Khufiya, streaming on Netflix since October 5, 2023, is a spy thriller that promises intrigue and emotional depth but delivers a mixed bag of brilliance and frustration. Adapted from Amar Bhushan’s novel Escape to Nowhere, Vishal Bhardwaj takes a real-life espionage tale—centered on a mole leaking India’s defense secrets—and infuses it with his signature poetic flair. The result is a film that’s as ambitious as it is uneven, a slow-burn saga that dazzles in moments but stumbles over its own sprawling canvas.

Tabu anchors the film as Krishna Mehra (KM), a RAW operative reeling from the loss of her lover and asset, Heena (Azmeri Haque Badhon), killed in a betrayal linked to Ravi Mohan (Ali Fazal), a suspected double agent. Tasked with tracking him, KM’s journey is both a professional manhunt and a personal reckoning. Tabu is, as expected, mesmerizing—her steely resolve and quiet anguish ripple through every frame, making KM a compelling study in duty versus desire. She’s the film’s heartbeat, elevating even the clunkier scenes with her gravitas. Wamiqa Gabbi, as Ravi’s wife Charu, is a revelation—her shift from oblivious housewife to a figure of agency is one of the film’s most arresting arcs, bolstered by a bold, charismatic performance. Ali Fazal, however, feels undercooked as Ravi; he’s serviceable but lacks the depth to match his co-stars, leaving his traitor’s psyche frustratingly opaque.

Bhardwaj’s direction is a double-edged sword. The first half unfolds like a moody chess game—deliberate, atmospheric, and rich with subtext. Scenes of surveillance, coded messages, and whispered betrayals are laced with his trademark lyricism, amplified by a haunting score (composed by Bhardwaj himself) and Gulzar’s poignant lyrics. Tracks like “Mat Aana” and “Mann Na Rangaav” weave seamlessly into the narrative, adding soul to the espionage. The cinematography by Farhad Ahmed Dehlvi paints a world of shadows and secrets, from Delhi’s dusty lanes to North America’s sterile suburbs, giving the film a tactile, lived-in feel.

But Khufiya falters in its 157-minute runtime, especially in the second half. What begins as a taut thriller unravels into a tangle of subplots—geopolitical machinations, family melodrama, and a jarring time leap—that dilute the tension. The script, co-written with Rohan Narula, swings between genius and indulgence; for every sharp twist (a mother-in-law’s chilling pragmatism, played with relish by Navnindra Behl), there’s a stretch of lethargy or an implausible leap (spies tailing targets in plain sight, a climax that strains credulity). The emotional beats—KM’s hidden queerness, Charu’s awakening—hint at profound layers but feel rushed, as if the film can’t decide whether it’s a character study or a genre piece.

The supporting cast adds flavor—Ashish Vidyarthi’s gruff boss Jeev, Azmeri Haque Badhon’s fleeting but electric Heena—but they’re often sidelined by the narrative’s sprawl. The film’s ambition to humanize its spies is admirable; it probes the toll of secrecy on personal lives with a tenderness rare in the genre. Yet, it lacks the razor-sharp focus of Bhardwaj’s masterpieces like Maqbool or Haider, settling instead for a diffuse, contemplative vibe that doesn’t always pay off.

Khufiya is a film of fleeting highs and nagging lows—a thriller that’s more soulful than suspenseful, more poetic than precise. It’s worth watching for Tabu’s brilliance, Gabbi’s breakout turn, and Bhardwaj’s unmistakable artistry, but it leaves you yearning for what could’ve been. I’d give it 3 out of 5 stars—a flawed but fascinating puzzle that’s equal parts captivating and confounding. It’s not the espionage rollercoaster you might expect, but a brooding meditation that lingers, even if it doesn’t fully satisfy.