The Story
The mysterious death of Biren Ghosh, an Indian agent at the Indian intelligence agency Research & Analysis Wing (RAW), sparks speculations of foul play within the Indian ranks and a Chinese source. Thus, two young RAW officers Uma (Mouni Roy) and Arjun (Purab Kohli) tread on a rather risky journey to get to the root of the incident. While they amass the support of Indian ambassador to the UK, Nirupa, (Kulraj Randhawa), things are far murkier than what they seem on the surface.
The Review
The mission seems to be one of the riskiest projects to date, as a slight glitch would pose ghastly consequences to the already strained Indo-China relations. Mouni, who’s failed to prove her mettle in her last two missions – in Berlin and Istanbul — has this as her last opportunity to shine. In a twist of events, the prime suspect turns out to be someone in their closest circle. Strangely, the ending is predictable, if one pays close attention right from the start.
London Confidential stirs a feeling of impending doom — pertaining to the India-China border tensions — right from the start. But, the script loses consistency as the movie progresses and ends up being messy and fragmented. Despite being crisp in terms of duration (the movie lasts for about an hour and 17 minutes) the suspense of this spy-thriller is incredibly short-lived.
The movie tries to pique the intrigue of the audience by throwing in raunchy scenes that stand as a stark contradiction to the most crucial aspect of the entire film — confidentiality. I mean, how realistic is it to find suspects carry out “explosive” acts in full view of CCTV or witnesses for that matter?
Despite there being a clear notification in the beginning that the movie is set against the current backdrop of the world grappling under the novel coronavirus, multiple scenes prove otherwise. Characters are often filmed checking into packed streets and strip clubs.
Purab and Mouni do decent jobs with their respective roles, but there are several instances that quite don’t add up. The heavily-pregnant avatar essayed by Mouni looks a little out of place. The unintentional ignorance for her personal life during pregnancy makes it rather odd. One wonders if Sharad Kelkar’s character as that of her husband was necessary at all.
Title: London Confidential
Platform: Zee5
Director: Kanwal Sethi
Cast: Mouni Roy, Purab Kohli, Kulraj Randhawa
Rating: 3/5
