Our Entertainment Desk
\Just a day before India’s 79th Independence Day, i.e., August 14, director Arun Gopalan has come up with a great thriller. The name of the film is ‘Tehran’, which is not just a story but a mirror of the power of patriotism and duty.
John Abraham is seen in his new and powerful avatar, and this film evokes a sense of pride and responsibility towards the country in the hearts of every viewer. The story is woven in the backdrop of the bomb blasts in Delhi and Tehran, which have a tremendous combination of action, suspense and emotion.
The beginning of the story is from the bomb blast in Delhi. Many people were injured in this blast, and a girl selling flowers died. DCP Rajiv Kumar (John Abraham) handles this case. Iran wants to kill him, Israel has betrayed him, and India has made him a savage. This dialogue reflects the soul of the film ‘Tehran’. It is not just a spy thriller but a saga of self-sacrifice in which the nation’s boundaries fall short in the face of a person’s duty.
John Abraham’s film takes the audience on a unique blend of fast-paced action, diplomatic conflict, international politics and personal pain. It is the story of an officer who is not only wanted by the enemy but also abandoned by his own country but still refuses to give up. Rajiv Kumar (John Abraham), a senior officer of the Special Cell of Delhi Police, is investigating a bomb blast near the Israeli Embassy in Delhi. This attack is no ordinary terrorist incident, as it takes the life of an innocent girl. The same girl from whom Rajiv had bought a bouquet a few minutes ago.
This incident shakes him and affects him personally. He takes this blast as a personal insult and vows to get to the terrorists behind this crime. But this path is not easy. When the investigation leads to Iran, diplomatic equations, international relations, and political limitations come to the fore, which prevent him from taking action.
The biggest strength of ‘Tehran’ is its writing. Co-scripted by Ritesh Shah and Ashish Prakash Verma, and with an original story by Bindi Karia, the film is more intelligent than any action film. This is not a ‘patriotic rant’; it is a mature and deeply presented story that makes an impact quietly, not loudly. The director wastes no time right from the beginning of the film. The story makes its direction clear in the first five minutes. It is a steadily moving screenplay, not a plethora of dialogues, not an overdramatic display of emotions, but a steady, focused, and purposeful flow.
To understand the geopolitical milieu of ‘Tehran’, the audience needs to have a basic understanding of the relations between India, Iran, and Israel. The screenplay weaves personal suffering against the backdrop of international diplomacy, hidden agendas, and national interest in such a way that every turn of the story becomes thought-provoking.
This is perhaps the quietest but most impressive performance of John Abraham’s career. No loud speeches, no wild firing, just pain in the eyes, responsibility on the face, and a tension in the whole body that is felt in every scene. He has not just played the character of ‘Rajiv Kumar’, but has lived it.
Manushi Chhillar, despite her limited dialogues, has improved a lot from before, but there is a lot of scope for improvement.
Manushi is effective in the action sequences. She has very few dialogues, but it has worked for her. Neeru Bajwa is brilliant. Her experience is reflected in the role. Her character brings balance to the story. Hadi Khanjanpour, as the villain, adds more depth to the seriousness of the film. The unspoken tension in his scenes maintains the mystery in the story.
Arun Gopalan’s direction is different from that of ordinary action directors. He has created a realistic world by removing drama, where wars are fought not only with bullets but also with decisions and silences. The tone of the film is wrapped in a deep tension, with the colour, light, and camera movement of every scene not only showing the story but also making it feel.
The cinematography deserves a special mention. From the busy streets of India to the mysterious atmosphere of Tehran, every frame exudes a blend of truth and tension.
Talking about the music, Tanishk Bagchi’s score captures the mood of the film brilliantly. There are no forced patriotic songs, no emotionally stretched backgrounds; the music is always moving along with the story.
‘Tehran’ is a thriller that will not be able to engage all audiences effortlessly. It is a deeply written film, which requires the audience to pay a little attention and be familiar with the subject to understand it completely.
A major challenge is the Persian dialogues. Many important scenes in the film are in the local language, which will have to be followed with the transcript, but can create distance for a common Hindi viewer.
At the same time, in some scenes, the script becomes so fact-oriented that the emotional connection weakens. Action lovers may also be disappointed here, because there aren’t any showers of bullets, car chases or flying buses, but there are strategic, silent, and well-thought-out actions.
‘Tehran’ is a film that does not try to move fast. It pauses, gives a chance to think, and then hits deeply. It is the story of those people who never make headlines, but because of whom the country can live in peace.
This film deserves 3.5 stars because, despite its qualities, it will be able to attract a limited audience fully. It is neither a traditional action film nor a light-hearted entertaining offering for the general audience. But if you want to watch a story that is calm, precise, and meaningful, then ‘Tehran’ should be on your list.
