Ulajh (2024) Review!!

Synopsis – The journey of a young IFS officer, belonging to a prominent family of patriots, who gets embroiled in a dangerous personal conspiracy while far from her home turf, at a career-defining post.

My Take – With the massive financial success of the YRF spy universe, spy thrillers have become the latest obsession of Bollywood filmmakers. Each trying to weave their own version of stories revolving around RAW and ISI, along with all the conspiracies and chaos that they bring with them in these kind of films.

But what immediately makes this latest from director Sudarshan Saria (Loev) stand out is the presence of an IFS (Indian Foreign Service) at its helm, conveying the message of how bureaucrats and diplomats are unsung heroes, who control and prevent critical situations, which can lead to war between countries.

With a complex yet not-quite-intelligent plot at its center, the result is a compelling espionage feature that doesn’t deliver fully on its potential.

Though, it is thankfully never jingoistic in tone, a little more versatility in its script and better control of the narrative could have done it a world of good and helped it become a spy drama with a difference.

Nevertheless by maintaining a consistent pace throughout, with plenty of twists and thrills to keep you engaged, it ends up being an above average thriller with grand aims to become a franchise.

The story follows Suhana Bhatia (Janhvi Kapoor), an IFS officer and third-generation diplomat from the Bhatia family who following her exceptional performance in Nepal is rewarded the position of Deputy High Commissioner in London, becoming the youngest Indian ever to earn the job.

In a few months’ time, while she receives constant resistance from her colleagues, Jacob Tamang (Meiyang Chang), who was originally in line for the same position, and Sevin Kutty (Roshan Mathew), a controversial RAW agent, Suhana also finds allies in her assigned driver Salim (Rajesh Tailang), a former Indian police, and a Michelin star chef Nakul Sharma (Gulshan Devaiah) with whom she instantly hits it off.

However, one wrong step triggers a chain of disconcerting events. Even as her father Dhanraj Bhatia (Adil Hussain) is named India’s permanent representative at the United Nation. Suhana falls prey to a conspiracy owing to an impulsive dalliance she is drawn into following a high-profile embassy event where a crucial defense deal is proposed.

With a run time of 134 minutes, the film manages to keep you engaged with its fast-paced narrative. There are a couple of jaw-dropping moments, especially with the changing dynamics of friends-turned-foes and vice versa adding more layers to the plot. Indeed, the idea of a diplomat who is trying her hardest but is still a fish out of water having to tackle an international conspiracy is quite intriguing. Even when it speaks about the insecurity of a few men around women holding high positions.

Director Sudhanshu Saria has managed to keep the narrative gripping and captivating but sometimes it does get confusing due to the entangling of tracks. But while the writing is intriguing and engaging it is not as intelligent as it thinks it is. It is difficult to watch certain actions Suhana takes with little regard for the consequences of her actions.

Also, its high time Pakistan and its volatile relationship with India take a back seat, especially considering their current political condition. At this point, it just seems lazy to add the Indo-Pak angle every time they want to evoke some emotions.

Performance wise, Jahnvi Kapoor delivers a sincere and fitting turn, perfectly cast in a role that resonates both narratively and meta-textually, especially given the film’s themes of nepotism. Though at times she does look out of her depth and maybe just too young for the role, nevertheless she rises to the challenge and manages to be a compelling presence.

The supporting cast comprising of Gulshan Devaiah, Roshan Mathew, Adil Hussain, Rajesh Tailang, Meiyang Chang, Rajendra Gupta and Jitendra Joshi manage to be exemplary as always despite scattered screen time. On the whole, ‘Ulajh’ is an engaging above average spy thriller that struggles to reach its full potential.