K files, the 370 chapter

Parbina Rashid

When a film finds a mention at a political rally even before its release, one knows which direction it is going to take. We are well acquainted with the genre ‘P’ (propaganda) by now. The opening voiceover by Ajay Devgn bashing Jawaharlal Nehru, following it up with a backgrounder on Article 370 and a clinical summing up of the Kashmir movement leaves no room for doubt either.

Though it has the vibes of ‘Uri: The Surgical Strike’ and ‘The Kashmir Files’, ‘Article 370’ is more of a refresher course which the makers think we need just before the Lok Sabha elections. Starting from Nehru’s “misdoings” in 1947 to the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, it packs a lesson in history, civics and the Constitution, which all conveniently amalgamate to highlight the Union Government’s resolute leadership to bring Kashmir into the nation’s fold in the true sense!

This visually appealing refresher course, which clocks 2 hours and 40 minutes, is divided into six chapters with sub-heads which sum up the actions, reactions and anything that falls in that particular segment.

It begins on a note of a thriller as Kashmiri intelligence officer Zooni Haksar (Yami) gathers information on militant commander Burhan Wani and eliminates him in a covert operation. We get to see her rebellious streak, which gets her in trouble with the authorities. But it’s the same rebellious act, a testimony to her action prowess and shrewd mind, that brings her to the notice of a senior bureaucrat in the PMO, Rajeshwari (Priyamani). Rajeshwari shepherds the Centre’s plan to abrogate Article 370.

Together, these two fictional characters pave the path for the unnamed but easily recognisable Prime Minister (Arun Govil) and Home Minister (Kiran Karmarkar) to strip J&K of its special status. Zooni goes about springing one surprise attack after the other on militants who attempt to foil their plan, and Rajeshwari finds crucial clauses that allow the government to take on its detractors in Parliament.

But the narrative is not about these two super ladies, but righting a 70-year-old “historical wrong”. And that is never easy. The government has to deal with not just Pulwama-like incidents, hired stone-pelters and Pakistan-backed separatists, but also venal politicians who have uncanny resemblance to Mehbooba Mufti (Divya Seth) and Farooq Abdullah (Raj Zutshi). In the process, the makers give the ruling party quite a few opportunities for chest thumping!

Director Aditya Suhas Jamhbale and cinematographer Siddharth Vasani manage to present the first hour of the film as a gripping thriller, with good performances by Yami and Priyamani.

Zooni’s tragic backstory has an emotional connect, but once the political agenda takes over, the narrative gets slack with inconsistencies and the characters become caricature-ish. In the roles of two former CMs, Raj Zutshi and Divya Seth are laughable. We wonder if Kiran Karmakar’s imitation of Amit Shah’s body language and dialogue delivery would amuse the Union Home Minister!

Even if it does not, the film has enough to keep the heroes it has been modelled on in good humour — incompetent Opposition leaders, dim-wit journalists and over-the-top villains. They have conveniently clubbed the moderates and extremists into the same category, for the sake of simplicity, we guess! The only solace is that the makers practise enough restraint to not lace ‘Article 370’ with the in-the-face kind of jingoism that ‘Uri’ and all other films of this genre are known for.

Once Article 370 is done and dusted, newspaper headlines tell us how Kashmir has become a paradise, not just in the economic growth index but also in terms of peace and social order. The movie ends with a note as to what would the Prime Minister do next? It sounds odd, considering that it’s only a movie, and not a Parliament bulletin, but this is one question which only ‘Uri’ maker Aditya Dhar, one of the producers and writers of ‘Article 370’, can answer.