Film:
The Diplomat
Bubble Rating:
Director: Shivam Nair
Writer: Ritesh Shah
Cast: John Abraham, Sadia Khatib, Jagjit Sandhu, Sharib Hashmi, Kumud Mishra,
Run Time: 137 minutes
Platform: In Theatres
The Diplomat Review
Shivam Nair’s The Diplomat – starring John Abraham and Sadia Khatib in lead roles, is not what you will expect. Written by Ritesh Shah, the political drama is based on the life of 28-year-old Uzma Ahmed – a 28-year-old Indian woman who was forcibly married to a Pakistani citizen during a visit to the country. The film will have you on the edge of your seat from the start to the end with its rather gripping narrative that’s void of song and dance.
The Diplomat starts with a glimpse of the chilling Buner region of Pakistan and the state in which the captive women are kept there. Here we meet Uzma Ahmed (Sadia Khateeb) a woman who demands entry into the Indian Embassy in Pakistan while stating that her life is in danger because of her husband, Tahir Ali (Jagjit Sandhu) and those close to him. While she presents an Indian passport, the entire embassy is left wondering if she’s really an innocent woman scammed into a marriage in Pakistan, a spy, a double agent or a suicide bomber with explosives strapped on her belt.
As she continues to create uproar in the Embassy, enters India’s Deputy High Commissioner to Pakistan – JP Singh (John Abraham) aka The Diplomat. Stern but calm, Singh attempts to decode whether Uzma is speaking the truth and establish her identity. While Uzma and Singh’s initial interaction is sure to make you flinch, you begin sympathising with the former as her tragic story unfolds. A victim of sexual assault and rape, Uzma’s heart wrenching narration of why she came to Pakistan, how she got forced in to marriage and the sad state of the women she met in the torturous terrains of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will touch your soul.
Though the Indian Embassy and the Attari-Wagah Border are just a few hours away from each other, the struggles Singh, his team and Uzma face in helping her reach home in enough to scare an innocent for a lifetime. Read our honest The Diplomat review to know whether or not the John Abraham and Sadia Khateeb-led political drama is worth a watch in theatres this weekend.
What Works
The engaging narrative paired with John Abraham’s stoic expressions and Sadia Khateeb’s heartfelt emotions is what makes this films one of the best releases of 2025. Sadia will melt your heart with her earnest performance while the dialogues add a dash of humour, keeping the film from becoming a documentary.
What Doesn’t Work
There are a couple of scenes where you can’t help but think – it’s a high chase scene, how can they be so calm? But then you realise it’s based on a true incident and not many cinematic liberties have been taken. While we ate thankful for the the makers being as true to the story as possible, we wished these scenes were a bit fast-paced.
Technical Analysis
Story
Based on a true incident, The Diplomat is a beautiful – but daunting adapted of how a love affair develops between Uzma Ahmed and Tahir Ali in Malaysia leads to her being physically, mentally and sexually tortured while in Pakistan. While Uzma visits Tahir in Pakistan under the impression that he’s single and wants her to meet his family, she soon finds out he’s a militant, already married and a father to atleast four children. The film through it’s gripping storytelling highlight the struggles Uzma goes through to escapes from her husband’s village and reach the Indian Embassy to seek their help and reach her homeland sacurely.
Direction
Shivam Nair isn’t new to political thrillers or action dramas and projects like Naam Shabana and Special OPS are proof. He knows how to hold the audiences’ attention and tell cutting-edge stories, and The Diplomat is no different. While Nair has succeeded to a great extent in making the political drama an immersive experience, there are scene that seem to lack emotions or give off an unnatural aura.
Music & Ediitng
The Diplomat is a serious film and as such doesn’t have any standout song or music. While this helps in keeping the narrative crisp and to the point, it does make the film feel a bit bland. However, the editing by Kunal Walve deserves a round of applause for it’s engaging flow. The sounds added when Uzma is slapped or when Singh slams the table to get answers and the silence incorporated when Uzma tells her story adds a chilling layer to the narrative.
The Diplomat Acting
John Abraham seems to be the best casting for the role of JP Singh as he manages to pull off several scenes while staying expressionless – a must for diplomats as they cannot show emotion. However, there are instance when you expect more from him in terms of depth and intensity. Sadia Khatib as Uzma will touch your hearts. She has given her all to the role – be it in expressions or body language, and that’s clearly evident from the manner in which we all start sympathizing with Uzma’s story. We hope to see more of her in film.
Sharib Hashmi as an Indian Embassy officer and Kumud Mishra as Uzma’s Pakistani lawyer also do a good job in essaying their characters. Revathy has more of an extended cameo in the film essaying the role of a senior advisor in the Indian government, a character based on Late External Minister Of India, Sushma Swaraj. The actors who plays Uzma’s husband, Tahir and his friend also deserve a round of applause for making you hate the characters.
Conclusion
John Abraham and Sadia Khateeb-led The Diplomat is a must watch to appreciate the hard work of the Indian diplomats aiming to keep our country people safe across the globe. While the film will stream on Netflix a couple of weeks after it’s theatrical run, do watch the Shivam Nair directorial in theatres for an immersive experience.
Hope our The Diplomat review encourages you to watch the John Abraham, Sadia Khateeb action-drama in theatres.
Watch the trailer of The Diplomat here:
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Desk Head at Bollywood Bubble