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The Diplomat

7 March 2025HindiorigEnglishUrdu2h 10m

What critics are saying

Critical reception for The Diplomat is mixed-to-moderate, with most reviewers acknowledging its engaging premise and the performances of John Abraham, Kumud Mishra, Jagjeet Sandhu, and Sadia Khateeb as genuine strengths.

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The Deputy High Commissioner, J.P. Singh, faces an unusual crisis when a mysterious woman rushes inside the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, claiming forced marriage in Pakistan and seeking a return to India.

Critic Consensus

Critical reception for The Diplomat is mixed-to-moderate, with most reviewers acknowledging its engaging premise and the performances of John Abraham, Kumud Mishra, Jagjeet Sandhu, and Sadia Khateeb as genuine strengths. Several critics found the film serviceable as a thriller, with one calling it a solid and fearless retelling of a real-life story. However, a recurring criticism is that the film plays it safe and fails to dig beneath the official version of events, with some noting the execution feels contrived, simplistic, and falls short of the dramatic potential the true story offers.

6 rated reviews · 4 positive · 2 mixed

Praised: John Abraham's lead performanceCriticised: Safe, surface-level storytelling

AI-generated summary of 9 critic reviews · may contain errors

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Critic Reviews (9)

Updated
Saibal ChatterjeeTop Critic· NDTV
6.0
John Abraham does justice to the role, and Kumud Mishra, as always, and Jagjeet Sandhu, in the role of a shockingly detestable man, are both solid.
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Shubhra GuptaTop Critic· Indian Express
5.0
It would have been tempting to drown this film in bigotry. But the Pakistan-bashing—of course there is some—stays low-key, the characters who play the vicious tribals amongst whom Uzma is trapped balanced by those who are able to see reason.
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8.0
The director keeps things real—very real! In this phase of cinema, The Diplomat is a solid case of a real-life story told fearlessly. Go watch!
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Bollywood Hungama News Network· Bollywood Hungama
7.0
THE DIPLOMAT is a nail-biting thriller that brings a shocking and heroic true story to life. At the box office, the film may start slow, but with strong word of mouth, it has the potential to grow and make a lasting impact.
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Dhaval Roy· Times Of India
7.0
The compelling narrative and John Abraham's performance make 'The Diplomat' well worth watching.
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Sukanya Verma· Rediff
5.0
The possibilities of this serviceable thriller are immense but the makers prefer to play it safe and hold back the daredevil in the diplomat's clothing. John Abraham plays Jitender Pal Singh with firmness and charm, meeting the film's expectations, while Sadia Khateeb portrays the dread and desperation of a wounded figure with crushing intensity.
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Anuj Kumar· The Hindu
Not rated
As it turns out, it is yet another addition to the trend where filmmakers flaunt the placard of 'based on a true story' but develop cold feet in digging the truth of the story. Recreating the sarkari version of the events, The Diplomat sounds contrived and simplistic. It reminds one of John's last production, Vedaa, where masala diluted the integrity of the story.
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Rahul Desai· HollywoodReporterIndia
Not rated
The Diplomat has all the elements of a solid thriller, but the execution falls short of delivering a compelling political drama that matches the caliber of films like Argo or Bridge of Spies.
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Lachmi Deb Roy· Firstpost
Not rated
The Diplomat featuring John Abraham as JP Singh and Sadia Khateeb as Uzma Ahmed is an engaging real-life story which will give you shivers down your spine. Not just John Abraham, Sadia Khateeb's performance as Uzma Ahmed is mind blowing in an explosive political drama.
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Cast & Crew

Cast

Details

Release Date
7 March 2025
Runtime
2h 10m
Languages
Hindiorig, English, Urdu

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