Berlin: A Spy Thriller That’s More About Napping Than Nabbing
Release Date : 13 Sep 2024
Berlin: A Spy Thriller That’s More About Napping Than Nabbing
Movie - Berlin
Directed - Atul Sabharwal
Cast - Aparshakti Khurana, Ishwak Singh, Rahul Bose, Anupriya Goenka, Kabir Bedi
Platform - ZEE5
If you ever wondered what would happen if a spy thriller took a nap, Berlin might just be your answer. Streaming on ZEE5, this film by Atul Sabharwal is an espionage drama that redefines what it means to be “underwhelming.” Instead of a high-stakes rollercoaster, Berlin delivers a ride that’s more akin to a flat, uneventful Sunday drive.
Let’s start with the basics: the plot. We have Ashok Kumar (Ishwak Singh), a deaf-mute man accused of being a spy, and Pushkin Verma (Aparshakti Khurana), a sign language teacher brought in to interrogate him. Sounds thrilling, right? Well, think again. The movie’s idea of tension is akin to watching paint dry, with the interrogation scenes dragging on like a never-ending lecture on the history of paint.
The film’s setting in 1993 is supposed to lend it a vintage charm, but it mostly feels like a time-travel fail. The eponymous café, Berlin, looks like it’s been lifted from a bad 70s sitcom rather than a spy thriller. Imagine a place where secret meetings are conducted in the most boring café imaginable—complete with décor that screams “IKEA reject.”
As for the action, it’s as if the filmmakers decided that a good chase scene would just tire everyone out, so they left them out entirely. There are a few half-hearted chase scenes and some clumsy moments of rough-and-ready action, but they’re so lackluster you might find yourself checking your watch for the 20th time.
The performances? Let’s just say they’re as lifeless as the plot. Ishwak Singh tries hard to give depth to his character, but his performance is overshadowed by the sheer monotony of the script. Aparshakti Khurana looks confused, as if he’s just realized he’s stuck in a movie that doesn’t know how to move forward. Rahul Bose, playing the intelligence officer, gives a performance that’s as flat as a pancake and just as exciting.
The film’s attempt to subvert the genre by portraying spies as flawed and vulnerable is admirable in theory, but in practice, it just makes for a story that feels more like a lecture on bureaucracy than a thrilling espionage tale. If you’re hoping for high drama and intrigue, prepare to be disappointed. Instead, Berlin delivers a lengthy, drawn-out exercise in tedium.
In short, if you’re looking for a spy thriller that doesn’t so much thrill as it does lull you into a state of ennui, Berlin is your go-to film. It’s like the cinematic equivalent of a long-winded explanation that never quite gets to the point. A nap might be a more stimulating alternative.