Khufiya is playing on Netflix. Here&#039;s our take on this Vishal Bharadwaj Netflix Original film starring Tabu and Wamiqa Gabbi.

Khufiya (2023) Review: Grounded Reflection of Intelligence Agents

Intelligence agency films usually spice up a dreary world of secrets and
negotiations. Such movies include over-the-top fights and frequent
double-crosses, but how often can there be international incidents? A line from
a Hardy Boys book comes to mind here. One of the detectives says that in their
line of work, it is extended spells of nothing followed by short bursts of
activity. Vishal Bharadwaj’s spy film, Khufiya, is just that. The director
brings Amar Bhushan’s Escape to Nowhere to life by allowing audiences to glimpse
at a world of agents through Farhad Ahmed Dehlvi’s lens. His story focuses on
family, loyalty, and three women- an agent, an informer, and an unsuspecting
wife. 

Khufiya meanders along across three countries with moments of nothing happening.
Quite the polar opposite of the James Bond films or the Jack Ryan series. In
this Netflix film, audiences visit seedy by-lanes, lavish parties, regular
apartments and restaurants, and locations across continents. Mundane and
regular? But that seems to be what spy work is about. A six-letter word starting
with ‘b’ and ending with ‘g’ may come to mind. However, Khufiya is far from
that. It is a grounded reflection of people, who, in essence, are deskies. While
at the desks, these intelligence agents battle bouts of boredom, put their lives
in peril, and remain alert in the pursuit of secrets. 


KHUFIYA’S ACTING DRIVES THE MOVIE FORWARD

Khufiya’s cast allows the film to thrive. Tabu, who plays KM, brings
vulnerabilities and emotion to the table with this particular mission. Thanks to
Vishal Bharadwaj not making these the pivotal focus of her character, Krishna
Mehra does not venture into Carrie Matheson territory. The veteran Bollywood
actress’ skill comes through as audiences bear witness to her duty-bound
exterior, grappling with her urge to tell the truth in more than one way.  

Ali Fazal’s turn as Ravi Mohan is the essence of being composed under pressure.
No rash decisions are made, but there is something weighing him down. Emotions
drive him, as he gets trigger-happy when alone. Do we know which side he really
is on? Does he have to have a side? He does pick, but is it a side or is it
what’s best for his family? 

[data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==]

Wamiqa Gabbi essays Charu, who brings forward the loyalty aspect. Her evolution
from a free-spirited person to someone seeking to make things right provides a
rather meaningful arc. Audiences may question Gabbi having a scene around the
40-minute mark, but the director’s decision has merits. It shows the character’s
willingness to be free and a Bollywood number from 50 years back comes as a
surprise. You would not have been expecting that! The scene had a reason for
another character’s orientation coming forward, but that did not dominate the
narrative. 


THE CHARACTER’S LAYERS ARE NOT SUPER CRUCIAL IN KHUFIYA

The use of certain elements to add layers to a character is welcome. Rohan
Narula and Vishal Bharadwaj’s choice to avoid said layer merging with another
layer and playing a key role is quite refreshing. This choice allows Khufiya to
carve its own identity in this genre. 

Some other things that can catch the audience by surprise include the mole.
Vishal Bharadwaj introduces this concept in a rather unique manner. Combined
with the shocking opening scene, Khufiya had me totally invested. 

This Netflix Original tells audiences who the guilty party is. Or does it? If
you opt for the latter, they can be rewarded with hints of a mastermind reveal
seeming imminent throughout. Cinephiles looking for the former can invest in the
journey to catharsis as the agents do their jobs. But it’s not just a job. It
goes far beyond that, for even in the world of spies, ‘the masses of flesh’ are
humans. This, too, is an element that lingers but does not overpower. Could that
result in the audience not having too much to be invested? Especially with a
film of this duration?


KHUFIYA BEING LENGTHY MAY PUT OFF AUDIENCES

Khufiya’s runtime is a concern, especially on Netflix. After quite a while, I
saw that there were over 110 minutes left. Granted that Vishal Bharadwaj wished
to envelop the audience in the cat-and-mouse wait-and-watch game, but this
film’s duration could deter audiences. 

