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.
Berlin
Review
Rediff
Rating:
