Make time for this one, you will be in for a pleasant surprise like I was, recommends Mayur Sanap.
When we talk about the spy genre, how often do we get to see anything atypical beyond a standard suspense thriller or stylised action yarn?
Going into Atul Sabharwal's latest offering Berlin, the first thing that takes you by surprise is that this is not a remake, sequel or adaptation of any literary sources.
Sabharwal, who has two middling directorial features Aurangzeb (2013), Class of '83 (2020) and screen-writing credit for last year's superb Jubilee under his belt, spins a completely original idea in his best outing yet.
What we have in Berlin is a skillfully deployed spy genre framework that lends itself to an intriguing puzzle of a film. It keeps its viewers on its toes and insists that they keep up.
This is a kind of content that is very different from what Hindi audiences are used to, especially if you think of the current steaming landscape.
We are so numb by the jaded action and futile violence of late that a film like Berlin , for all its novelty and deftness, feels like a rare occurrence as well as a welcoming change.
Set in Delhi of the 1990s, Berlin is set during the tumultuous aftermath of the Cold War.
It's the sensitive time in the capital as the Russian president is set to arrive on a visit to the country.
As the capital prepares for this political event, a deaf and mute man Ashok Kumar (Ishwak Singh) is arrested on suspicion of being a foreign spy and for plotting to assassinate the Russian leader.
Intelligence officer Jagdish Sodhi (Rahul Bose) brings in sign language expert Pushkin Verma (Aparshakti Khurana) to communicate with Ashok so that they can find out more about his plan and co-conspirators.
As the interrogation begins, Ashok's mysterious identity unravels and connects to a Delhi cafe named Berlin, which may be a front for covert operations.
Despite its complex plot, Berlin is a deceptively simple story and a testament to Sabharwal as director and writer that it doesn't feel convoluted, if perhaps a little over-stuffed in places.
Even though Berlin packs historical and political context, there's a certain degree of playfulness in its story-telling that keeps the proceedings light without going overboard with plot exposition.
There's a quality of matter-of-factness that has shades of David Fincher's Zodiac while also operating with the dramatic spunk as seen in Vishal Bhardwaj's Khufiya.
It plunges viewers into a whirlwind of a high-stake drama and you're fed information at a steady pace to keep you invested. The proceedings remain suitably cold and suspenseful with a surprising touch of humour to it.
What's also cool is that, for the story about mystery and revelations, there is not much that happens, in terms of 'thriller' moments.
It is also devoid of gun fights or action set pieces that we typically see in this genre.
Yet, the drama in Berlin is very gripping, even if someone is just explaining new information or exchanging glances with one another.
There's a long stretch where Ashok narrates his story to Pushkin in an interrogation room.
An interesting flashback sequence recounts his time at the Berlin café.
Ashok is an unreliable narrator and you never know what is going through his mind but you can't help but think he knows what he's doing. This pushes you to pay attention to every small detail as the story thickens with his each new revelation.
The acting performances in Berlin are where its impressive success lies.
The main trio has the very talented Ishwak Singh (Rocket Boys, Paatal Lok) looking guileless as someone reliant on sign language but with a devious mind. The actor breathes life into Ashok's character to an astonishing degree.
Rahul Bose, as a mild-mannered intelligence officer, embodies the calculating nature of such a person. His tonal control and expressions are enough to convey the message, and it is really the work of a mature, sure-handed, actor that Bose is.
Aparshakti Khurana surrenders his funny guy image to this role, and delivers a convincing performance as a man thrown in a deep end. He is the only character who shows more emotion in this film. There's still a comic touch to his Pushkin, but the actor is earnest in keeping it understated.
Both him and Ishwak form some high intensity dramatic moments in Berlin and both actors plays off each other wonderfully well.
Anupriya Goenka plays the only female character in the film but it suffers due to an underwritten quality to her.
Is she a mole? Is she a double agent?
There's an air of ambiguity here and the actor draws the viewer in to her enigma.
I wish Sabharwal had fleshed out this character better.
The same goes for Kabir Bedi, who barely gets to register his presence.
From the visual and technical standpoint, Berlin looks great.
There is a lot of atmosphere and beauty to landscapes, locations, be it the chilly nights of a Delhi winter or the claustrophobia of a soundproof interrogation room, it suits the tone and subject very well. And all of that made striking by the stylish photography by Shree Namjoshi.
The music, too, has its share of tension without intruding too much.
The film springs a genuine surprise at the end that makes you admire the direction the writer went with.
But like any good suspense watch, it is more than just the climatic reveal. The journey that leads to it is what counts. And Berlin, in that sense, is a very satisfying watch.
Make time for this one, you will be in for a pleasant surprise like I was.
Berlin streams on ZEE5.
