Article 370 is a 2024 Indian Hindi-language political action thriller film directed by Aditya Suhas Jambhale, who co-wrote the film with Aditya Dhar, Monal Thaakar and Arjun Dhawan. Produced by Jyoti Deshpande, Aditya Dhar, and Lokesh Dhar, the film stars Yami Gautam Dhar and Priyamani, alongside Skand Thakur, Ashwini Kaul, Vaibhav Tatwawadi, Arun Govil, and Kiran Karmarkar. It is based on the 2019 revocation of the special status to Jammu and Kashmir granted in Article 370 of the Constitution of India.
The film was released worldwide on 23 February 2024. It grossed over ₹110 crore at the box office against the budget of ₹20 crore. Reviewers praised the direction, narrative style and Gautam Dhar's performance. However, the film was criticised for distortion of facts and depicting a narrative favouring the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in the run-up to the 2024 general elections, with some critics describing it as propaganda.
Article 370 received 8 nominations at the 70th Filmfare Awards including Best Film, Best Director (Jambhale) and Best Actress (Gautam Dhar), winning the award for Best Story. At the 72nd National Film Awards, it won three awards : Best Feature Film, Best Actress (Gautam Dhar) and Best Music Direction (Shashwat Sachdev).
Plot
The film is divided into six chapters.
Soundtrack
The music of the film is composed by Shashwat Sachdev with lyrics written by Osho Jain, Sudhanshu Saria, Kumaar and Shashwat Sachdev.
Release
The film was released worldwide on 23 February 2024 and premiered on Netflix on 19 April 2024.
Box office
As of 11 April 2024, Article 370 has grossed ₹98.06 crore (US$10 million) in India, with a further ₹12.51 crore (US$1.3 million) in overseas, for a worldwide total of ₹110.57 crore (US$11 million).
Reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 83% of 6 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.7/10.
Critical reception
Devesh Sharma of Filmfare gave 3.5 out of 5 stars and stated that "the film is a cracker of an action film and if one doesn't dwell on its political stance much, can be thoroughly enjoyed as an action thriller." Abhishek Srivastava of The Times of India also rated 3.5 out of 5 stars and stated that "Article 370 remains engaging for the most part" and that the film "proves to be a worthwhile watch, offering enough substance to keep viewers engaged and invested". Monika Rawal Kukreja of Hindustan Times wrote that "Article 370 underlines one of the most crucial chapters in our nation's history. With an impressive writing, simple narrative and outstanding direction, it effortlessly manages to send across the message it intends to".
Mukund Setlur, writing for the Deccan Herald gave a rating of 2.5/5 and added that "While elements of drama and action are aplenty, the film lacks the intelligence and the genuineness needed to sustain a conversation."
Calling it a "hard-hitting political drama", Titas Chowdhury of CNN-News18 rated 3.5 out of 5 stars, and stated that "the makers waste no time and dive into the crux of the story in the first half and it makes for a fast-paced experience till the point of intermission. It's the second half of the film that appears stretched out". Lachmi Deb Roy of Firstpost awarded 3 out of 5, calling it a "compelling narrative that informs and engages without making it look like a history and civics lesson" Asmita Pant of CNBC TV18 wrote that "the film offers a grounded perspective on the Kashmir issue. It delves deep into emotions but never interrupts the story's flow", and that "the filmmakers have eschewed sensationalism" and created a "narrative infused with cinematic flair".
Sana Farzeen of India Today rated 3 out of 5 stars and added that "Article 370 is a well-made film but will test your patience with its run-time of 2 hours and 40 minutes", also noted that the film is "tuned to the propaganda value" for the ruling government. Shalini Langer of The Indian Express rated 2.5/5 and added that the film "serves its politics unabashedly as it mixes facts with fiction".
A critic from Bollywood Hungama gave 3.5 out of 5 stars and called it "a gripping tale that attempts to depict an important chapter of India’s history in an entertaining and simple manner." Rohit Bhatnagar of The Free Press Journal rated 3 in a scale of 5, stating that "Yami Gautam’s film voices truth but in a textbook manner ... Away from the picking political sides or even having his own ideology in place, Aditya sheds light on what had happened and that’s like cherry on top". Abhimanyu Mathur of Daily News and Analysis awarded 3.5 out of 5 stars, and said that "it is a technically well-made film, packed with great performances, seamless direction, and a solid background score"; it "excels when it is being a thriller", however, "the film falters when it tries to get political. Because at this point, it resorts to boring tropes, caricatures, and over-the-top acting".
