Sarzameen movie review: Kajol shines, story falls short

Boman Irani's son Kayoze Irani's directorial debut, Sarzameen, is an ambitious effort that tells a deep but slightly unbalanced story of war, family and mystery. The film is set on the tense border between India and Pakistan, but its real focus is on the relationship between a soldier and his family. An emotional core that had a lot of potential, but the execution of the story fails to fully capitalise on it. The film has been released today, July 25, 2025, on the OTT platform Jio Hotstar. Scroll down to know what worked and what did not.

Sarzameen movie plot: What’s the story about?

Sarzameen begins with Major Vijay Menon (Prithviraj Sukumaran), who has become a hero after his successful campaign in the army. His dedication to the service of the country is unmatched, but his feelings for his family are blurred. Vijay's wife, Meher (Kajol), and their young son Harman try to adapt to this new environment. At a function, when Meher asks her son to speak, he stutters and falls silent after speaking a few words. This scene upsets Vijay, and this is where the discomfort at home begins. Meanwhile, terrorists from across the border put Vijay in front of a tough choice - either save his son or prevent a big threat to the country. Vijay, like a true soldier, puts the country first and loses his son. This is where the story gets more serious. The sacrifice made in the name of duty and his family values are both seen in the story.

Prithviraj and Kajol’s emotional tug-of-war

After eight years, the story takes a turn again. During a relief operation, Vijay meets his lost son, who is now grown up. Young Harman is played by Ibrahim Ali Khan, who is making his Bollywood debut with this film. This reunion seems happy in the beginning, but gradually Vijay's mind starts doubting whether this is the same child he lost. This is where the film turns towards mystery. Harman's behaviour, her memories and body language trouble Vijay. On the other hand, a substory also emerges in which a mysterious person from across the border is helping the Indian Army. The film runs on both these tracks, one a family drama and the other a spy thriller, but finds it a bit difficult to connect the two.

Kajol is the soul of this film. As a mother who tries to put her broken family together, her performance is balanced and impressive in every scene. The pain, fear and hope on her face give the film emotional depth. Prithviraj Sukumaran, who has been seen in such serious roles before, seems a bit defined here. His internal conflict, regret as a father and pride as a soldier could have been more impressive if the script had given it a little more detail.

Ibrahim Ali Khan’s performance: Hit or miss?

Ibrahim Ali Khan's work shows potential. As an angry young man, he tries his best, but in many scenes, his performance looks awkward. However, when he has to present the image of an innocent, lost child, he leaves an impact. It is clear that he has potential, and with better writing and direction, he can shine further. However, compared to his first film 'Nadaniyaan', this time he has not done anything naive. This time, a lot of improvement has been seen in his work. His screen time is also half that of Prithviraj and Kajol. He appears after almost an hour into the film. After this, he has only a few dialogues. Perhaps this has proved to be a saviour for him. He looks balanced in a few dialogues. Talking about action scenes, Ibrahim pales in front of Prithviraj.

Direction, cinematography and music: A mixed bag

Kayoze Irani's direction shows promise, but also inexperience. The film's pacing is uneven: the first part of the film dragged, and its major twist arrives abruptly, leaving viewers surprised but not invested in the film. The cinematography is beautiful, and some locations have been shot very impressively, especially the scenes of the border areas. The music has a mixed effect; at some places, it helps in evoking emotions, but at times, it also disrupts the rhythm of the story. In the revelations about Kajol at the end, it is not clear whether she was the villain or the hero of the film, apart from this it is also not clear for what purpose she came to India, whether she was able to accomplish her purpose after coming to India, how did she meet Prithviraj, all this remains incomplete and due to this the story does not get any depth. Another irritating thing is that a terrorist has been growing in the house of a soldier for years, and he is not even aware of this. This thing is not digestible.

What worked in Sarzameen (and what didn’t)

Sarzameen is a film based on a strong concept: a soldier who sacrifices his child for the country, and then tries to live with that decision. But the writing fails to bring the idea to full maturity. Some subplots, like Vijay's relationship with his father or the role of the man across the border, seem incomplete. The biggest drawback is that the audience is not able to feel the depth on an emotional level that this story demands. The mystery in the story could have been interesting if the clues and tension had been woven better.

Final verdict: Should you watch Sarzameen on OTT?

Sarzameen is a film that tries to say something new. It moves away from stories based around war and focuses on the personal lives of soldiers. It is a brave attempt, which is innovative. The film has some impressive scenes, good acting (especially by Kajol) and a subject full of potential, but none of these things translate into a solid, engrossing experience. The loose grip of the screenplay, lack of emotional depth and incomplete use of suspense make this film average. Sarzameen is a one-time watch, especially for those who like a combination of family drama and patriotism.