Khufiya review: Netflix’s spy thriller is dull and disappointing

In Khufiya, when an undercover agent dies because of a mole in the Indian intelligence agency, her recruiter sets out to avenge her death. The film is now streaming on Netflix.

Story

In 2004, in Bangladesh, Heena, an undercover agent, tries to assassinate the country’s defense minister. However, someone warns the minister about the assassination attempt, which leads to the minister killing Heena. 

Heena was working for R&AW, the Indian intelligence agency. Jeev, a senior R&AW agent, suspects that there is a mole in the agency who has been selling sensitive information about the agency’s operations to another country.

Jeev wants to catch the mole, but he also wishes to find out who is paying him. Jeev asks KM, an agent who recruited Heena and was in love with her, to head this operation and avenge Heena’s death.

KM is determined to get the person responsible for Heena’s death arrested as well as find the other player involved in this game. However, it is not going to be easy. Will KM be able to outsmart her opponents when she faces unexpected challenges?

Performances

Tabu plays KM, and she gives a fine performance. She makes her varied portrayal of KM, as a spy, as a woman who loved and lost, and as a mother, look effortless.

Azmeri Haque Badhon, who plays Heena, also gives an adequate performance. On the other hand, Wamiqa Gabbi’s and Ali Fazal’s performances are inconsistent; they are not always convincing.

Positives

The film tells the story of modern-day espionage. When things do not always go as planned and the protagonist faces one challenge after another as well as failures, the story seems grounded in reality.

There are plenty of spy films in which feelings like love threaten to jeopardize the mission, but it is the opposite in this film. It is Charu’s hatred and anger that creates problems, and that is somewhat unique.

Negatives

The film’s pacing is poor. As a result, there are scenes that last forever but have nothing important going on. At the same time, not every important detail gets adequate time and attention. 

KM’s feelings for Heena are supposed to drive her to avenge her death. However, as their story does not get much time, their relationship ends up looking inconsequential. The film is not able to convey the importance of killing Mirza for KM.

For a film about spies, this one neither has suspense nor thrill. It fails to create tension, even when the characters are in danger, and ends up being a dull film. Due to that, the audience cannot get invested in the story.

There are some very dramatic scenes in the film that are ill-suited. The antagonist celebrating his win by throwing cash in the air turns the scene into a mockery and makes it hard for the audience to take the plot seriously. 

Verdict

The film had a plot that could have given an intense thriller. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Khufiya is a dull film that is just as forgettable.  

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Also Read: Khufiya summary and ending explained