Tehran Movie Review: A senior Delhi Police official attempts to outdo Mossad in the Hindi film Tehran. The ZEE5 thriller by Arun Gopalan combines the spy dramas that consistently come out of Israel with the rule-breaking cop that Indian filmmakers have come to love.

Tehran Movie Details:

In 2012, Iranian operatives blasted Israeli embassies in Delhi and three other locations. Rajeev (John Abraham), a member of the Special Cell team, feels enraged by the murders of Indian bystanders, especially a young flower vendor. Consequently, he vows to protect India from such operations and assaults, declaring that no one will take the nation seriously until “their actual hands are severed.”

Despite his superiors labeling him “insane” and a loose cannon, Rajeev maintains valuable connections, including Research and Analysis Wing officer Sheilaja (Neeru Bajwa). However, much to the dismay of his employer, Neeraj (Alyy Khan) and RAW chief Himadri (Qaushik Mukherjee), Rajeev launches an unsanctioned covert mission. Alongside Divya (Manushi Chhillar) and Vijay (Dinker Sharma), he sets out to exact revenge on the perpetrators of the blasts.

As a result, both countries react with outrage to Rajeev’s actions, fearing that he might jeopardize a crucial gas contract between Iran and India. The Israelis, however, remain less concerned. While diplomats publicly distance themselves from Rajeev, Mossad sees potential in him. Ultimately, after India disowns him and Iran hunts him, an Israeli operative secretly aids Rajeev, showing respect for a man who dares to defy the conventional laws of battle.

How real are Real-life events in the Tehran movie?

Real-life occurrences inspire Tehran. While Bindni Karia provides the narrative and Karia and Ritesh Shah craft the screenplay, the film nevertheless fails to escape a diplomatic quagmire. Moreover, it attempts to present informed and astute commentary on the geopolitics of Asia and the Arab world in the early 2010s. Although Tehran strives for realism, it ultimately operates in the same fictional space as exaggerated tales of Indian agents matching the skills of their Western counterparts. Still, it delivers grit, a fast pace, and segments of Farsi dialogue.

Meanwhile, amid Israel’s broken relationship with Iran and its ruthless offensive in Gaza that has crossed all moral bounds, Tehran makes its release. Consequently, viewers struggle to sympathize with Rajeev’s Rambo-like tendencies, his puzzling attempt to sever ties with India’s allies, his kill-or-be-killed mindset, or even his grief at being abandoned by his government, especially given the grave realities of the present.

Take a look at the trailer:

The film draws clear connections between the rabbi’s murder and Iranian militant Afsar’s support for the Palestinian cause. Afsar (Hadi Khanjanpour) brutally kills the rabbi with a “Free Palestine” banner displayed in the background. Mossad fulfills this Indian cop’s ambition by choosing to utilize Rajeev. John Abraham, who played Rajeev in Batla House and The Diplomat, delivers the character with calm intensity. Among the supporting cast, Alyy Khan and Qaushik Mukherjee stand out as government officers who uphold the law for good reason.

Share

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
•