 1991. His visit to India in 1993 was the first by a Russian president. Sabharwal’s film is set during that visit, though history indicates no such threat at the time. A real threat emerged seven years later, in 2000, when Vladimir Putin visited India amidst reported threats from Chechen terrorists.

Why the name Berlin? Initially, we thought it might reference the Russian withdrawal following the fall of the Berlin Wall, but there is no such theory in the film. Viewers will need to watch Berlin to decipher the meaning behind the title.

In 1993, with just seven days left before the Russian president’s visit, Indian intelligence agencies, including the Intelligence Bureau and R&AW, scramble to neutralize the threat. Is it genuine or a hoax? Sabharwal avoids specifying the agencies, referring to them simply as ‘Bureau’ and ‘Wing.’ The Bureau has arrested a deaf-mute Ashok Kumar (Ishwak Singh) on suspicion of spying and believes he is linked to the assassination plot. Bureau officer Jagdish Sondhi (Rahul Bose) enlists Pushkin Verma (Aparshakti Khurana), a sign language expert from a Delhi government school for the deaf and mute, to extract the truth from Kumar.

Whoa, is it possible for a deaf and mute person to be a spy? This question adds great intrigue to Sabharwal’s Berlin. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that the threat is more internal than external, with the drama unfolding as part of a turf war. Difference of opinion and one-upmanship are fine, but crafting conspiracy theories originating from a hostile neighbour does not send the right message in real social and political circles. It weakens India’s long fight against terror.

Sabharwal has also turned producer with Berlin. His production house, Yippee Ki Yay, is named after Bruce Willis’ famous catchphrase from Die Hard (1988). Although Berlin is an espionage thriller, it doesn’t feature much action. With most of the action involving interrogation and desk work, Berlin operates at its own pace but is by no means a slow burn.

After a strong initial build, Berlin loses momentum, meandering into a predictable path. However, the stellar performances by the leading cast—Aparshakti Khurana, Ishwak Singh, and Rahul Bose—remain consistent.

Khurana, known for his comic roles, has also tackled intense parts, such as in Kookie Gulati’s Dhokha Around D Corner (2002), where he played a suspected Kashmiri militant. In Berlin, his portrayal of Pushkin Verma, an Indian sign language expert, is a perfect complement to his role in Stree 2 (2024). Despite being named after the prominent Russian poet and playwright Alexander Pushkin, the character has little in common with the historical figure.

Khurana brings all his aparshakti (limitless power) to this demanding role. He must use sign language to communicate with Kumar while simultaneously interpreting and conveying Kumar’s implications to Sondhi. As a film centered on intelligence and secrets, Pushkin Verma adds an element of emotional intelligence to the narrative. There’s also a personal side to Pushkin, revealed through trunk calls with his mother, who is more concerned about his marriage than his career. She insists he meet the girl’s father, who mocks him for working in the government school rather than the private sector.  This is a far cry from the days when a government job earned respect and was often a prerequisite for marriages among middle and lower-income groups.

Whether in his personal or professional life, Pushkin Verma maintains a calm demeanor and avoids confrontation. This role is by far the most unique that Khurana has played in his career.

Ishwak Singh is a powerhouse of talent, with notable performances in Paatal Lok (2020), Rocket Boys, and Tumse Na Ho Paega (2023). Like Khurana, he ventures into uncharted territory by playing a deaf-mute character. The biggest challenge for a healthy person is shutting off the sense of sound, and while only sign language experts or deaf-mute individuals can fully assess his skills, Singh proves competent in his role.

This reviewer doesn’t like grey shades to specially-abled characters, but in Berlin, Kumar’s lack of hearing and speech is depicted not as a deficiency but as a skill. Ironically, in a film titled Berlin, it is the deaf-mute Ashok Kumar who engages in Schadenfreude, finding amusement in the puzzled looks of Pushkin and Sondhi. Given the conflict and with just a week left before the Russian president’s visit, one might question whether Ashok Kumar’s ability to see, read, and write made Sondhi’s reliance on a sign language expert necessary. As the story unfolds, everything starts to make sense. Singh’s mature performance only enhances his growing reputation.

Rahul Bose is selective about his roles, but he consistently impresses with his intensity. Under great duress, Sondhi often appears frustrated. Bose’s performance is particularly striking when he intimidates Pushkin with his angry outbursts. With another strong performance, the seasoned actor subtly reminds us that his best may still be ahead.

Anupriya Goenka has no dialogue but plays a pivotal role in the mystery surrounding the threat to the Russian president. Sabharwal’s cast is competent, and they deliver solid performances. Berlin’s screenplay is largely conversational, and Sabharwal wisely limits the background score. The production design is neat, though only residents of Delhi can accurately comment on the film’s representation of the city in 1993.

For its promising plot, we hoped to exclaim ‘Yippee Ki Yay,’ but the average second-half screenplay, direction left us sighing ‘Sssh’ in frustration over Berlin not living up to its potential.

Watch the video review below.