Sarzameen review: Prithviraj, Kajol evoke patriotism, Ibrahim Ali Khan as terrorist fails to impress

Ibrahim Ali Khan, Kajol, and Prithviraj Sukumaran-starrer Sarzameen premiered on JioHotstar on July 25. Directed by Kayoze Irani, Sarzameen is a political thriller set against the backdrop of Kashmir. Prithviraj Sukumaran plays Vijay Menon, an Indian Army officer, while Kajol portrays his wife. Ibrahim Ali Khan takes on the role of the antagonist,  a terrorist. A face-off between Prithviraj's and Ibrahim's characters adds to the film's dramatic tension.

Sarzameen is an emotional tale of a father torn between duty and love for his son, and a family shattered by violence. The narrative follows Vijay Menon (Prithviraj Sukumaran), who is deployed to Kashmir to tackle a growing terror threat. He captures two high-profile terrorists, but the situation turns personal when his young son, Harman (Ibrahim Ali Khan), is kidnapped by militants. The demand is to release the terrorists in exchange for his son.

Vijay reluctantly agrees. But at the critical moment of the exchange, he hesitates,  releasing terrorists goes against everything he stands for. At the last second, he opens fire. One terrorist is killed, while the other escapes, taking Harman with him. The trauma of that moment haunts the family.

After eight, Harman returns, but he's no longer the same. He turns terrorist. 

Kajol fits seamlessly into the role of Meher, a mother caught in an impossible situation. Prithviraj delivers a powerful performance as Vijay,  a man wrestling with guilt and pride, burdened by a painful choice. His portrayal captures the internal conflict of a soldier and father haunted by the consequences of his decision.

However, Ibrahim Ali Khan's performance hasn't struck a chord with many viewers. Social media users felt he was miscast, describing his portrayal as loud and lacklustre.

A user wrote, "Prithviraj & Kajol are good, Ibrahim Ali Khan is a misfit, with emotionless facial reactions. Kashmir visuals are beautiful. The story is familiar with an interesting climax. There are emotions and patriotism in the film, but I could not connect to it due to weak writing. BELOW AVERAGE!"

Another viewer reviewed, "Sarzameen is a below-average thriller. It could have been more intense and gripping."

The third one mentioned, "Sarzameen had a solid premise but failed to deliver. Weak screenplay and direction let it down. Prithvi, Kajol & the rest of the cast did well, but there was no real emotional connection. Overall, a mid watch with no standout moments."

The fourth one said, "#Sarzameen is an above-average film, especially for the performances of @itsKajolD @PrithviOfficial and a sincere #IbrahimAliKhan . The familiar storyline and treatment and dejavu to mission Kashmir cannot be ignored. A sincere attempt nevertheless. Watchable."

The next one said, "Another story of Maksad, jung, a lopsided sense of nationalism, and emotional arcs that Bollywood never gets entirely right while attempting a patriotic drama without jingoism."

A user wrote, "Ibrahim Ali Khan is not convincing as the rebellious son-turned-terrorist."