Incidents like the Pahalgam terrorist attack remind us how difficult it is to maintain normal relations with a state that celebrates instability. Such moments reveal how fundamentally different the two nations are, not just politically, but in their societal structures and state capacities. Arriving amid the renewed tension between the neighbours, The Diplomat (2025) exposes the deeper contrasts between India and Pakistan. Exposing the lawlessness within a military-controlled Pakistan, the film urges viewers to reflect on the true value of democratic institutions and what it means to live under their protection.
Based on real events, the film directed by Shivam Nair tells the gripping story of J.P Singh, an Indian diplomat stationed in Islamabad, whose otherwise routine duty was upended on 5 May 2017 by the sudden arrival of a girl named Uzma Ahmad at the Indian High Commission, seeking help to return home. The film vividly portrays Uzma’s ordeal, an Indian woman subjected to rape and torture in Buner, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. She claims she was abducted and forced into marriage with a man named Tahir Ali. Her chilling account of suffering places Singh in a moral and emotional dilemma, compelling him to help her return to India. However, her abductor husband is unwilling to let her go. Tahir and his family view her attempt to escape as a challenge to their honour. They have the support of some senior Pakistani officials to stop her at any cost. The Indian diplomat and his colleagues are caught between tribal vengeance and a vulnerable woman who sees death as a lesser fate than returning to her abductor.
While The Diplomat delivers a powerful narrative and acceptable performance, it sometimes falters in authenticity due to the cinematic liberty it takes. Certain segments within the Indian High Commission feel overly dramatised, with bureaucratic processes moving unrealistically fast to suit cinematic pacing. Though there are minor flaws in the portrayal of real-life diplomatic challenges, for viewers interested in diplomacy, cross-border human rights issues, and the India-Pakistan dynamic, The Diplomat will be an interesting watch.
