Article 370 Review: Yami Gautam Starrer Turns Kashmir’s Complex Political Issues Into A Dramatic Tale

From militant Burhan Wani's rise in 2016 to the controversial removal of Article 370 in 2019, the action drama takes on a good deal of occurrences.

New Delhi: The movie's title, ‘Article 370’, gives one a good idea of what to expect when you enter the theatre. August 6, 2019, turned into a momentous day for Indians, both within and outside of their homeland. That was the day the Indian government abolished Jammu and Kashmir's special status, or autonomy, which had been granted to the region under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. The move caused extreme scenarios, ranging from joyful celebrations in some regions of the country to dreadful turmoil in others. sparked a spectrum of emotions across the nation, from jubilation to unrest. And an attempt is made to capture the chapters in the same historic period of India in the latest action-drama film, 'Article 370', starring Yami Gautam and Priyamani. 

Since gaining independence from Britain in 1947, both India and Pakistan have had some authority over Kashmir, the contested Himalayan region. Three of the four wars between the neighbours have been fought over it since then. In the meantime, Kashmir was granted autonomy over internal administration by Article 370, which came into effect in October 1949. This allowed Kashmir to pass its laws in all areas besides finance, defence, foreign affairs, and communications.

The film is based on the covert act of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) to abrogate Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, announcing both Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh as Union Territories. It is directed by debutant feature filmmaker Aditya Suhas Jambhale and written by Aditya Dhar of ‘URI’ fame. Without sounding preachy or jingoistic, the duo has done their best to capture the political events in India's history. The movie does have some extremely dramatic moments, even though it pushes too hard not to indulge in any of the previously noted aspects. Though we presume no one is complaining since the same moment drew rousing cheers and hooting inside the movie theatre, the film somewhat mimics Dhar's previous work, the Vicky Kaushal-starrer patriotic drama, when it comes to storytelling, camerawork, and perhaps even tone. 

‘Article 370’, despite feeling a little long at times due to its two hours and thirty minutes of run time, is a well-narrated chapter that covers complex political concerns in more depth in a way that is much easier for the average viewer to follow along with. Further streamlining the plot and removing any gaps gets done by breaking the screenplay of the movie into several chapters, such as The Lover of the Tral, Blindspot, Save the Date, Sub-clause (d), and Was, Is, and Always Will Be. From the 2016 Kashmiri unrest sparked by militant Burhan Wani's rise to the controversial removal of Article 370 in 2019, the action drama takes on a good deal of the occurrences that transpired during that time. After the killing of Wani and the uproar sparked by the incident, the plot of the film then shifts to the 2019 Pulwama terror attack, and the search for its culprits begins.

Months before Article 370 is revoked, the movie centres on a local agent named Zooni Haksar (Yami Gautam Dhar), who is secretly hired by PMO Secretary Rajeshwari (Priyamani Swaminathan) to lead the National Investigation Agency (NIA) operation in Kashmir, combat separatists, and corrupt law enforcement officials, and suppress the terrorist groups. The Home Minister (Kiran Karmarkar) and the Prime Minister (Arun Govil), who are not named (but are surely made identifiable), completely back them. 

The first half unfolds slowly, taking its time to gather enough steam to set up the main premise. But the second half picks up the pace and gets sharper, with some powerful lines that will have you cheering. Yami Gautam's portrayal of intelligence field officer Zooni Haksar is among the most talked-about performances of the notable ensemble cast, and with a solid reason. She does, however, appear to be overdoing the patriotism in a couple of scenes. It somewhat takes away from the degree of maturity and sophistication expected of an officer of that calibre. But a Bollywood "hero" needs to stand out in some way, isn't that right?

Amidst all the turmoil, Priyamani steals the spotlight with her subtle yet composed act, putting up an equally impressive performance. On the other hand, Arun Govil, who plays the Prime Minister, and Kiran Karmarkar, who plays the Home Minister, both clearly stand out as being modelled after Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, respectively. The main cast is ably supported by actors Raj Zutshi, Raj Arun, and Vaibhav Tatwawadi.

'Article 370' effectively delivers its intended message with an uncomplicated story and compelling performances. It aims to tell a heartbreaking tale of how bureaucrats and politicians have repeatedly failed Kashmir to maintain their hold of power, go on to deceive the youth into turning stone pelters and have allowed extremism.