Meghna Gulzar Faces Criticism from Harinder Sikka Over Film Adaptation

Harinder Sikka has publicly criticized Meghna Gulzar’s adaptation of his novel Calling Sehmat into the film Raazi, calling it his “gravest misjudgment.” Released in 2018 and starring Alia Bhatt, Raazi was both a critical and commercial success, yet Sikka’s dissatisfaction has been evident since 2020.

Sikka described Calling Sehmat as among the top books on espionage ever written globally. He expressed regret over his collaboration with Gulzar, stating, “Trust, but verify,” and claimed he was warned by others not to trust her. Sikka alleged that ideological bias diminished the true spirit of the protagonist in Raazi, which tells the story of an Indian spy married into a Pakistani military family during the 1971 war.

In his criticism, Sikka remarked, “The way Meghna Gulzar twisted the story through a leftist lens still pains me deeply.” He has voiced ongoing dissatisfaction with the film adaptation, asserting that errors in the portrayal stem from underestimating how shrewd or deceitful someone can be.

Furthermore, Sikka has also criticized Gulzar’s portrayal of Sam Manekshaw in the film Sam Bahadur. His literary work continues to find readers globally, and more of Sikka’s books are currently being adapted for the screen.

Details remain unconfirmed regarding any potential future collaborations between Sikka and Gulzar, as the discourse surrounding their professional relationship continues to evolve.