Ibrahim Ali Khan’s second film, Sarzameen, premiered last month on JioHotstar, and much like his debut film Nadaaniyan, it was met with significant criticism from both audiences and critics. Directed by Kayoze Irani, son of veteran actor Boman Irani, the film has sparked a conversation online about its narrative and performances. Addressing the mixed reception in a recent interview with Hindustan Times, Kayoze shared his thoughts on the feedback and what he’s taken away from the experience.
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“I’m extremely happy with the audience reaction to the film. I think that the (viewership) numbers are doing very well. The overall audience perception and the feedback that I’ve been getting are good. There have been some criticisms. There have been some reviews that are critical, which is fair. What is important is to learn from it and move forward, but I’m genuinely overwhelmed. I feel that if it’s managed to touch a few people, I can’t be happier than that,” he said.
He continued, “These are reviewers whom I respect,” adding, “Ideally, you want every review to be five stars, and you want the box office collection to be unheard of. But this will not be my only film. There’s something that I can learn from it, and I will apply that in the next one.” In the same conversation, Kayoze acknowledged the film’s flaws but said he feels encouraged by the audience’s acceptance. “Are there a few loopholes in the film? Maybe! Are there a few things that could have been done differently? Maybe. But the important thing is that the film worked on a larger level, and they were forgiving of a few of the issues.”
Reflecting on what he would change about the movie if given the chance, Irani said, “One thing that I would have done differently with Sarzameen was bringing Ibrahim into the film a little earlier, and I would have had more of the cat-and-mouse chase before he is discovered. These are the two things I would have done differently.” Set in Kashmir, Sarzameen follows the tense emotional journey of an Indian Army officer who discovers that his estranged son has joined a militant group. Ibrahim plays the role of the young militant, while Prithviraj Sukumaran portrays his father. Kajol also stars in the film in a role that has drawn some criticism online for its writing and execution.
