What Is the Story About?
Set in the Sixties post the Sino-India war when India was weakened to fight its neighbouring enemies. Mukhbir – The Story Of A Spy is the story of an impossible mission taken by the Indian government to stop the ominous plans of Pakistan forces.
SKS Moorthy (Prakash Raj) finds a natural talent Harfan (Zain Khan Durrani), and trains him to be a spy. The series’ core plot is how he crosses the border and gets vital information helping Indian intelligence.
Performances?
Zain Khan Durrani is a revelation and the perfect lead for the series. He offers the bite and freshness that the story otherwise lacks. He also switches effortlessly between fun, romance and emotion, with the intensity intact. His breakdown scene during the latter half of the series shows his promising talent. There are some dull moments intermittently, but it’s more due to the writing than his performance. On the whole, Mukhbir – The Story Of A Spy is an impressive work by a youngster who has recently started his journey.
Analysis
Shivam Nair and Jayprad Desai direct Mukhbir. It is a spy thriller based on the novel Mission To Kashmir: An Intelligent Agent To Pakistan.
If one is a follower of the spy genre, the chances are high that plotwise Mukhbir – The Story Of A Spy offers nothing new. Right from the start, it is clear where the narrative is headed. However, the series still hooks, and that’s its biggest success.
It doesn’t take much time for Mukhbir – The Story Of A Spy to hold attention. The reason is the casting and writing. It instantly draws one in, even if nothing new is happening.
The entire introduction segment of the hero and how he is settled in a Pakistani house are some examples of gripping narration. The whole thing also reminds of Raazi, but Mukhbir – The Story Of A Spy has charm.
There are two distinct tracks the series operates in at the narrative level. One is the core spy thriller elements, whereas the other is the drama related to the spy where he moves as an impersonator. This exploration of the duality is the Raazi connection.
The thriller track is helped by neat editing and good casting. Dilip Shankar grabs attention whenever he is on screen. The general thread, too, is neatly dealt with related to the spy work.
However, when it comes to the family drama and love story, Mukhbir – The Story Of A Spy drags. The drama is well-acted and directed but accounts for nothing by the end. It is true with the family side and a casual romance. The serious one with a singer is alright, though.
The spy and singer relationship progression is stretched a lot, but it eventually leads to an emotional payoff, making it worth it. The inner turmoil and the cry is all engaging due to the subtle yet intense act by the lead.
The ending, after all that happened, feels rushed. Suddenly, the mission is forgotten, and it is all about a single character and eliminating him. The narrative moves quickly from one block to another without any deftness.
Overall, if you like the spy genre, Mukhbir – The Story Of A Spy has enough to keep one hooked. However, it offers nothing fresh and therein lies the issue. Give the series a try for the lead actor and some solid spy thriller action moments.
Other Artists?
The casting of the series is good. From Prakash Raj and Adil Hussain to Dilip Shankar and Harsh Chhaya everyone fits the role properly and does their job adequately. Barkha Bisht Sengupta as the singer and a classical beauty is good. She sometimes overplays the part (trying to present a classical beauty demeanour) but does the needed at the end. The rest of the actors have done a decent job in predictable roles.
Music And Other Departments?
Abhishek Nailwal’s music is okay. The songs do feel like speed breakers at times. The background score is comparatively better, but it, too, offers nothing memorable. The cinematography looks ordinary at times. The editing is slick during the thriller moments, whereas it is alright otherwise. The writing is adequate for the genre.
Highlights?
Casting
Gripping Moments
Thriller Aspects
Drawbacks?
Predictable Drama
Length
Rushed Ending
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes
Will You Recommend It?
Yes, With Slight Reservations
Mukhbir – The Story Of A Spy Review by Binged Bureau
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