[data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==]

In the reel world, audiences may expect the suspense to be ever-present. As this
does not happen, there is a constant building of expectations. Had the film been
a tad shorter, the honest depiction of this subject matter may have worked. It
is mainly in the climax the director allows the suspense to build. There usually
is a complaint about extending the suspense far too long. Unfortunately, in
trying to toe the line, Khufiya ends with a rather quick payoff. This can seem
underwhelming for some. 

A piece of advice here would be to ignore the words saying 157 minutes. Khufiya,
by not exploring additional layers, allowed the focus to remain singular. The
film is about secrets and how countries influence things externally. Watch it
for the acting, and the emotions of the individuals, and to witness just how
unobvious certain important things are. Touching a fallen piece of paper,
rubbing off a random mark somewhere, or even a casual conversation, can disrupt
layers of effort. Khufiya can frighten and caution audiences in many ways. 

Read More: Oppenheimer (2023) Review: Intense, Well-Acted, and Gripping Glimpse
Into the American Prometheus
[https://www.netflixjunkie.com/hollywood-news-oppenheimer-2023-review-intense-well-acted-and-gripping-glimpse-into-the-american-prometheus/]

Reubyn Coutinho

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Khufiya (2023) Review: Grounded Reflection of Intelligence Agents - Netflix Junkie

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Reubyn Coutinho is an Editor and Film Critic at Netflix Junkie. This Mass Media Graduate from St. Xavier's has attended MAMI (2019) as a film critic. He hopes to be an official critic at festivals such as Sundance, Berlin, Venice, and Cannes. As someone drawn to the craft of cinema, the stories brought to life through them, and the memories created through breathtaking moments on screen, Reubyn, in this role, combines his knack for critical analysis, love for writing, and watching films. His favorite films include It's a Wonderful Life, Black Swan, and Dead Poets Society. As a passionate consumer of Netflix content, Reubyn adores The Crown, Stranger Things, Cobra Kai and Daredevil. Away from the film world, he always has his eye on Manchester United in the EPL.

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Khufiya (2023) Review: Grounded Reflection of Intelligence Agents - netflix-junkie

