Summary of this article
Harinder Sikka has criticised Raazi, calling its adaptation a serious misjudgement.
He has alleged that ideological bias altered the original narrative of Calling Sehmat.
The remarks have reignited debate around book-to-film adaptations in Bollywood.
The debate around Raazi has resurfaced after author Harinder Sikka publicly criticised director Meghna Gulzar, alleging that the film deviated significantly from his novel Calling Sehmat. The remarks have reignited conversations around creative liberties in literary adaptations.
In a recent post shared on X, strong disappointment was expressed by Sikka over how the story was translated on screen. It was stated that entrusting the project to Gulzar had been his “gravest misjudgement”, with concerns raised about what was described as an ideological shift in the narrative.
Harinder Sikka’s criticism of Raazi
According to Sikka, the original book presented a far more hard-edged account of espionage, including a critical view of Pakistan and internal threats. In contrast, the film was seen as taking a more restrained and humanised approach towards Pakistani characters.
It was claimed that this shift diluted the core spirit of the protagonist. In his statement, it was asserted that the essence of the story had been altered, despite prior concerns having been raised before the adaptation went into production.
The criticism did not end there. In responses to users online, it was suggested that similar concerns had existed during Meghna Gulzar’s later work as well, with the handling of historical narratives being questioned.
Raazi and its creative choices
Released in 2018, Raazi starred Alia Bhatt as Sehmat, a young Kashmiri woman recruited as a spy and married into a Pakistani military family. The film chose to focus on emotional conflict and moral ambiguity, rather than presenting a one-dimensional portrayal of its characters.
The film’s title itself marked a shift from the book. It was earlier revealed by Alia Bhatt that the name Sehmat had been considered, but Raazi was chosen to keep the focus on the story rather than the individual character.
While the film was widely appreciated for its performances and storytelling, Sikka has maintained that the adaptation strayed from the intent of his original work.
Meghna Gulzar has not issued a response to the latest remarks.
