Of a variety of thriller films and series centred around terrorism, Akelli is the latest on the list. Based on the detailed experience of a woman's struggle for survival in terror-clutched Iraq, the film has a solid plot and explores various emotions in an appropriate balance. While the lead actor Nushrratt Bharuccha dives deep into her character, she gets somehow lost in a predictable maze which diminishes the excitement developed in the beginning. As a result, it ultimately turns out like a usual Bollywood film with nothing fresh to offer. The film blatantly depicts the director's inability to bring forward his vision on screen which dulls the positive points of the film. In short, it is a decent, woman-centred film worthy of a shot over the weekend. (I liked/didn't like Akelli because... August 26)

Aayman Anwar Ali

Akelli is based on the life of an Indian girl who gets caught in a war in Iraq and makes every effort to escape from there. The story of the film is fantastic, it shows the strength and power of a woman. There are many scenes which make you feel angry or emotional. The film commences dramatically, presenting a scene on a Mosul street where a girl is tied up with explosives. The film begins on a thrilling note, creating anticipation for an edge-of-the-seat journey. Such sequences at the outset of a film are undeniably attention-grabbing. The film provides Nushrratt Bharuccha with an excellent platform to showcase her acting prowess. While she may not have fully seized the opportunity, her performance remains sincere and authentic. Tsahi Halevi, renowned for his role in the Israeli series Fauda, delivers a decent performance as Assad, exuding a menacing aura. However, a more well-defined characterisation from the writer of the film would have been preferable. Nishant Dahiya, portraying Rafeeq, manages to stand out, leaving an impression on the viewers.

Roshni Ojha

Watching Akelli was an edge-of-the-seat experience for me. The plot of this survival drama was engaging and enthralling, which completely managed to captivate me throughout the movie. In the story, there is a lot of suspense, thrill and tension, which I enjoyed. These elements made this Pranay Meshram-directed film an exciting watch. Nushrratt Bharuccha delivered a sincere and stellar performance as the protagonist Jyoti. Nushrratt showed her acting prowess in the movie very well. I also liked Tsahi Halevi and Nishant Dahiya's acts in the film because of their decent performances. Plus, I found the dialogue very well written. Overall, it's really a good movie and the debutant director of the film should be praised for it. I will surely rewatch the movie again within a few days.

Sourish Misra