Is Tabu-Ali Fazal’s Khufiya Based on Real-Life Indian Spy | Explained

Vishal Bhardwaj's Tabu-Ali Fazal starrer spy-thriller Khufiya is speculated to be based on a real-life Indian spy agent.

Tabu-Ali Fazal’s Khufiya Based on Real-Life Indian Spy: Tabu is receiving accolades for her poignant portrayal of senior RAW (Research & Analysis Wing) officer Krishna Mehra aka ‘Luh KM’ in Khufiya. The actress is being praised by cinephiles in her third collaboration with Vishal Bhardwaj. While previously the actress-director duo worked in Maqbool and Haider adapted from Macbeth and Hamlet respectively, Khufiya is a spy thriller. The Tabu-Ali Fazal starrer is an adaptation of the novel Escape to Nowhere by Amar Bhushan. However, Bhushan’s novel is a fictional tale, the makers of Khufiya have claimed that it is inspired from real events.

THE REEL VS REAL LIFE PARALLELS IN TABU-ALI FAZAL’S KHUFIYA

Prior to becoming an author, Bhushan served in the BSF intelligence, State Special Branch, and Intelligence Bureau of India for a short period of time. He was also a part of RAW and his novel narrates the story of a RAW agent, who defected to the United States in 2004. He allegedly shared sensitive information related to India’s national security with US. Bhushan is believed to have purposefully used fictional for his novel while he used subtle references from real-life names. Ravi Mohan played by Ali Fazal is loosely based on Rabinder Singh, a former Joint Secretary of RAW.  Singh’s escape to the US through Nepal under the guise of ‘Mr. and Mrs. Rajpal Prasad Sharma’ paved way for a captivating narrative. Bhardwaj has showcased the former Indian agent’s escape plans and RAW’s efforts in tracking his movements through surveillance. The espionage-thriller also shows the political complexities that came in between the Indian security agencies and Singh before the latter succeeded in in the United States.

In 2016, Rabinder died in a road accident Maryland, USA as the news surfaced in multiple publications and portals. He became a part of an unexpected controversy and underwent hardships when the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) ceased its financial support.

Khufiya also stars Ashish Vidyarthi, Wamiqa Gabbi and others in crucial roles. The film is streaming on Netflix since October 5, 2023.

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