‘Mukhbir’ On Zee5 Review: Zain Khan Durrani’s Spy Thriller On Indo-Pak 1965 War Is Gripping Till The Very End

'Mukhbir': Cast & Crew

Director: Shivam Nair, Jayprad Desai

Cast: Prakash Raj, Zain Khan Durrani, Adil Hussain, Harsh Chhaya, Satyadeep Misra, Barkha Bisht, Zoya Afroz, Karan Oberoi, Bijou Thaangjam, Dilip Shankar, Atul Kumar, Sushil Pandey, Suneel Shanbag

Available On: Zee5

Duration: 8 Episodes, 30-40 Minutes Each

'Mukhbir': Story

After the Sino-India war, a highly trained Indian spy enters Pakistan on a mission to gather crucial intelligence and stop Pakistan from launching an attack against India. Will he succeed? Will he be able to learn a new meaning of life by living in Pakistan? Will he be able to stop the 1965 Indo-Pak war? Or will he end up dead in the process? Well, for all that you'll have to watch the show.

'Mukhbir': Performances

It seems Zain Khan Durrani had been waiting for a role like this his whole life. He has been doing smaller roles in bits and pieces, but playing a spy in a show about Indo-Pak relations seems like the perfect character for him. He has not only managed to get the look of the character perfectly but has also managed to bring in the necessary swag needed for the role. He uses his good looks and his charm to be the womanizer that's needed to be the spy, and at the same time, he also doesn't shy away from showing his emotional side, when he ends up doing something that was morally wrong, but patriotically necessary. However, it seems Durrani is getting typecast into characters which all have a bent of Kashmiri or Urdu touch to them. He should try to break that mould and do something strikingly different.

Prakash Raj is in top form. How this man moulds himself into every character is a masterclass in itself. He has made sure that the look of his character doesn't feel any bit like a person who would be associated with such spy activities. The way he manipulates people into thinking that they did what they wanted to do, but in actuality, they're doing what Prakash Raj's character wanted them to do is brilliant. Definitely would like to see more of him in future web shows. His character, in itself, could be a great spin-off from 'Mukhbir'.

Another honourable mention would be Harsh Chhaya, who comes up with a stellar act as the Pakistani general. Not only his looks but his body language too makes a killer impact. He might not look like a strong man, but his one look made sure that you're terrified to your heart.

Other supporting characters like Adil Hussain, Satyadeep Misra, Barkha Bisht, Zoya Afroz, Karan Oberoi, and others have too small characters to even spread out their wings and showcase their talents.

'Mukhbir': Script, Direction & Technical Aspects

Shivam Nair and Jayprad Desai's direction is taut and hooks you on. However, if there is one thing in the entire scheme of things that's slightly less in 'Mukhbir', then it's the direction. Shivam Nair is known for spy thrillers, yet there are smaller loose ends left, which doesn't look good at the end. However, things could have been kept open for a second season, or potential spin-offs. Then there is also the risk of being predictable. After all, you're picking up a story from India's history, and therefore everyone watching the show already knows what's going to happen at the end. But still managing to make a gripping show is indeed applause-worthy. The shortcomings, however, were minute, and on an overall view, the presentation was at par with any other gripping spy thriller that you would have seen in recent times.

Arshad Sayyed and Vaibhav Modi's writing of the show is what stands out. The intricate detailing of the characters is superb. The way they talk, the way their body languages ​​are different from each other, the set-up and feel of the 1960s, etc have been brought really well through the writing. They've ensured that the story remains gripping till the very end, and that's a hard quality to achieve in a spy thriller, considering that there are so many spy thrillers already out on OTT nowadays.

Dimo Popov's cinematography needs to have a special mention for bringing alive the era so beautifully. Pretty much the entire show was shot in real locations, and despite that nowhere it seems to give the feel of today's times. The shots were taken so precisely that it does give the feel of 1960s India and Pakistan. Great work here.

'Mukhbir': Can Kids Watch It?

Yes

Outlook's Verdict

In today's OTT space, there are a million spy thrillers that are available at your disposal. However, to stand up and make a mark in that is a tough task. Shivam Nair and the team have done a brilliant job in ensuring that despite you knowing what's going to happen at the end, the process and path to reach that end goal have been shown so immaculately that you would end up falling in love with the show. 'Mukhbir' is definitely a Must Watch. I am going with 4 stars.