Ground Zero

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.

There has been a steady rise in action military thrillers set in Kashmir in the last few years and at first glance Ground Zero appears to be just another run of the mill entry in the sub-genre. However Ground Zero which is based on the real life operation Ghazi Baba is a pretty gripping thriller closer in style and quality to the real life based political thriller Article 370 than a stylish and over the top big budget action flick like Fighter.

The story is solid, the screenplay is crisp and the acting is pretty good especially Eemran Hashmi who is not a well chiseled indestructible superhero who is dancing and romancing in his free time but a realistic, flawed and hard working BSF commandant focused on hunting down Ghazi Baba, the mastermind of the Indian Parliament Attack. The movie stays focused on the hunt with no distractions....no unnecessary songs and item numbers or side stories or romantic angles etc.

The final sequence has some shades of Zero Dark Thirty which is actually pretty well executed but right at the end, the action goes a bit over the top when Eemran's character finally faces off with Ghazi. Overall it was a pretty good watch and a well deserving tribute to the BSF soldiers who sacrificed themselves for the country. I liked it a lot. 7.5/10.

I really liked the restraint of the movie... It's rare to find a Bollywood movie based on a BSF soldier's daring, sans melodrama. The restraint in storytelling, especially in patriotic or armed forces-based films, is rare but refreshing. I found Emraan's performance compelling. Sai Tamhankar as Jaya Dube is convincing. The music also does justice to the theme. One can imagine how difficult it must have been to crush terrorists when almost the entire ecosystem of Kashmir was either overtly or covertly supporting 'jihad'. The probe uncovers the mastermind Ghazi Baba, facilitating India's largest anti-terror operation. A quasi-real portrayal... Indian movies are coming of age!

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.