Dhokha (2007)

Why so much hype?

Plot so thin, it passes unnoticed.

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review

Noble intentions alone don't make a good film, and that becomes clear as crystal while watching Pooja Bhatt's film Dhokha. The film, her third directorial outing after Paap and Holiday, is unarguably the most relevant of her three films because it touches upon themes that are significant and critical.Newcomer Muzammil Ibrahim stars as a young Muslim police officer who learns that his cute-as-a-cupcake wife Tulip Joshi may have been a suicide bomber responsible for the death of many innocent people.It's a discovery he can't quite come to terms with because it dawns on him that he may have never really known this person he shared his home, his heart and his life with for two whole years. Determined to get some answers, he sets off on a mission to trace why and how she may have led this double life.Now with this film Pooja Bhatt makes an earnest attempt to address so many urgent issues – everything from communal prejudices and cultural stereotyping to terrorism in the name of religion and exploitation at the hands of the establishment. Problem is, in her over-enthusiasm she forgets that key rule that movie directors can never really afford to forget – feature film is a popular medium, it must engage. It must not become a lecture that bores the audience.Despite a solid premise, Dhokha fails to realise its potential because the screenplay is often contrived, often convenient, and at times just hopelessly idealistic.An everyday policeman just tumbles into a full-fledged terrorist outfit. A suspicious spiritual leader shows up out of thin air to participate in a never-ending question-answer session on the relevance of jihad. And a suicide bomber strapped with kilos of RDX gets to go home scot-free after he's persuaded not to blow up VT Station. If only the world were so simple.On the up side, I'm happy to say that unlike Pooja Bhatt's previous directorial offerings, Dhokha is not a Hollywood-film remake, it is instead inspired from real events.The case of the 19-year-old student Ishrat Jahan who was gunned down by the Ahmedabad police for allegedly plotting the murder of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is as much an inspiration for the plot of this film as is the case of software engineer Khwaja Yunus, a suspect in the 2002 Ghatkopar blast incident who was allegedly killed in police custody.This is a film you badly want to like because it's well intended and because it's got its heart in the right place, but how you wish it didn't go about its job in such a perfunctory manner.Few films these days have much to say, so when you come across a film that does, it's a pity it doesn't make its point hard enough. And by hard enough I don't mean, beating the audience on the head with a message, rather driving the point home by illustrating its repercussions.Of the film's cast, veterans Gulshan Grover and Anupam Kher lend credibility to the occasionally over-dramatic scenes, while Munish Makhija as the spiritual leader is as expressive as a block of wood.Mercifully we are spared the full range of Tulip Joshi's incompetent acting because she's barely in the film and has less than three dialogues to speak, but we must endure instead newcomer Aushima Sawhney's labored performance as the cop's ex-girlfriend who turns up just in time to lend a supportive shoulder. In many ways, the star of Dhokha is model Muzammil Ibrahim who makes his acting debut as the betrayed husband. Much in the same way that she photographed her previous leading men John Abraham and Dino Morea, director Pooja Bhatt for the most part films her new hero as a Playgirl centrespread, baring his perfect abs in romantic scenes, in shower scenes, even in fight scenes and chase scenes. But surprisingly, there's more to him that the six-pack – Muzammil delivers a confident performance and shows some genuine star potential.The film itself could have been so much more. Remember, the films you either immensely enjoy or even violently detest are the ones you're likely to remember for a long time to come. But Dhokha turns out to be one those average films that evokes no strong reaction.It's a film that you only feel indifferent towards. Pooja Bhatt's Dhokha unfolds at a pace slower than my 81-year-old grandmother.

Pooja Bhatt is living proof that Farrah Khan was wrong, not all female directors have been cursed to the realm of documentary film making. I saw a recent episode of 'Koffee with Karan' in which Karan Johar praised Farrah Khan's directing prowess by telling her that she is the only female actress out there who makes fun movies and Ms. Khan responded by saying something to the effect of what I wrote above. But anyway, back to Dhokha.Literally translated, it means 'Deceit' and just about fifteen minutes into the film, the movie begins to realise its name. ACP Zaid Ahmed Khan (played by stunningly sexy newcomer Muzammil Ibrahim) bumps into Nandini AKA the-one-that-got-away (played by Aushima Sawhney) at a college reunion and is flooded by hurtful memories from his past. In flashback, during the opening song we see how Nandini and Zaid came to part ways shortly after the September, 11th 2001 terrorist attacks. Nandini being a Hindu and Zaid being a Muslim, her parents forbade her to ever see him again and quickly married her off to an NRI (Non-Resident Indian) and sent her abroad. She has now returned seven years later, a divorced woman and immediately the old flame is rekindled. That is until Zaid tells her that he is happily married. But Zaid happiness is quick to fade when the city of Mumbai is rocked by a terrorist attack and he is summoned to come and identify a body in a morgue. Upon reaching there, he has the sad task of positively identifying the body he views as Sarha (played by an equally stunning Tulip Joshi) his wife.Before long, Zaid is arrested and because of his Muslim background is implicated in the case as details begin to surface about the bomb blast. An investigation headed by ATS Chief Raj Mehra (played by Gulshan Grover) yields the preliminary results that Sarha was possibly the suicide bomber (hence the title of the film 'Dhokha') and this news crushes Zaid who refuses to believe it. But as more and more details begin to surface Zaid begins to slowly accept the truth which forces him to launch his own private investigation. If his wife was a terrorist, then obviously it was for a reason and she must have definitely worked for someone or some group. But the further he digs, the more horrifying things he discovers about his late wife's past. Anupam Kher co-stars as Sarha's grandfather.Kher & Grover were standard but great performances by both Joshi & Ibrahim. Their chemistry was just off the screen in this film. The film is similar to Shah Rukh Khan's Dil Se... in that it's about a female terrorist and it has great music but nevertheless it still earns an solid A.

If Daddy does a critically acclaimed "Zakhm", will daughter lag behind? Yes, "Dhokha" seems very much inspired by the former and tried to dish out a product which is a mix of suspense, marriage, communal (dis)harmony, pseudo-secularism and suicide bomber.Muzammil Ibrahim is not too bad especially the script demands varied emotions. Can act, though woody at times... but hey – not too bad for a newcomer.Tulip Joshi – one expression. The scene carrying a machine gun in her hand reminds you of a 1980's movie.Aushima Sawhney – The story could have done away with her character. Does every product from Bhatt camp has to do with extra-marital relationships? Ashutosh Rana , Anupam Kher, Gulshan Grover – reliable as usual.Songs by M M Kreem are good.Finally about Pooja Bhatt, I think she is good as a production controller for she seems to put more effort on bean-keeping thereby killing the creative force required to don the director's hat. Her fallout with the lead actor – is it a mere publicity stunt? The story-line is very much predictable. While "Dil Se" had delved deeper into the psyche of suicide bomber, "Dhokha" deals the issue at a superficial level.However it seems the project did initiate with an honest attempt to give an insights into the cause and effects.

I have just recently watched this movie unexpectedly. Never heard about the trailers nor the main actors in it, however the acting done here is far more superior then some known actors! OK so the movie might not be your oh-my-god-its-the-best-movie-ever type, but it has some deep meaning. The direction was great, the storyline was even better! The movie basically deals with the whole Muslims being hated upon in India and how some decide to join the evil side. I know it sounds a bit iffy and makes one not to watch this type of movie, but believe you me...you should. Or at least give it a chance! It's the type of movie that keeps you involved in the story, and makes you interested right till the end. The beginning song is great, the rest are not so bad. I'm giving it a 9 / 10, because not every movie's perfect.