Director - Tejas Prabha Vijay Deoskar 
Cast - Emraan Hashmi, Sai Tamhankar, Mir Mehrooz, Mukesh Tiwari, Rahul Vohra
Writer - Sanchit Gupta and Priyadarshee Srivastava
Duration – 134 Minutes 
 
Tejas Vijay Deoskar’s Ground Zero is a taut, slow-burn thriller that trades loud slogans for quiet intensity, and delivers a surprisingly thoughtful take on heroism. At the center of it all is Emraan Hashmi, shedding his old image with poise to play BSF officer Narendra Dube — a man scarred by bullets, haunted by loss, and driven by an unshakable sense of duty. Based on real-life events, the film follows Dube’s covert pursuit of Ghazi Baba, the Jaish-e-Mohammad commander believed to be behind the 2001 Indian Parliament attack. This isn't just about taking down a terrorist; it's about navigating the bureaucratic mess, the emotional toll of violence, and the moral complexities of counter-terrorism.
 
The film opens with Dube deep in the trenches of the conflict, surrounded by a loyal team and a system that often does more to obstruct than support. His greatest challenge isn’t just Ghazi Baba, but also his own superiors — a protocol-obsessed commander (Mukesh Tiwari in full "grumpy boss" mode) and an intelligence chief (Rahul Vohra) whose disdain is only rivaled by his incompetence. Yet, Dube remains undeterred, pushing forward with a rare blend of calm defiance and calculated rage. His journey isn’t all bullets and bravado. The emotional core of the film rests on his bond with Hussain, a young Kashmiri boy (played with innocent charm by Mir Mehrooz), once radicalized, now rehabilitated through Dube’s empathy and firm mentorship. This dynamic gives the film surprising emotional depth and humanizes the conflict in a way we rarely see.
 
Hashmi’s performance is refreshingly restrained. He doesn’t chew the scenery; instead, he lets silence, glances, and weary pauses do the heavy lifting. It’s a welcome shift from the chest-thumping nationalism that often defines this genre. His Dube is heroic, yes, but he’s also tired, vulnerable, and quietly furious at a system that sacrifices its best men without recognition. Sai Tamhankar, playing his wife, has limited screen time but brings warmth and strength to her brief appearances. The rest of the supporting cast fares well, with Deepak Parmesh as Binu standing out among Dube’s loyal team, and Zoya Hussain delivering a grounded performance as a local aide.
 
Visually, Ground Zero excels. The film captures the raw beauty of Kashmir without romanticizing it — the camera lingers on the stillness of the snow-covered valleys just as much as it captures the tension in dark alleys and war-torn neighborhoods. Deoskar’s direction is assured and unshowy, keeping the film grounded in reality. There are no over-the-top action sequences here, just tense, believable encounters that rely more on nerves and strategy than CGI. The screenplay, penned by Sanchit Gupta and Priyadarshee Srivastava, is direct and unflinching, though it does take a few cinematic liberties. One plot point involving a school photo leading to a key breakthrough feels like a stretch — but even then, it's handled with a certain sincerity that keeps you engaged.
 
The music, while not the film’s highlight, blends well with the tone. Tracks like Fateh and Pehli Dafa don’t stand out individually, but they serve the story and don’t distract from it — which, in today’s noisy soundtrack era, is actually a plus. Irshad Kamil’s lyrics add a touch of poetry, even if the tunes themselves fade quickly.
 
Ground Zero isn’t a firecracker of a film. It doesn’t dazzle you with spectacle or tug shamelessly at patriotic strings. Instead, it chooses a steadier path — telling the story of a real-life hero with care, clarity, and conviction. It’s a film that respects your intelligence while reminding you of the unseen sacrifices that hold a nation together. Quietly powerful and emotionally grounded, Ground Zero is one of those rare patriotic dramas that earns its stripes the hard way — with restraint, realism, and a whole lot of heart.