The movie tells the true story of BSF officer Narendra Nath Dhar Dubey (Emraan Hashmi) leading a bold effort to murder Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist Ghazi Baba (Rockey Raina), the mastermind behind the Parliament Attack in 2001.
Reviews: Films focused on foiled terrorist plans or the arrest of extremists can provide compelling stories laced with patriotic zeal. Though many of us have read about such operations, we are seldom given access to the complex specifics underlying them. Tejas Prabha, director Vijay Deoskar’s Ground Zero draws from one such genuine but lesser-known, high-stakes operation. It tracks Border Security Force (BSF) Commandant Narendra Nath Dhar Dubey and his unyielding quest of almost a ghost—terrorist Ghazi Baba, whom he finally took down.
Opening in August 2001, the film features a disturbing scene in which terrorist Ahmed (Hanan) encourages young Kashmiri lads like Hussain (Mir Mehrooz) to move beyond stone pelting to using guns and shooting jawans at point-blank distance. From then, authors Sanchit Gupta and Priyadarshee Srivastava build a compelling story by untangling terrorist phone calls, pursuing leads, confronting lies, and negotiating red tape and power play that constantly impede Narendra and his team from completing their goal.
Amid all the excitement, the narrative keeps its heart as Narendra tries to convince young boys not to grab weapons instead of killing them. His relationship with Hussain is shown with depth. Although the movie has a low vitality that contributes to its reality, the stakes and tension are nevertheless great. Though handled with caution and never feel over-dramatised, familiar aspects—terrorists using vulnerable young people, family sacrifices of security personnel, and the general mood—are evident.
Though the story pace occasionally slows, it stays interesting since it is a careful mix of slow burn and suspense that progressively builds to a dramatic conclusion as the hunt for Ghazi Baba peaks.
Kamaljeet Negi is great at catching the stunning grandeur of the Kashmir valley as well as the unsettling quiets. John Stewart Eduri’s background score, laced with electric guitar riffs, increases the drama with a raw, immersive quality. Stirring songs by Tanishk Bagchi’s Lahoo and So Lene De, as well as Sunny Inder’s Fateh, give the story emotional depth.
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Rather than excessively heroic, Commandant Dubey’s performance is refreshingly realistic. Though the portrayal is understated, his bravery is unquestionable. Emraan Hashmi plays the part with conviction, hence reflecting a guy committed to his work and goal. In her short part as his wife, Sai Tamhankar makes a difference. As Adilaa from the Intelligence team, Zoya Hussain puts up a terrific performance. Deepak Paramesh, Lalit Prabhakar, and Guneet Singh merit attention for their depictions of BSF jawans; Mukesh Tiwari and Rahul Vohra as the upper brass also merit mention.
Though its grounded intensity, excellent acting, and narrative make it a fascinating and powerful viewing, Ground Zero might not depend on high-octane theatrics.
