Ae Watan, Mere Watan

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Raazi can easily be called Alia Bhatt's finest performance till date. Meghna Gulzar's direction is impeccable, the story keeps our blood racing, clutching onto our seats, desperately rooting for Sehmat. 'Ae Watan' is a track I found very haunting, especially the Arijit Singh version played out during the end credits, though the children's performance was very moving indeed. As the posters declare, Alia plays a spy in the movie. And what a performance too. Especially that scene where she breaks down towards the end.
SPOILERS AHEAD
The movie is a tribute to all the anonymous warriors out there, who keep us safe in our homes without our knowing or acknowledging it. I have always felt that we don't give our soldiers the credit they deserve. And this film reveals how there are different types of warriors fighting for our country, and not only on the borders.
I suppose many will attribute Sehmat's failures to her femininity. Oh, women don't have the grit to kill mercilessly without it haunting their conscience and jeopardising the fate of their nation, or something along those lines. But let me ask you, being brainwashed into killing machines, caring nothing for human lives, is that really so noble? Is that how you serve apna mulk, apna watan? I don't think so. All Sehmat did was give in to the essential humanity within her. And while she served, she served diligently. Truly, we owe every breath we take to all the Sehmats out there. Such men and women make me proud of my nation. May God be with them.
May 8, 2018
After reading Harinder Sikka's 'Calling Sehmat', I'm in awe of Meghna Gulzar's feminine touch and the subtle nuances she lent to the film, especially the gradual blossoming of the relationship between Sehmat and Iqbal.


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