Sarzameen reduces Indian Army to a prop and that's its biggest failure

India Today

2 days ago

When a film chooses to tell a story set against the backdrop of the Indian Army, expectations are naturally high. Audiences look forward to patriotism, action, and stories that show the courage and sacrifices of soldiers. Films like 'Shershaah' and 'Raazi' have raised the bar, with human emotion and gripping narratives rooted in real military and intelligence contexts. Unfortunately, 'Sarzameen', which promises to be an action thriller, delivers very little of the war and almost none of the drama that honours the Indian Army.advertisementThe Kayoze Irani-directorial is less a tribute to the armed forces and more an emotionally fragmented family drama. The plot follows Vijay Menon (played by Prithviraj Sukumaran), a high-ranking Army officer determined to eradicate terrorism from Kashmir, even if it means losing his son, Harman (Ibrahim Ali Khan), in the process. But instead of presenting a layered exploration of national duty versus personal grief, the film dissolves into an undercooked tale of a strained father-son relationship, with the Army merely acting as a backdrop. View this post on Instagram A post shared by JioHotstar (@jiohotstar)The disconnected military context
Despite branding itself as an action thriller, 'Sarzameen' barely shows the surface of Army life or operational warfare. Viewers expecting combat sequences, strategic missions, political undercurrents, or interdepartmental dynamics will find none of that here. There is little insight into the life of a soldier, no camaraderie among officers, and no exploration of the Indian Army's role in conflict zones. Vijay Menon, despite his rank, operates in isolation, chasing terrorists and confronting personal demons alone.One of the most confusing scenes in the film is when Harman gets kidnapped from a wedding - very easily. There's no Army security, no safety arrangements, no backup, nothing. What's stranger is that Vijay Menon, a senior Army officer, runs after the kidnappers alone, looking more like a helpless father than a powerful officer with full support and resources. The scene not only feels unrealistic but also shows the Indian Army in a careless and unprofessional light, which is far from the truth. An emotional core that lacks substanceThe emotional conflict at the centre of the film, Vijay Menon's coldness toward his sensitive, stammering son, is not inherently weak. Many war dramas and action thrillers, including '1917', 'Saving Private Ryan', and India's own 'Border', show personal stories along with the bigger war story. But 'Sarzameen' stays too focused on just the father-son issue. Harman's journey, from a boy who just wanted his father's approval to someone who stands against the country, feels unclear and overdramatic. His reasons are not well explained, and his change doesn't touch the heart the way it should.Meher (played by Kajol), the mother, is the only emotional support in the film. But sadly, even her role is limited to the same kind of emotional scenes and crying moments. This is very different from the strong and inspiring characters people usually expect from Kajol.advertisementCompare this with 'Shershaah', where even the love story served to highlight Vikram Batra's courage and conviction as a soldier. The romance was a complement to the narrative. Similarly, 'Raazi' thrived not just on Alia Bhatt's performance but on its suspenseful depiction of espionage during wartime, showing the character's bravery within a tightly-wound political plot.In the Sidharth Malhotra-starrer, even the love story in that film made Vikram Batra's bravery stand out more. The romance added to the main story, it didn't distract from it. Similarly, 'Raazi' was not just about Alia Bhatt's strong acting, but also about how well the film showed her character's courage during a tense wartime mission. Both films had solid stories that balanced emotion with action. 'Sarzameen' lacks all of that. There's no music that lingers, no standout performances that elevate weak writing, and no strong supporting cast to build a world around the protagonists. For a film set in a region as politically volatile and emotionally charged as Kashmir, the storytelling remains curiously hollow.advertisementThe Indian Army has been portrayed on screen with dignity, complexity, and power in several successful films. 'Sarzameen' had a great chance to show the emotional pain between generations, the sense of duty towards the nation, and the bond within a military family. But the film wasted that chance by hardly showing anything about the Army or its real purpose.Instead of honouring the uniform, the film reduces the soldier's journey to a fractured fatherhood story with questionable realism. The Army becomes a symbolic device rather than an active force.In the name of showing the Indian Army, it ends up being just a weak family drama, missing the strength, respect, and discipline that truly represent our soldiers.- EndsTrending Reel