Article 370 Movie Review: Yami Gautam starrer keeps you hooked with the stellar performances and screenplay

Filmmakers tapping important political events in the history of India's constitution is nothing unheard of. While sometimes it can get preachy, other times it can get too jingoistic. However, what makes the Aditya Suhas Jhambale directorial different is that it does not fall prey to any of the above. The movie is a meticulous and riveting account of the abolishment of Article 370 which was done on August 5, 2019.

The plot revolves around Zooni Haksar (Yami Gautam) who is given the mammoth task of leading the NIA in maintaining non-violence and peace in Kashmir valley against the backdrop of the abrogation of Article 370. While she is battling demons of her own, she is faced with several obstacles in the form of radical opposition, corrupt and power-hungry politicians, and ISI-funded terrorists. On the other hand, the PMO secretary Rajeshwari Swaminathan (Priyamani) leaves no stone unturned to work closely with the Prime Minister Of India (Arun Govil) and the Home Minister (Kiran Karmarkar) to make sure that the bill is abolished in the Rajya Sabha despite hindrances from the opposition.

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Article 370’s main highlight lies in its meticulous screenplay and detailed research. The dialogues have a no-nonsense vibe some of which will also bound to give you goosebumps and get some claps and cheers. A faulty error by the previous government in the constitutional papers to make sure that Article 370 is never erased is intricately exposed in one of the subplots of the film. The devious psyche of the political parties in Kashmir who want to impose a separate power in the state even if it means giving rise to violence is also explored. The stone-pelting and protests against the government and the ultimate Pulwama attack on February 14, 2019, which took place on Indian security personnel forms an important catalyst in further building up the riveting tone of the movie. The climax which leads to the final operation of the NIA to rescue a government official being hunted down and the passing of the bill in the Rajya Sabha is one of the high moments of the movie. However, we would have struck a chord more if there would have been a glimpse into the psyche of the female protagonist. The mission at hand by the NIA is also overshadowed by the hullabaloo at the PMO’s office. We would have loved to see more of the combat sequences as they formed the main crux of the same.

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Yami Gautam is a sheer tigress in this one and Article 370 is inarguably one of her best performances. Be it in a time of vulnerability or when she has to be in charge of the action, there’s not a single time when she falters. She can be called the main guiding anchor of this one. Priyamani keeps the intensity and fire constant in her performance. While there was a fear of the caricature seeping in but Arun Govil and Kiran Karmarkar’s performances are simply top-notch. Other stand-outs included Sumit Kaul, Iravati Harshe, Raj Zutshi, and Ashwini Koul.

Talking about the action pieces and the background score, they are powerful and do the trick to keep our interest hooked. The cinematography by Siddharth Vasani is top-notch. Despite some minor flaws Article 370 more or less ticks all the boxes and does its job well.