There is no dearth of films in the spy genre coming out of the Hindi film industry. Many stories are over the top, while only some of them manage to be subtle and focus on the nuances and the nitty-gritties of how intelligence agencies and bureaus work. As mentioned in our review of IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack, not many films have explored the subject of the constant tiff between the R&AW and Intelligence Bureau. Berlin, directed by Atul Sabharwal, is all about an interrogation that involves a mute man and sign language expert brought together to solve a puzzle. Berlin will be on Zee5 Global from September 13, 2024, and stars Aparshakti Khurana, Ishwak Singh, and Rahul Bose in the titular roles.
The movie is set in 1993 when Pushkin Varma, a sign language expert teaching at school for speaking and hearing disabilities, is hired by the bureau to carry out a classified interrogation of Ashok Kumar. Ashok Kumar has been arrested on the charges of being a mute Pakistani spy. His thorough checkup also confirmed he was deaf. This interrogation is being carried out just days before the Russian President is scheduled to visit India for the diplomatic talks. As Pushkin starts interrogating the mute and deaf Ashok Kumar, he goes on to clash with the Russian bureau head Jagdish Sandhu. As the movie progresses, Pushkin realizes there is more to the story about Ashok Kumar than he’s been let in on. The usual suspect could’ve been framed, while the real villain could be a puppeteer, playing people around by controlling the threads. The title of the movie comes from the name of a café in Delhi, which was a hub of networking and information, as many officers and clerks from nearby embassies and intelligence offices came by this place. The waiters hired by the owner were usually 90% to 100% deaf to avoid any leaks from their end. Was Ashok Kumar a spy or a collateral damage? Was there a cover up behind a make-believe crisis? Will Pushkin find out the truth?
The most excellent part about Berlin is the atmosphere created by the director through some solid writing. There is an atmosphere of tension and deceit that is looming high, long after the cold war is over. The looming spy situation in the early 1990s existed, even after the disintegration of the USSR. There is an atmosphere of silence created to observe the world from the perspective of Ashok Kumar, the deaf and mute man hired to be a waiter at Café Berlin. The screenplay does a good job of coming up with a story that seems like an espionage story, but there are many layers given to it to suggest that the villain could be someone else altogether. The story takes time to open up and offer clarity on what is happening as Pushkin crosses the line to find out who is at fault here. The screenplay lags a bit when discussing Ashok Kumar acquiring information about someone in the most tedious manner. This could also be a way of indicating that the captured spy wanted to steer away from the actual conversation and prolong his answers.
The direction of Berlin by Atul Sabharwal is exquisite, but he takes his sweet time to establish the main plot. The makers and the writers are in no hurry to give the audience one twist after another or add any shocking element just for the sake of it. The climax is slightly predictable, but it is the execution, from a tight screenplay to a grittier direction, that makes Berlin interesting from the start till the end. Kudos to the makers who chose to tell a story instead of taking the path of jingoistic elements. All of them are patriotic but also selfish, as they want to save their careers. The ending could have been juicier, but we think this is what the makers wanted to convey: that all spy thrillers need not have an ending that will be over the top to prove something or point fingers at a nation or entity. There is no nationalist speech about why it is necessary what agencies and bureaus do for the safety of the country and its people. The story does a good job of talking about how people in power could be easily manipulated. The same person could use their power to turn the situation in their favor. It could indicate that the officers in charge of security and intelligence are just imbecilic. Also, it is appalling how there are no female officers hired in the bureau or the agency, which is the highlight of that era.
The sound design of Berlin is excellent. A lot about Ashok Kumar’s life and surroundings could be captured through nothing but silence, because that is his reality. K. Krishna Kumar’s music also adds tension to the narrative, which takes the movie forward. The production design is perfect as it captures the essence of Delhi in the early 1990s accurately. Ashok Lokare and Sandeep Shelar have done a stellar job. The cinematography captures the sense of tension and pain shared by the leads, Pushkin and Ashok Kumar. It is the cinematography by Shree Namjoshi and the direction of Atul Sabharwal that brings out the insane chemistry between Aparshakti Khurana and Ishwak Singh. Most of the film is shot inside the cubicle where the interrogation is taking place. The sense of claustrophobia and fear is generated well through the tight first half of the film.
It is the performances of the actors that elevate the engagement of the film and the viewing experience. Aparshakti Khurana excels in a role that is completely unique and not easy to pull off. The sense of fear which is seen in his tightness of jaw and eyes is a mark of a good actor. Aparshakti is brilliant as a sign language expert who gets embroiled in what he assumes is a case of espionage. Ishwak Singh plays the mute and deaf ‘spy’ caught in the web of lies, deceit, and possibly an interagency conflict. Ishwak Singh is able to convey so much just through his eyes. This man performs effortlessly as Ashok Kumar, who could or could not be a Pakistani spy. His hunger to prove he wanted to be known for his talent and not his disability is shown brilliantly. Kudos to the writer-director Atul Sabharwal for carving his character with so many layers. Ishwak Singh deserves awards for this role. Rahul Bose as Jagdish Sondhi might not come across as physically ruthless, but he could be intense and fearful just by his body language and terrifying gaze. The man could eat up any actor in the frame just by his sheer presence. Rahul Bose’s character would remind viewers of Nawazuddin’s character as an IB officer in “Kahaani.” Both come across as intimidating through body language and voice and not by physicality.
Berlin is an excellent film because it does not take anything for granted. The characters in the film do not take anyone else for granted. The screenplay of Berlin is challenging, as it does not mean to spoon-feed the audience watching it. Berlin is one of the best movies in the spy genre to come out of Hindi cinema, and it is a must-watch for all the reasons mentioned above.Â
