Afwaah movie review: Nawazuddin Siddiqui film exposes rumour-fuelled political warfare

From then on, Afwaah plays out like a taut political thriller. The whole situation spirals out of control when the paths of Rahab and Nivi cross. Nivi is running away from home and her impending wedding. Rahab comes to her aid when Singh’s henchmen try to take her back home. A new-age political advisor, armed with the expertise to make memes and viral videos, tries to salvage Singh’s reputation and assuage his ego. The smug meme-maker manipulates the visuals to suggest that Nivi and Rahab are lovers. The video, featuring ‘#lovejihad’, is first of the several manipulative and provocative videos that are unleashed into the vast world of internet consumers so that Singh can stay ahead in the game. This affects multiple lives, stirs mob fury and leads to violence.

While Nivi steadfastly remains the narrative’s moral compass, Kabir’s poetry-quoting Rahab is her biggest ally. Rahab, however, needs to figure out his identity even as he reacquaints himself with the new realities of his country. Siddiqui, who had earlier delivered a compelling performance in Mishra’s Serious Men (2020), is convincing as a man with his vulnerabilities, confusions and beliefs. It is no surprise that Pednekar brings Nivi alive and makes the audience empathise with her desperate attempts to break free from a patriarchal world filled with lies and violence. Their performances are supported by an impressive ensemble cast. Vyas and Hashmi stand out. In a cameo as a young recruit in the police department who is exploited by her senior, TJ Bhanu shines. Later, her character not only picks up survival tactics but also learns how to turn the tables.

The writers — Mishra, Nisarg Mehta and Shiva Bajpai — show their deep understanding of the contemporary world. They bring nuance to the storytelling and keep the characters layered. The movie doesn’t make any direct reference to real incidents. However, there are several powerful scenes that are chilling reminders of true cases where vigilante violence was triggered by unverified news and rumours. The movie alludes to cases of lynching over suspected carrying of beef, pitting one community against another and spreading hateful messges. The first scene after the interval where students are shown taking shelter in a library, is a grim reminder of the December 15, 2019 incident of police attacking students in the Jamia Millia Islamia library.

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Occasionally, the film begins to spell itself out, even sermonise, what the makers think is necessary to communicate to the audience. Afwaah is a reflection of the moral corruption that the society has undergone. It makes us sit up and realise ‘the rise of noise’ as well as the eroding space for argument and logical thinking as bigotry makes the public gullible.

Afwaah turns the spotlight on a world where power-hungry men walk around with fragile egos. They find followers through intimidation and gaslighting. Yet, a woman seeking independence is considered preposterous. In the end, the women in Afwaah find ways to exercise their agency.

Afwaah movie director: Sudhir Mishra
Afwaah movie cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Bhumi Pednekar, Sumeet Vyas and Sharib Hashmi
Afwaah movie rating: 3.5 stars