Author Harinder Sikka has once again stirred controversy by criticising filmmaker Meghna Gulzar over the film adaptation of his novel Raazi. His remarks come at a time when conversations around espionage cinema have intensified due to the buzz surrounding Dhurandhar: The Revenge.
Sikka publicly expressed regret over choosing Gulzar as the director, calling it his “gravest misjudgment” and alleging that the film diluted the original spirit of his book “Calling Sehmat”.
‘Ideological Bias Diluted the Story’
In a series of posts on social media, Sikka claimed that the film adaptation failed to capture the true essence of his espionage narrative. He argued that ideological bias weakened the portrayal of the protagonist and altered the message of the story.
Responding to online users, the author admitted he ignored warnings before collaborating with Gulzar and later realised he should have followed the principle of “trust, but verify.”
Criticism Extends Beyond Raazi
Sikka did not limit his criticism to Raazi. He also accused Meghna Gulzar of presenting historical events through a “twisted lens” in her later work, including Sam Bahadur, alleging that important aspects of Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw’s life were omitted. The filmmaker has not publicly responded to these latest remarks so far.
Raazi Remains a Critical and Commercial Success
Despite Sikka’s criticism, audiences and critics widely praised Raazi, starring Alia Bhatt, upon its 2018 release, making it a critically and commercially successful female-led espionage film in Bollywood.
The renewed discussion comes as espionage films like Dhurandhar bring patriotism and storytelling back into mainstream cinematic conversations.
Sikka emphasised that his literary work continues to gain global readership and hinted that more filmmakers are adapting his books for the screen, keeping the debate around creative freedom and ideological interpretation alive.