Dhokha (2007)

Simply A Masterpiece

It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

Movie start with a good note and promised a lot but story take totally U turned in second half and its a big disaster in the end. I am not sure why they turned that theme of terrorism to one police officer wrong doings. And its been shown that Jihadi are doing this because they have been provoked by society(what is this bullsh*t). I am not denying however that sometimes innocent get caught by police but it happens with everyone not with Muslims alone. Everyone knows that Jihadi had been brainwashed to spread the Islam and to kill Kafir, It doesn't have any link to the injustice. Look at the example of Bangalore Techie guy who was earning handsome money in Yahoo but was a recruiter, and what about the people from everywhere going and fighting for ISIL. If director stick to the subject it can really become master piece but turned out to be a complete disappointment. However all te actors did justice to their performance except Maulana.

Noble intentions alone don't make a good film, and that becomes clear as crystal while watching Pooja Bhatt's film Dhokha. The film, her third directorial outing after Paap and Holiday, is unarguably the most relevant of her three films because it touches upon themes that are significant and critical.Newcomer Muzammil Ibrahim stars as a young Muslim police officer who learns that his cute-as-a-cupcake wife Tulip Joshi may have been a suicide bomber responsible for the death of many innocent people.It's a discovery he can't quite come to terms with because it dawns on him that he may have never really known this person he shared his home, his heart and his life with for two whole years. Determined to get some answers, he sets off on a mission to trace why and how she may have led this double life.Now with this film Pooja Bhatt makes an earnest attempt to address so many urgent issues – everything from communal prejudices and cultural stereotyping to terrorism in the name of religion and exploitation at the hands of the establishment. Problem is, in her over-enthusiasm she forgets that key rule that movie directors can never really afford to forget – feature film is a popular medium, it must engage. It must not become a lecture that bores the audience.Despite a solid premise, Dhokha fails to realise its potential because the screenplay is often contrived, often convenient, and at times just hopelessly idealistic.An everyday policeman just tumbles into a full-fledged terrorist outfit. A suspicious spiritual leader shows up out of thin air to participate in a never-ending question-answer session on the relevance of jihad. And a suicide bomber strapped with kilos of RDX gets to go home scot-free after he's persuaded not to blow up VT Station. If only the world were so simple.On the up side, I'm happy to say that unlike Pooja Bhatt's previous directorial offerings, Dhokha is not a Hollywood-film remake, it is instead inspired from real events.The case of the 19-year-old student Ishrat Jahan who was gunned down by the Ahmedabad police for allegedly plotting the murder of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is as much an inspiration for the plot of this film as is the case of software engineer Khwaja Yunus, a suspect in the 2002 Ghatkopar blast incident who was allegedly killed in police custody.This is a film you badly want to like because it's well intended and because it's got its heart in the right place, but how you wish it didn't go about its job in such a perfunctory manner.Few films these days have much to say, so when you come across a film that does, it's a pity it doesn't make its point hard enough. And by hard enough I don't mean, beating the audience on the head with a message, rather driving the point home by illustrating its repercussions.Of the film's cast, veterans Gulshan Grover and Anupam Kher lend credibility to the occasionally over-dramatic scenes, while Munish Makhija as the spiritual leader is as expressive as a block of wood.Mercifully we are spared the full range of Tulip Joshi's incompetent acting because she's barely in the film and has less than three dialogues to speak, but we must endure instead newcomer Aushima Sawhney's labored performance as the cop's ex-girlfriend who turns up just in time to lend a supportive shoulder. In many ways, the star of Dhokha is model Muzammil Ibrahim who makes his acting debut as the betrayed husband. Much in the same way that she photographed her previous leading men John Abraham and Dino Morea, director Pooja Bhatt for the most part films her new hero as a Playgirl centrespread, baring his perfect abs in romantic scenes, in shower scenes, even in fight scenes and chase scenes. But surprisingly, there's more to him that the six-pack – Muzammil delivers a confident performance and shows some genuine star potential.The film itself could have been so much more. Remember, the films you either immensely enjoy or even violently detest are the ones you're likely to remember for a long time to come. But Dhokha turns out to be one those average films that evokes no strong reaction.It's a film that you only feel indifferent towards. Pooja Bhatt's Dhokha unfolds at a pace slower than my 81-year-old grandmother.

If Daddy does a critically acclaimed "Zakhm", will daughter lag behind? Yes, "Dhokha" seems very much inspired by the former and tried to dish out a product which is a mix of suspense, marriage, communal (dis)harmony, pseudo-secularism and suicide bomber.Muzammil Ibrahim is not too bad especially the script demands varied emotions. Can act, though woody at times... but hey – not too bad for a newcomer.Tulip Joshi – one expression. The scene carrying a machine gun in her hand reminds you of a 1980's movie.Aushima Sawhney – The story could have done away with her character. Does every product from Bhatt camp has to do with extra-marital relationships? Ashutosh Rana , Anupam Kher, Gulshan Grover – reliable as usual.Songs by M M Kreem are good.Finally about Pooja Bhatt, I think she is good as a production controller for she seems to put more effort on bean-keeping thereby killing the creative force required to don the director's hat. Her fallout with the lead actor – is it a mere publicity stunt? The story-line is very much predictable. While "Dil Se" had delved deeper into the psyche of suicide bomber, "Dhokha" deals the issue at a superficial level.However it seems the project did initiate with an honest attempt to give an insights into the cause and effects.

a good film but not amazing...yes, it is different and thought-provoking like all mahesh Bhatt films. This film, however, could have been MUCH better. Everyone acted well, direction was great. Cinematography was also good, so where did it lack? The movie was too fast paced. The film should have been at least 2 hours and 30 minutes. It seemed rushed.Too much takes place in the first 30 minutes of the film.Too many questions are asked. Mahesh Bhatts previous film, awarapan, which was directed by Mohit Suri, was brilliant! This film, however, had the potential to be even better than Awarapan since Terrorism is something everyone can relate to. Awarapan was only for people who understand the true Muslim religion. Basically Dhokha is a good film but could have been better. Also, why is there use of many English words in this film? This is a Hindi film and should be totally in Hindi. When they speak English it sounds fake. The film gets a 7 because it is good and the subject is quite meaningful.