Raazi movie review roundup: What critics have to say about Alia-Vicky starrer

Director Meghna Gulzar has been hailed for showing yet another compelling story with Raazi. Critics, who watched the movie in a special screening before the scheduled release, have praised the director and actors – Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal – for the storyline and performances in their reviews.

Raazi is a story of a Kashmiri girl (Alia), who is a spy and married to a Pakistani Army officer (Vicky). Gulzar's directorial is set in the days preceding the 1971 Indo-Pak war and is based on Harinder S Sikka's best-selling novel Calling Sehmat. Given the storyline, the film has been extensively shot in Kashmir.

From the actors' performance, direction to the storyline, the film has all the elements in its right place to impress critics. Most of the film critics have given positive reviews, praising the actors, especially Alia for portraying the character of a spy with such ease.

Read all the critics review of Raazi movie below:

Kunal Guha of Mumbai Mirror gave 3.5 stars to the movie and said it is a relevant watch.

"Unlike most films within the genre that focus chiefly on the 'operation', Raazi also delves into the debilitating position that secret agents who stumble in and out of the margins of history must sometimes assume. Given the political climate, this one's a relevant watch — especially since little has turned between the two nations over the years," Guha said.

Neil Soans of The Times of India gave 4.5 stars and said that the film is a strong dramatic thriller.

"Amidst all the compelling performances, this is Alia's film as she continues to push her boundaries as an actor while challenging our expectations of her. In the same vein, 'Raazi' defies the spy genre's traditional expectations of full-blown action sequences. Instead, Meghna Gulzar's steady hand gradually ramps up the tension throughout, leading to an explosive final act in this strong dramatic thriller. It also leaves you questioning the repercussions of war on the human psyche," Soans added.

Sameeksha of News18. com in her review called Raazi a gripping watch that will sure to keep you on the edge. "Intense, emotional and unnerving at the same time, the sensitivity and emotional quotient of the characters- especially Alia's Sehmat makes Raazi a gripping watch that keeps your mind and heart on the edge, till the end," she added.

Rohit Bhatnagar of Deccan Chronicle called Alia-Vicky starrer spy thriller a masterstroke and said it emerges as a sure shot winner. Praising Alia, he said the actress impresses with each slot and her performance in this film is matched with her performance in Udta Punjab.

"Overall, Raazi celebrates the spy-thriller genre and proves good content prevails. Perhaps, a lot of aspects make this film unapologetically finest of 2018 so far," he added.

Rohit Vats of Hindustan Times gave 4 stars and said the film is spotless and superlative.

"The actors sometimes falter with their accent and dialect, but intrigue around Sehmat's adventures doesn't give them much time to complain. Raazi is a sensibly written and finely performed film that takes a close look at the ordinary lives of extraordinary people. Not to miss," he added.

Shalini Langer of The Indian Express gave 3.5 stars and said that a film like this needs to be made. "At a time when hate and anger are the currency of the subcontinent, a film like Raazi needs to be made. For peeping into the Valley and finding a true-blue patriot, for looking across the border and finding decency, and for giving Kashmiri embroidery as worn by Alia an authentic, modern, featherlight touch," she said.

Meena Iyer of DNA gave 4 stars and said the film will blow our mind. "The film passes muster on all technical aspects but if those don't get listed here, it is only because the performances are so good. Alia, who has shown her mettle in Highway and Udta Punjab, takes her Sehmat, several notches higher," she added.

Watch Raazi trailer here: