Article 370 Review: In a scene from Article 370, Zooni, the disgraced intelligence officer placed on punishment posting, yells through the dense bureaucracy. Zooni, who is portrayed by Yami Gautam with conviction, is more than just a dedicated officer attempting to support an improbable political cause. Stung by the tentacles of what is repeatedly presented as a debilitating systematic contraption, she is also a Kashmiri. According to the movie, the law is so blatantly opposed to the welfare of the people of the state that it has essentially halted advancement, growth, and possibly even intellectual enlightenment. Whatever one’s political stance, the repeal of legislation that has been in effect for seventy years is a historic event. Additionally, even though the majority of that event took place in the Parliament, this movie does a good job of portraying it on the streets and in the violent alleyways of Kashmir.
Yami Gautam is Zooni, a stern intelligence agent who followed well-liked local leader Burhan Wani. Zooni is tending to her wounds from the valley. In reality, her father was trying to expose a financial scam, but he was falsely accused of being involved in it. A local lawmaker accuses her of using his suicide as a chilling kind of intimidation. Therefore, Zooni is more of a believer in directly intercepting dangers than she is in social correction. She lacks the time and diction to be courteous. Her bureaucratic echo, Rajeshwari, who is portrayed by the equally unwavering Priyamani, somewhat mirrors everything she is attempting to accomplish on the streets of Kashmir. Rajeshwari, although not having a past of her own, stands in for the bureaucracy’s steadfast, heartless gaze. The two don’t communicate much, although a lot is implied. Rajeshwari gives Zooni a second lease of life.
The Pulwama incident is the result of a wave of discontent that Zooni’s rush to apprehend Wani set in motion. An incident that has since been adapted in several ways for the big screen. This becomes the focal point of a movie that, despite beginning as a clever military thriller, develops into a myth-busting bureaucratic chess match. No shot, no matter how well-aimed or how quickly fired, can ever be anything but noise without the authority stamp. The time of liberation that a trapped valley has been waiting for one of the longest grieving periods in history is so billed as coming with the repeal of Article 370.
Rajeshwari and Zooni, two women, take the initiative on opposing sides of a socio-political conflict that we all know will result in the obvious. Turning the removal of a contentious provision into a film seems like an impossible task, at least from the perspective of the plot, but Gautam, Priyamani, and company manage to put together enough fictitious characters and performances to draw you into a narrative that is fundamentally an act of removing the debris from earlier times.
Article 370, which was co-written and directed by Aditya Dhar, the director of URI and Gautam’s spouse, is at its best when it acts like an actioner. Here, Dhar’s deft handling of gunplay, combat, and war scenes is replicated with similar conviction, precision, and artistic flair. But, before the trigger is fired, there is a good deal of linguistic wrangling since, in contrast to URI, this movie makes the somewhat somber vow to also explain itself. Thus, history is annotated, presentations are called upon, and voiceovers (performed by Ajay Devgn) establish the framework for a story that occasionally feels mired in its analytical preoccupations.
As a result, navigating the constitutional puzzle box becomes more like an excavation, which, while impressive as a creative achievement, belongs to a more complex movie (maybe even a documentary). The striking disparity between the tense street scenes and the casual bureaucratic behavior in parliamentary offices is what both holds and unexpectedly releases the pressure. At over three hours in length, the film is a bit tedious to watch because we already know how it ends.
The film is a fantastic, if a little too long, love poem to a political period that its makers feel passionate about. It’s a little overdone as a cinematic experience because of the urge to show, inform, and explain. With ample screen real estate for Yami Gautam to settle into, the performances are outstanding. Even though she succeeds in providing an enigmatic yet vulnerable hook, perhaps more could have been accomplished by concentrating just on her to restrict this exercise of giving an event its backstory. You wouldn’t mind seeing a lot more of Zooni in a movie that takes on too many missions.
