Harinder Sikka Slams Raazi Adaptation, Calls Meghna Gulzar Appointment a Mistake

Amid the buzz around “Dhurandhar 2”, author Harinder Sikka has expressed regret over the film adaptation of his 2008 espionage novel “Calling Sehmat”, which inspired the 2018 film Raazi.

Sikka shared his views on X, where he posted an image featuring several of his books, including “Calling Sehmat” and others based on espionage and national security themes.

“Calling Sehmat #Raazi ranks among the top books on espionage ever written, globally. It exposes Pakistan across border, hostile forces in Bollywood & a Punjab-based criminals within,” he wrote on X.

He added, “Appointing Meghna Gulzar was my gravest misjudgment. Despite clear warnings, I failed to foresee how ideological bias would end up diminishing the true spirit of the protagonist.”

The film Raazi starred Alia Bhatt in the lead and was directed by Meghna Gulzar. It also featured Vicky Kaushal, Rajit Kapur, Shishir Sharma, and Jaideep Ahlawat.

Based on Sikka’s novel, the film tells the story of an Indian Research and Analysis Wing agent who is married into a Pakistani military family to pass on intelligence ahead of the 1971 war.

Reflecting on the book’s journey, Sikka said, “Nearly two decades later, the book continues to leave its mark across the world. Penguin best sellers; Vichhoda, Gobind, The Chabimaster are being scripted, for our beautiful nation deserves to see the complete truth.”