Ground Zero

Tejas Deoskar's "Ground Zero" is a perfectly decent counter-terrorism thriller that takes its sweet time getting to the good bits, though when it does, it rather makes up for the sluggish start. Based on true events involving BSF operations in Kashmir, the film delivers proper thrills once it stops faffing about with exposition.

Emraan Hashmi turns in a committed performance as a BSF officer, bringing his usual intensity whilst mercifully avoiding the chest-thumping heroics that plague most Indian military films. He's genuinely compelling when given decent material to work with, particularly as the story picks up steam in the latter half.

The film's biggest bugbear is its pacing. Deoskar seems hellbent on establishing every conceivable bit of backstory before getting to the actual story, which tests one's patience rather unnecessarily. The Kashmir setting feels authentic, and the supporting cast provides adequate backup without being particularly memorable.

Where "Ground Zero" truly comes alive is in its final act. The tension ratchets up considerably, and the action sequences feel authentic rather than choreographed for maximum spectacle. However, the film occasionally gets a bit preachy when it should have trusted its story to do the talking.

What's most refreshing is the film's restraint. It's genuinely surprising to see a military thriller that doesn't descend into flag-waving nationalism. Instead, Deoskar delivers a thoughtful examination of counter-terrorism work that respects both the complexity of the subject and the intelligence of the audience.

A decent thriller that could have been genuinely excellent with tighter editing and more faith in its own narrative strength. Worth sticking with, even if the first half tests your patience.

6.5/10.

It is clearly visible that it has been made with a lot of hard work.

The hard work of the director and the dedication of the writer while writing the story is evident as soon as you see it.

Emraan Hashmi is a very good actor without a doubt and always brings his character alive with his work. He is shown as level-headed men in this movie.

He has tried to show Kashmir in the right way and you will understand as soon as you see the situation there.

The hard work and dedication of the Border Security Force are many things which cannot be explained only in a movie.

They worsen the situation and then handle it but what about the atmosphere which gets spoiled.

The story moves forward in a very simple way and some real events of Kashmir have been shown in this movie. Movie is Slow a bit but negligible.

I liked the movie and the one song which is played on the death of army men, sounds good, it makes you cry. It is a good movie.

Itsbymayank - Mayank Bharat Bhushan Louteriya Review of Ground Zero 2025.

Watch it once and understand the situation and think how the atmosphere has been spoiled.

It seemed like the film was being shot keeping Zero Dark Thirty in mind. The story was pretty good and writing was to praise for. The only area that can steal the show is the cast and their performance. Emraan, though underrated, is a versatile actor and Sai is as usual perfect for the role. Other characters were also well casted. The movie was a bit fast paced and this left viewers to think more as they watched. Crux of the film was the climax and to arrive at that point, the surrounding story was well knitted and connected. Shootout to the actor who played the character of Hussian (Mehroos Mir). RT's tip: Make sure you watch the movie in a silent environment to experience it's true sound.

Tejas Prabha Vijay Deoskar's Ground Zero is based on Operation Ghazi Baba, conducted by the BSF in 2003.

The film is very grounded and balanced in its approach, dealing with the subject matter with sensitivity. There are a good number of intense sequences that provide thrills, yet there are also several dragged-out portions where the film's energy dips. Camerawork, music, and background score work very well in support of the film, whereas the editing feels subpar. The action sequences are good.

Emraan does a very good job as BSF officer Narendra Nath Dhar Dubey, handling both the action and emotional scenes nicely. Sai

Tamhankar provides good support. Mukesh and Zoya are okay, while Mir Mehrooz stands out.

The rest of the supporting cast does a decent job.

Overall, we liked the film but wish it had been tighter in terms of pacing and screenplay.

OVERALL 7.25/10.

This movie is based on a real-life operation conducted by the Border Security Force (BSF) of India. It depicts the heroism of the soldiers and the red tape that exists in the forces.

The main protagonist, played by Emraan Hashmi, was very convincing in his role as a BSF jawan. He was good at carrying the story forward and performing the stunts. The only place where he lacked was his dialogue delivery, especially during speeches to charge up the battalion. Emraan was especially weak in those scenes.

The other characters, played by Sai Tamhankar and Zoya Hussain, did their job quite well. My only gripe with this film is its pacing, specially in the second half. The first half is edited well, and you won't feel bored at all. But the second half loses its pace a little bit. Pacing up the second half could have reduced the running time by at least 15-20 minutes. Still, I would recommend people watch this movie at least once in the theatres.