What’s it about?
A Pakistan terrorist (Nitin Mehta) aims to launch a nuclear assault on India. Bose (Aryan Rajesh) and the RAW team track him down and execute him. However, RAW discovers that the dead terrorist has reappeared years later. How is that even feasible?
Jai (Nikhil Siddharth), Vaishnavi (Iswarya Menon), and Kamal (Abhinav Gomatam) form a new team and set off a mission to nab this terrorist. However, not long after that, Jai was labelled a renegade agent. The real terrorists then devise yet another strategy; how can he foil them? What does Netaji Subash Chandra Bose’s fight for Indian independence have to do with Jai’s current mission?
Analysis
After only a few minutes, it becomes clear that “Spy” is just another attempt to cash in on the popularity of “right-wing” themed movies in the North Indian market. The death of Netaji Subash Chandrabose appears to have been added to the story (if we consider it as such) mid-way or at end of the filming process, suggesting a trick to gain money easily.
The death of Indian independence fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose is shrouded in mystery. Despite what was promised in trailers, the film adds nothing new to what we already know. In this spy thriller, Netaji’s freedom struggle gets space only in the last act for a few minutes.
The remaining action is standard fare for an espionage film. The script was written by the producer, and Garry BH, who has directed and edited numerous critically acclaimed films, is in charge of the direction. This movie seems like the author did an IMDB search using terms like “rogue agent” and “safe house” and then lifted scenes from those films to use in his style. Everything about this film is a rip-off of Hollywood spy thrillers, from the opening credits to the closing credits. And sadly, the director has presented the film in unexciting and uninteresting way.
The film suffers both on writing part and direction.
When one of the agents (Abhinav Gomatam) makes jokes like he were Uday Chopra from the “Dhoom” series, it’s hard to take the film seriously as a spy thriller. That irreverence permeates the whole thing.
Nikhil Siddharth is not suited to be an agent. In her first attempt in Telugu, Iswarya Menon does okay. Other actors do monotonous job.
The only technical accomplishment worth mentioning is the cinematography.
Bottom line: “Spy” is incredibly dull. This spy thriller is total bore and formulaic from beginning to end. One of the lousiest spy thrillers we have seen recently. And the “Netaji Subash Chandra Bose” story is essentially a money-making ploy to attract North Indian audiences. It’s completely unrelated to the plot of this script.
Rating: 2/5
By: Jalapathy Gudelli
Film: Spy
Cast: Nikhil Siddharth, Iswarya Menon, Aryan Rajesh, Abhinav Gomatam, and others
Music: Vishal Chandrasekhar, Sricharan Pakala
Director of Photography: Vamshi Patchipulusu, Mark David
Producer: Rajasekhar Reddy
Written, edited and direction: Garry BH
Release Date: June 29, 2023
