Excel Entertainment, Talisman Films and Dreamzkrraft Entertainment’s Ground Zero (UA) is based on the true-life story of BSF officer Narendra Nath Dhar Dubey, who led the 2003 operation in Kashmir that eliminated dreaded terrorist Ghazi Baba (Rana Tahir Nadeem). The film traces real incidents, including Ghazi Baba’s attempt to assassinate then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee during his Kashmir visit, and how Dubey—suspended at the time—rejoined service to spearhead the mission.
Story, Screenplay & Dialogues
Sanchit Gupta and Priyadarshee Srivastava’s story lacks the human connect essential for a patriotic drama. While the screenplay is meticulous in documenting events leading to the final showdown, it fails to stir emotions or generate empathy for Dubey. Even his personal moments with family don’t tug at the heartstrings, leaving the audience disengaged. The absence of clap-worthy moments and limited patriotic fervor further weakens the film.
Another drawback is the late introduction of antagonist Ghazi Baba, reducing his menace. The dialogues (by Sanchit Gupta, Priyadarshee Srivastava and Chiranjeevi Bajpai) are functional but lack punch and memorability.
Performances
Emraan Hashmi delivers a sincere act as Narendra Nath Dhar Dubey, but the fiery intensity expected from a daredevil BSF officer is missing.
Saie Tamhankar (Dubey’s wife) and Zoya Hussain (Aadila) get little scope.
Mukesh Tiwari provides decent support as Sharma.
Deepak Paramesh (Binu) and Lalit Prabhakar (Praveen) impress but are underutilized.
Rockey Raina as Ghazi Baba makes a weak antagonist, undermining the stakes.
Among the supporting cast, Guneet Singh, Rahul Vohra, Ekluvya, Qazi Faiz, Hanan, Mir Mehrooz, Punit Tiwari, Aryan, Veda Agrawal and others lend average support. Ram Avtar as PM Vajpayee is passable.
Direction
Tejas Prabha Vijay Deoskar’s direction is technically competent but fails to deliver a stirring, emotionally gripping human drama. While the scale and subject matter are commendable, the execution feels flat.
Music & Technical Aspects
Songs: Tanishk Bagchi (So Lene De, Lahoo), Rohan Rohan (Pehli Dafa), Sunny Inder (Fateh) compose melodious tracks with meaningful lyrics (Vayu, Rashmi Virag, Irshad Kamil, Kumaar).
Background score by John Stewart Eduri is serviceable.
Kamaljeet Negi’s cinematography stands out with splendid Kashmir visuals.
Vikram Dahiya’s action sequences are thrilling, adding realism.
Production design (Shashank Tere) and art direction (Pravin Pradeep Tambe, Tejas Ajit Korgaonkar) are solid.
Editing by Chandrashekhar Prajapati is sharp but could’ve been tighter.
Final Verdict
Ground Zero is an ordinary fare. Despite its topical relevance (especially after the recent Pahalgam attack), the lack of emotional depth, a weak antagonist, and uninspiring drama limit its appeal. The controlled budget and patriotic subject may help it recover costs, but box-office prospects remain limited.
Box Office: Weak start. Limited chance
PUBLISHED BY SUYASH PACHAURI, FOUNDER & OWNER, GLOBAL BOLLYWOOD | THE HOLLYWOOD SCOPE