Sriram Raghavan’s Agent Vinod travels across the world, capturing some of the most never-seen-before locations. The plot, an intelligent and clever urbane mix of Jason Bourne and James Bond, Farz, and Mission Impossible, ultimately finds its most assured resting place in apna jahaan Delhi.The last half-hour, where an international terrorist outfit attempts to blow up Delhi, gets the grammar of an espionage thriller so riveting and so precise that you wonder what took director Sriram Raghavan so long to get there.
Raghavan’s Journey Before Agent Vinod
Before Agent Vinod, Raghavan had only directed two feature films in ten years which were, Ek Haseena Thi which cast Saif Ali Khan as the antagonist) and Johnny Gaddaar. Agent Vinod is a meticulously crafted spy drama where cerebral considerations merge with the commercial demands of Hindi cinema, such as item songs in smoky bars, shootouts in dust-toasted brown locations, and even a clumsily choreographed mujra that doesn’t quite fit into the smooth storytelling.
From Taliban Territory To The Streets Of Delhi
The film opens in a Taliban-infested region, setting the stage for intrigue. Agents, counter-agents, moles, and molls move through bustling flea markets and luxurious shopping malls. The script balances John le Carré’s depth with Nick Carter’s high-octane thrill. Raghavan spins a delicious yarn of guns and growls but refreshingly omits over-the-top gadgets. The action is crackling, and the soundtrack is an eclectic mix of cheesy retro Meri Jaan Tune Kaha from The Train pops up unannounced) and contemporary techno beats.
Clearly, Sriram Raghavan and Saif Ali Khan adore the spy genre. The fun they had while making this film is evident, but beneath the playful surface lies a deep reverence for espionage films from Bollywood’s Agent Vinod (1977) to Hollywood’s Mission Impossible series. Holding the restless plot together is Saif Ali Khan’s restrained and controlled performance. He avoids playing the spy for the galleries, opting instead for urbane cool. Unlike traditional spies, Saif’s Vinod doesn’t revel in shooting enemies or indulging in patriotic jingoism. For him, it’s just a job, leaving no room for unnecessary theatrics.
A Different Take On Patriotism In Spy Films
Agent Vinod may be the only Indian spy film where the Indian flag is neither saluted nor mentioned in hushed or shrill tones. Saare jahan se achcha, perhaps, but Agent Vinod is too busy saving the world from nuclear catastrophe to wave flags. Saif’s performance remains unfussy, no-nonsense and largely humorless. The end credits feature a song where he attempts comedy, but it feels so out of character that one wonders why the spy is trying so hard to be funny when we love him best in his Martini-dry avatar.
A Spy Film Rooted In Realism
From one exotic location to another, with the radiant Kareena Kapoor in tow, Saif portrays a restrained yet heroic figure. He is supported by a stellar cast, all of whom deliver focused performances without looking self-important or distracted. Raghavan’s direction remains deeply invested in the inner world of people who live on the edge. There is no room for romance or sentimentality. In one of the film’s most emotional moments, Kareena’s character tells Saif that she dreams of a normal life. As she weeps, Saif eats a telling moment of his detachment. Later, when she reaches home in Pakistan, he interrupts her nostalgia without much ceremony.
Despite its sharp interludes of counterintelligence maneuvers, Agent Vinod tends to get long-winded at times. However, the film never loses its breath rather, it takes ours away, especially in the climactic bomb-defusion sequence. The intensity of this moment rivals 16 December by Mani Shankar. The globally shot material is edited by Pooja Ladha Surti, but the film occasionally allows the narrative too much room to sprawl. At times, the action sequences by Peter Heins and Parvez keep us on the edge of our seats, while at other moments, they feel like they were stitched together in the editing room. Agent Vinod is not the overwhelming global espionage experience one might expect. More thoughtful than thunderous, more Le Carré than Bond, the film elevates the spy genre in Hindi cinema to a new level of finesse. The film’s cool quotient is so high that it makes you forget Bond and all his cinematic brothers.
Sriram Raghavan On The Film’s Reception
Reflecting on Agent Vinod, Sriram Raghavan says, “The plot was a bit packed, and a lot of things were happening. But I do believe it’s a film one can watch again and relish. Some critics were scathing because they perhaps expected a dark thriller like my earlier films. But Agent Vinod was always designed as a sprawling action-adventure, moving at a frantic pace. Blink, and you miss a link. as the old trailers used to say.”
On the espionage thrillers that influenced Agent Vinod, Raghavan shares, “I love the spy genre and was definitely influenced by classic spy films North by Northwest, Notorious, and other Hitchcock films. The Bond films, of course. My editor Pooja Ladha Surti’s father had the entire Bond series with special features, which he happily lent me. “The Bourne films were also an influence. Other inspirations include serious but great films like Syriana, Munich, and Paradise Now. I also watched the Mission Impossible series. And let’s not forget the spy films made by Ramanand Sagar, Ravee Nagaich, Shakti Samanta, and Brij in the late 60s and 70s.”
Filming Across The Globe
The film moves through several seemingly unrelated locations worldwide. On the challenges of shooting in diverse terrains like Morocco, Riga, Russia, and Somalia, Raghavan explains, “Actually, there is a clear journey. Vinod’s colleague is killed in Russia. He goes there and learns that a Hawala courier has been sent to Morocco. Vinod intercepts him on the flight and assumes the identity of Freddie Khambatta. In Morocco, he meets Iram, and then events lead him to Riga, Karachi, and finally New Delhi. Alongside this, we intercut with the bomb’s journey, which includes Somalia.”
On the inclusion of a disco-mujra in the second half, Raghavan says, “I love music and dance in our films. My earlier films were more intimate stories and didn’t have much scope for songs. The mujra was always a part of the script. A wedding in Karachi, which Agent Vinod has to infiltrate, is an ideal song situation. If you remember, Johnny Mera Naam had a bhajan (Govind Bolo Hari Gopal Bolo by Lata Mangeshkar) shot like a thriller.”
An Eclectic Supporting Cast
The film’s casting includes B.P. Singh, Dhritiman Chatterjee, Prem Chopra, Ram Kapoor, and Doordarshan veteran Lalit Parimoo as a terrorist professor in Delhi. “The right casting is half my job done,” says Raghavan. “Yes, we spent time on casting. My associate Rakesh must have done a hundred auditions for each character. We got a good Jimmy in Anshuman Singh. Mr. B.P. Singh is not an actor but the director of the super-successful CID series. I chose him because I wanted a real face for that role. Ram Kapoor was a sheer delight. I love his over-the-top performance.”
The Future Of Agent Vinod
Saif was also the film’s producer, and Raghavan admits that they had creative differences. “We had many heated debates while scripting. But all for the movie. Saif has a keen aesthetic sense, and I have only gained from his involvement. Regardless of Agent Vinod’s box-office outcome, we intend to make it a franchise.”