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Intelligence agency films usually spice up a dreary world of secrets and negotiations. Such movies include over-the-top fights and frequent double-crosses, but how often can there be international incidents? A line from a Hardy Boys book comes to mind here. One of the detectives says that in their line of work, it is extended spells of nothing followed by short bursts of activity. Vishal Bharadwaj&#8217;s spy film, Khufiya, is just that. The director brings Amar Bhushan&#8217;s Escape to Nowhere to life by allowing audiences to glimpse at a world of agents through Farhad Ahmed Dehlvi&#8217;s lens. His story focuses on family, loyalty, and three women- an agent, an informer, and an unsuspecting wife. 
Khufiya meanders along across three countries with moments of nothing happening. Quite the polar opposite of the James Bond films or the Jack Ryan series. In this Netflix film, audiences visit seedy by-lanes, lavish parties, regular apartments and restaurants, and locations across continents. Mundane and regular? But that seems to be what spy work is about. A six-letter word starting with &#8216;b&#8217; and ending with &#8216;g&#8217; may come to mind. However, Khufiya is far from that. It is a grounded reflection of people, who, in essence, are deskies. While at the desks, these intelligence agents battle bouts of boredom, put their lives in peril, and remain alert in the pursuit of secrets. 
<h2>Khufiya’s acting drives the movie forward</h2>
Khufiya&#8217;s cast allows the film to thrive. Tabu, who plays KM, brings vulnerabilities and emotion to the table with this particular mission. Thanks to Vishal Bharadwaj not making these the pivotal focus of her character, Krishna Mehra does not venture into Carrie Matheson territory. The veteran Bollywood actress&#8217; skill comes through as audiences bear witness to her duty-bound exterior, grappling with her urge to tell the truth in more than one way.  
Ali Fazal&#8217;s turn as Ravi Mohan is the essence of being composed under pressure. No rash decisions are made, but there is something weighing him down. Emotions drive him, as he gets trigger-happy when alone. Do we know which side he really is on? Does he have to have a side? He does pick, but is it a side or is it what&#8217;s best for his family? 
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-141624 size-full lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" data-src="https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/khufiya-movie-review-2.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="630" data-sizes="auto" data-srcset="https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/khufiya-movie-review-2.jpg 1200w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/khufiya-movie-review-2-300x158.jpg 300w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/khufiya-movie-review-2-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/khufiya-movie-review-2-768x403.jpg 768w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/khufiya-movie-review-2-370x194.jpg 370w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/khufiya-movie-review-2-800x420.jpg 800w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/khufiya-movie-review-2-20x11.jpg 20w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/khufiya-movie-review-2-185x97.jpg 185w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/khufiya-movie-review-2-740x389.jpg 740w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/khufiya-movie-review-2-400x210.jpg 400w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/khufiya-movie-review-2-91x48.jpg 91w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" />
Wamiqa Gabbi essays Charu, who brings forward the loyalty aspect. Her evolution from a free-spirited person to someone seeking to make things right provides a rather meaningful arc. Audiences may question Gabbi having a scene around the 40-minute mark, but the director&#8217;s decision has merits. It shows the character&#8217;s willingness to be free and a Bollywood number from 50 years back comes as a surprise. You would not have been expecting that! The scene had a reason for another character&#8217;s orientation coming forward, but that did not dominate the narrative. 
<h2>The character&#8217;s layers are not super crucial in Khufiya</h2>
The use of certain elements to add layers to a character is welcome. Rohan Narula and Vishal Bharadwaj’s choice to avoid said layer merging with another layer and playing a key role is quite refreshing. This choice allows Khufiya to carve its own identity in this genre. 
Some other things that can catch the audience by surprise include the mole. Vishal Bharadwaj introduces this concept in a rather unique manner. Combined with the shocking opening scene, Khufiya had me totally invested. 
This Netflix Original tells audiences who the guilty party is. Or does it? If you opt for the latter, they can be rewarded with hints of a mastermind reveal seeming imminent throughout. Cinephiles looking for the former can invest in the journey to catharsis as the agents do their jobs. But it&#8217;s not just a job. It goes far beyond that, for even in the world of spies, &#8216;the masses of flesh&#8217; are humans. This, too, is an element that lingers but does not overpower. Could that result in the audience not having too much to be invested? Especially with a film of this duration?
<h2>Khufiya being lengthy may put off audiences</h2>
Khufiya&#8217;s runtime is a concern, especially on Netflix. After quite a while, I saw that there were over 110 minutes left. Granted that Vishal Bharadwaj wished to envelop the audience in the cat-and-mouse wait-and-watch game, but this film&#8217;s duration could deter audiences. 
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-141623 size-full lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" data-src="https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/1tgg.png" alt="" width="727" height="409" data-sizes="auto" data-srcset="https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/1tgg.png 727w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/1tgg-300x169.png 300w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/1tgg-370x208.png 370w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/1tgg-20x11.png 20w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/1tgg-185x104.png 185w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/1tgg-400x225.png 400w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/1tgg-85x48.png 85w" sizes="(max-width: 727px) 100vw, 727px" />
In the reel world, audiences may expect the suspense to be ever-present. As this does not happen, there is a constant building of expectations. Had the film been a tad shorter, the honest depiction of this subject matter may have worked. It is mainly in the climax the director allows the suspense to build. There usually is a complaint about extending the suspense far too long. Unfortunately, in trying to toe the line, Khufiya ends with a rather quick payoff. This can seem underwhelming for some. 
A piece of advice here would be to ignore the words saying 157 minutes. Khufiya, by not exploring additional layers, allowed the focus to remain singular. The film is about secrets and how countries influence things externally. Watch it for the acting, and the emotions of the individuals, and to witness just how unobvious certain important things are. Touching a fallen piece of paper, rubbing off a random mark somewhere, or even a casual conversation, can disrupt layers of effort. Khufiya can frighten and caution audiences in many ways. 
Read More: <a href="https://www.netflixjunkie.com/hollywood-news-oppenheimer-2023-review-intense-well-acted-and-gripping-glimpse-into-the-american-prometheus/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oppenheimer (2023) Review: Intense, Well-Acted, and Gripping Glimpse Into the American Prometheus</a>

Oppenheimer (2023) Review: Intense, Well-Acted, and Gripping Glimpse Into the
American Prometheus

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Khufiya is playing on Netflix. Here's our take on this Vishal Bharadwaj Netflix Original film starring Tabu and Wamiqa Gabbi.

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Khufiya (2023) Review: Grounded Reflection of Intelligence Agents

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