'Tehran' movie review: Intelligent espionage thriller

Iran wants him dead. Israel has ditched him. And India has abandoned him.

Welcome to John Abraham’s new spyverse, where geopolitical tensions rattle New Delhi’s power corridors before exploding into the blood-soaked streets of Tehran. Here, rough chases collide with brutal torture and killings.

‘Tehran’ breaks away from the glossy world of commercial spy thrillers. It’s stripped down and unapologetically real.

DCP Rajeev Kumar’s (John) trail is littered with corpses. All it takes is one emotional trigger for him to spiral into chaos — plunging headfirst into the Middle Eastern cauldron, breaching the espionage fortresses of nations locked in decades of shadow war.

The officer is pulled into the Iran-Israel crossfire after a 2012 blast in New Delhi (based on real events) claims the life of an innocent girl. Collateral damage is unforgivable for our man. But his one misstep could cost India a crucial gas deal with Tehran.

The execution is slick, and the officers are constantly on the move. There is no room for grief, even when one falls in the line of duty. Neeru Bajwa and Manushi Chillar make for a strong ensemble as the team digs deep into their covert Tehran mission. The only gripe: the relentless pace occasionally leaves viewers struggling to piece the puzzle together.

There are several political layers, with a fair share of dialogue in Farsi. John delivers a steady performance. He finds a compelling foil in Hadi Khanjanpour, who plays the antagonist Asraf Khan with quiet menace and precision.

An intelligent thriller that lands its blows.