A gripping, female-led, patriotic potboiler
From time to time, several movies from the Indian Cinema are made with the intent of evoking patriotic emotions from the viewers. These can either be a hit or a miss but often are films that are largely enjoyed by the Indian audience. Article 370 is one such film which narrates the journey of the abolishment of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution which excluded the state of Kashmir from being an official part of India.
Due to the political unrest in Kashmir caused by the conflict between India, Pakistan and China, the state of Kashmir was given a special status in the country. With a different governing body, Kashmir often was left to make laws and amendments of its own, something that hindered peace and harmony in the state.
The film tells the story of two women – Zooni Haksar (played by Yami Gautam) and Rajeshwari Swaminathan (played by Priya Mani) who were both integral parts in the abolishment of the bill. The film is a dramatized retelling of the significant historical event that reunited India with the state of Jammu and Kashmir. However, the release of the film around the elections makes it seem like political propaganda.
Keeping aside whatever agenda the film has, Article 370 beautifully narrates the journeys of Zooni and Rajeshwari, two females who were indispensable in the mission that unified the state of Kashmir with India. The film is divided into 6 chapters, all of which aim to give viewers an insight into the beginning of the unrest in Kashmir and the Government’s efforts to curb the conflict.
The first half of the film seems long and slow but after watching this in its entirety, it is clear why the makers took their time to establish the world that the film is set in. While most of the film is based on facts, there are dramatised parts in Article 370, all of which make the audience resonate with the film on a deeper level.
Zooni is the most humane character and her story comes to a full circle in the final moments of the film. Yami Gautam does an amazing job as Zooni and is essentially the driving force of the film. Aside from Yami, Priya Mani comes as a welcome surprise as she takes on the role of a bureaucrat working in the Prime Minister’s Office.
These two female characters outshine all the other males in the film making this a highly female-centric watch, something that is a rarity when it comes to political films from India. Unlike films like Pathan, Tiger 3 or Fighter, films that all revolve around the issues of the state of Kashmir; Article 370 gives you a truly patriotic film without the fluff.
Due to this, the movie retains the seriousness that it deserves and becomes a gripping political thriller. It does not have a real villain and Zakir (played by Ashwini Koul) hardly has any screen-time throughout. Instead, the film puts more focus on the abolishment of the bill than on the atrocities caused by the terrorist groups that have tried to brainwash the locals residing in Kashmir.
Overall, Article 370 is packed with thrill and patriotism making it an enjoyable one-time watch. However, a word of advice would be to try and overlook the political agenda propagated throughout.
Read More: Article 370 (2024) Ending Explained
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Verdict - 7.5/10
7.5/10