Alternate nationalism in Raazi
Meghna Gulzar’s Raazi, released in 2018 is set against the backdrop of 1971 Indo Pak war. The film explores the journey of an Indian spy in pre-war times. Sehmat being a woman is married and sent off as a close proximate straight into the Sayed household, where she in no time gains family’s confidence as well as gains access to all the confidential information. A similar move is adopted in Sujoy Ghosh’s 2012 film “Kahaani” by deploying a pregnant woman as an undercover agent, who due to her condition easily gains sympathy and every possible aid. Also, Raazi marks a rift from the conventional image of a female spy used as a seduction tool, a common trope present in numerous films such as the character of Dominika Egorova, a Russian intelligence agent played by Jennifer Lawrence in 2018 film “Red Sparrow”. Despite employing a female spy, “Raazi” actually problematises the notion of agency. Agency here refers to a sense of self assertion and empowerment. Sehmat as an undercover