Latest news with #Adhir
Scroll.in
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scroll.in
‘Salakaar' review: A dumbed-down show about Pakistan's nuclear programme
The run-up to Independence Day inevitably brings a slew of patriotic, Pakistan-bashing films and series. This year's batch includes Faruk Kabir's Salakaar, in which an Indian undercover agent seemingly modelled on Ajit Doval single-handedly disrupts Pakistan's nuclear programme. The Hindi series directed by Faruk Kabir is out on JioHotstar. In 1978, Adhir Dayal (Naveen Kasturia) joins the Indian Embassy in Pakistan disguised as a cultural attache. Adhir reports to a buffoonish ambassador (Asif Ali Beg) who is a disgrace to the Indian Foreign Service. Adhir's real boss is in Delhi, to whom he sends reports about Pakistani's new leader Zia Ullah (Mukesh Rishi). The dictator is building a nuclear bomb to counter India's own nuclear test in 1974. The programme, codenamed Project Kahuta, is apparently Pakistan's worst-kept secret, revealed over drinks to Adhir by a disgruntled scientist. Adhir easily collects information on Project Kahuta, even standing right in front of the nuclear plant without being detected. In 2025, undercover agent Mariam (Mouni Roy) is carrying on with the rogue Pakistani colonel Ashfaq (Surya Sharma). Ashfaq is too busy peering down Mariam's decolletage to wonder why this very glam woman prefers spectacles to contact lenses. After Miriam learns about the existence of a new bomb, Adhir (now played by Purnendu Bhattacharya) leaps back into the game. We get it. India's security is paramount. There's nothing like showing the Pakistani security establishment as thuggish clowns to get the chest to thump a bit louder. Salakaar is more Mission: Impossible via Anil Sharma's jingoistic movies than a John Le Carré novel. If an Indian spy can enter Zia's household or triumph in a gunfight and still pass himself off as a lowly embassy employee, we are supposed to go with the flow. Salakaar claims to be inspired by actual events. But the show is too dumbed-down, amateurish and contrived to be credible. The five-episode series doesn't give any real sense of how espionage is conducted or how officials and leaders in both countries behave. The show's smartest idea is to cast Naveen Kasturia as Adhir, the salakaar, or consultant, who turns out to be a genius in regulation suits and spectacles. Kasturia has the seriousness and substance to play an unassuming backroom operative. But making Adhir one up on 007 is as preposterous as showing Zia to be clueless about the goings-on under his nose. The lyrics of a song in the closing credits admiringly call Adhir 'salakaar, superstar and mere yaar' (my buddy). Many cooks have dreamed up this overspiced broth. The concept is by Mahir Khan. Sujay Bhattacharya, Srinivas Abrol and Swati Tripathi are credited as concept development writers. The story and screenplay are by Faruk Kabir and Spandan Mishra. Mukesh Rishi's Zia is modelled on his fanatical namesake. Although Rishi is over the top, he reveals shades of canniness in his dealings with Adhir. Surya Sharma as the Zia wannabe and Ashwath Bhatt as one of Zia's cruel factotums are mainly there to speak bad Urdu and fulminate about India. Only Naveen Kasturia survives the carnage, giving a fleeting indication of how brains trump brawn, even if the actual outcome was vastly different from the fiction peddled by the show. Play
Mint
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
OTT releases from August 8-10: New movies, web series to binge over this weekend; Salakaar, Maaman, Stolen, more
OTT releases this weekend: A number of new movies and web series will be available on OTT this weekend on platforms like Z5, Amazon Prime Video, SonyLIV, JioHotstar and Netflix. Let's have a look at the ones that are available to watch online. Plot: Told across two timelines - 1978 and 2025 - Salakaar delves into the covert world of intelligence, nuclear threats, and unfinished missions. It revolves around the life of Adhir, a deep-cover spy who once thwarted Pakistan's nuclear ambitions, only to face the ghosts of that mission decades later as the National Security Advisor. Cast: Naveen Kasturia, Mouni Roy, Mukesh Rishi, Surya Sharma, Ashwath Bhatt, Sidharth Bhardwaj, Purnendu Bhattacharya, Janhavi Hardas Release date: 8 August 2025 OTT Platform: Jio Hotstar Plot: Arabia Kadali, a gripping, high-stakes web series, captures the despair of confinement, the longing to return home, and the unbreakable spirit of hope. It follows the harrowing journey of fishermen from rival villages who, after inadvertently crossing international borders, are forced to rely on each other when they find themselves imprisoned on foreign soil. As tensions mount and loyalties are tested, the series promises an emotionally gripping and intense narrative. Cast: Satya Dev, Anandhi, Nassar, Raghu Babu, Dalip Tahil, Poonam Bajwa, Prabhavathi Release date: 8 August 2025 OTT Platform: Amazon Prime Video Original Language: Telugu (Available in Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada) Plot: A Tamil family drama is centred on Inba, who shares a special bond with his sister Girija and her son, Laddu. Then, a twist causes tension between Inba and his wife. Cast: Soori, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Swasika Plot: This jaw-dropping documentary film is the ultimate true-life crime caper. It tells the story of the world's greatest diamond heist. For the first time, the Antwerp detectives who cracked the case and the alleged criminal mastermind gathered on 17 February 2003 to give a blow-by-blow account of what really happened and reveal the secrets of 'The Heist of the Century'. Release date: 8 August 2025
India Today
29-07-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Salaakar trailer: Naveen Kasturia leads spy-thriller set in dual timelines
Ahead of its premiere on August 8, the trailer for the new web series 'Salaakar' was released on Tuesday. The high-octane spy thriller is set across two timelines- 1978 and 2025. It delves into the covert operations of intelligence agencies, nuclear threats, and unresolved trailer hints at action, suspense and lots of drama. The series follows the life of a deep-cover spy, Adhir (played by Naveen Kasturia), who had previously averted a nuclear crisis involving Pakistan. The trailer shows how Adhir faces the repercussions of his past actions decades later when he serves as the National Security Advisor. The storyline is set against a backdrop where old enemies re-emerge. His character is said to be inspired by NSA Ajit show also features an ensemble cast including Mouni Roy, Mukesh Rishi, Purnendu Bhattacharya, Ashwath Bhatt, and Surya Sharma. Speaking about the series, Naveen Kasturia said in a statement, "'Salakaar' is the kind of story that stays with you. It is layered, intense, and deeply rooted in sacrifice. As an actor, it gave me the chance to step into a world that operates in shadows, where choices are never easy and the stakes are always personal."Mouni Roy also shared her thoughts, calling her character complicated yet resilient. "This is one of the most emotional roles I've ever done. My character isn't just brave, she's complicated, conflicted, and incredibly resilient. She operates in a high-risk zone, but she also carries her personal trauma and history into every decision," she Faruk Kabir stated that the series is inspired by real-life events. He said, "I've always believed that truth is often stranger than fiction and the world of intelligence is a perfect example of that. 'Salakaar' is inspired by real-life events but gives us the creative space to explore the emotional and moral consequences of that world. It's a story about loyalty not just to a nation, but to people, to memory, to ideals. Working with such an incredible ensemble cast and JioHotstar gave me the freedom to build a world that is taut, cinematic, and, above all—authentic."'Salaakar' is produced by Sphere Origins and Mahir Films. It will stream from August 8 on JioHotstar.- Ends
