Calling Sehmat by Harinder SikkaMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is one of those very few instances where I saw the movie, based on the book, before reading the book. The movie “Raazi” is a very good adaptation of the book.
The story is excellent – and being based on a real story of a young lady who takes huge risks for her country, it is also inspiring. That said – the book slips up in its narrative in many instances – the pace is not tight enough, the characters other than Sehmat do not develop well and some critical portions needed further emphasis.
The story unfolds with the love story of Sehmat’s parents – Tej and Hidayat Khan. Tej visits Kashmir and is charmed by Hidayat. The story then picks up when Sehmat is in college and very gifted. Hidayat as part of his trade connections has contacts in Pakistan, and supplies crucial information to Indian Intelligence. He falls greviously ill, at the time when tensions between India and Pakistan are rising in 1971. The situation in East Pakistan is grim and troublesome for Pakistan, and they are keen to launch a pre-emptive attack on India. Hidayat comes to conclusion that there is no alternative except for Sehmat to take his place.
Sehmat has to sacrifice her love for Abhinav and instead marry Iqbal, son of an influential officer in the Pakistani armed forces. She runs into a number of stressful situations but emerges as a splendid source of information for Indian Intelligence.
The book adds more context to the college life of Sehmat, her love life, her hopes, as also what happens after she completes her assignment, as compared to the movie. If you have watched the movie “Raazi”, the book does not add too much which the movie does not cover.
My rating: 3.5 / 4.
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