Article 370 is a technical marvel, an amazing visual extravaganza when it’s in motion (with a high score), and frequently a tedious bureaucratic plod. It is acknowledged that it attempted to create a suspenseful thriller by omitting the euphoria and using sluggish political discourse. Patriotism is precisely served by quiet little successes rather than grandiose cross-border ones. This is a film worth taking in, thinking about, and riding home with, if only for its softly held camera, grammar, tone, and cinematic aesthetic. It may and will be contested for its position, for its commitment to a particular moment.
Article 370 Movie Review by Popular Critics
Ratings: 4/5 Review By: Taran Adarsh Site: Twitter
Article370 is cinema at its best: Enlightening, engaging and impactful… This is truly YamiGautam’s best work to date, is terrific, puts up an award-worthy act… PriyaMani excels… MUST, MUST WATCH! Kudos to the writing team for simplifying the sequence of events and staying true to the subject material… Director Aditya Suhas Jambhale deserves brownie points for executing the material with expertise.
Ratings: — Review By: Komal Nahta Site: Film information
Aditya Suhas Jambhale’s direction is outstanding. He has made the film educative but has not sacrificed entertainment at any point. The highly technical drama moves hand-in-hand with the human drama and makes the audience feel a sense of exhilaration at many points.On the whole, Article 370 is a blockbuster. It will go on to do extraordinary business and will keep springing surprise after surprise at the box-office.
Ratings: 2.5/5 Review By: Shubhra Site: Indian Express
So, how is the josh? Clearly unflagging. Main Atal Hoon just went by, while up ahead (with two months to go for elections still) are films honing to the same script such as Accident or Conspiracy: Godhra, Bastar: The Naxal Story, Swatantrya Veer Savarkar… Meanwhile, 370 now has a new flavour – no longer an Article in the Constitution, it’s the BJP’s seat target for 2024.
Ratings: 3/5 Review By: Sana Site: India Today
Some of the unconvincing theories about the Kashmiri movement for autonomy in the film will make you want to read up on its actual history. We guess that’s what the PM meant when he said that ‘Article 370’ will be ‘useful for people to get correct information’
Ratings: 3.5/5 Review By: Titas Site: News18
The rest of the cast doesn’t have much to do, with the powerful characters of Zooni and Rajeshwari overshadowing them. But director Aditya Suhas Jambhale and his team deserve applause for their efforts and attempt. Yes, there’s a lot of room for improvement but you can still give it a watch.
Ratings: 3/5 Review By: Dhaval Site: Times Of India
Article 370’ attempts to evoke a sense of nationalism, taking creative liberties along the way. One fails to comprehend the necessity for Zooni to resort to impersonation to access amended documents from the J&K Secretariat, as accessing those documents could have been a straightforward job for her. Nonetheless, this film marks a promising debut from director Aditya Suhas Jambhale, a two-time National Award-winning director, hinting that a lot can be expected from him in the future. ‘Article 370’ proves to be a worthwhile watch, offering enough substance to keep viewers engaged and invested
Ratings: 3.5/5 Review By: Mudit Site: Times Now
With his no-nonsense approach and by not over-dramatising any of the events, Aditya has made it clear that he only wants to keep his focus on telling stories rather than adding on the formulaic bits. A rarity among filmmakers! Article 370, in totality, offers a meticulous insight into a tumultuous chapter in our nation’s history.
Ratings: 4/5 Review By: Aseem Site: India TV
The Aditya Suhas Jambhale directorial is a complete entertainer when it comes to emotions, patriotism, and political drama. Even if you are familiar with the events of the Kashmir Valley and the abrogation of Article 370, the film will not even for a single minute will let you feel bored. The film is inspired by true events and the depiction of those events with a pinch of drama and entertainment is surely an iceing on the cake. In my verdict, I will definately recommend to watch Article 370 on the big screens. I rate the film 4 out of five.
Ratings: 3.5/5 Review By: Saheli Site: Bollywood Bubble
Concluding the review, Article 370 is a political drama that shows you the different sides of Kashmir. Overall, it is a strong and hard-hitting movie that might seem like a propaganda movie but it has more to it. Aditya Suhas Jambhale’s directorial venture is an informative movie while maintaining the right amount of drama and emotions. Moreover, Yami and Priyamani are the heart and soul of the movie as they carried this movie with great power.