Kaafir Review

Kaafir is a complex, layered drama, brimming with emotions and passions – passion for the motherland, passion for beliefs, and passion for what it means to be human. It is also a tale where serendipity, fate, Karma, call it what you will, steers the plot through the elaborate twists, turns and tumbles that the narrative embarks upon.

Kaafir is the story of Kainaaz Akhtar (Dia Mirza), a Pakistani woman who is forsaken by her lout of a husband for being infertile. A cruel twist of fate lands her in the Indian side of Kashmir and into the hands of the Indian Army who, assuming her to be a militant, banishes her to jail. It also deals with the story of Sehar (Dishita Jain), Kainaaz’s sweet, innocent six-year-old daughter, who’s born in a Kashmiri jail, and is the product of the most heinous crime against a woman. The birth of Sehar is a bitter irony for Kainaaz – it proves that she’s not infertile after all. Then comes the story of Vedant Rathod, a lawyer with lofty ideals. He believes in the finer values of being human – kindness, compassion, and more significantly, the basic goodness of the human race. Certain scenes are truly remarkable.

Mohit Raina has put in an absolutely outstanding performance. His placid, penetrating eyes, combined with an intensely creased forehead, serve to convey emotions that would be out of bounds for a lesser actor.

Dia Mirza dazzles splendidly in the role of Kainaaz. Her mild expressions manage to mask the turmoil within. But her eyes convey everything that words do not– anxiety, for Sehar’s well-being; longing, when she looks at the open sky from within the confines of the jail; betrayal, censure, and contempt, when she looks at her rapist with eyes fiery enough to burn a hole through his being.

Kaafir is a gripping story that could have done with a tighter script and quicker pace. Kaafir is definitely an impressive series to watch and savour, whenever you feel the need to indulge in great content.