🧨 SalakaarReview: Pakistan’s Nuke Show Falls Flat 🎬💣

TL;DR:New ZEE5 web series Salakaar had the chance to deep dive into Pakistan’s nuclear history—Instead, it drops surface-level bombs and never explodes. 🙄Tense topic, but the execution? Meh. Dull writing, weak characters, and a “serious” tone that never truly lands.

What Happened?ZEE5 just dropped Salakaar, a political thriller claiming to unravel the shady behind-the-scenes story of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons programme. 😯Set in the 1970s, it features two main characters—a rebel journalist and a jaded scientist—locked in a secret mission, all while Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s regime looms large.

But according to Scroll.in (Review posted 8 Aug 2025), what could've been a gripping political potboiler ends up being a very dull history lesson. The writing is simplistic, the characters barely have any depth, and the pacing is frustrating. 🐢

Flashback / Context:Pakistan’s nuclear ambitions were born in the chaos after its 1971 defeat and loss of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). 👀Bhutto’s infamous quote—“We will eat grass, even go hungry, but we will get our own atom bomb”—sets the mood for this story.This period saw dangerous international deals, covert missions, and betrayals. The real-life events are more thrilling than most spy movies. But Salakaar? It picks up the threads... and then tangles them.

Who Gains & Who Loses? ZEE5 might attract a few viewers curious about Pakistan’s politics, but critical reception? Not looking good.The creators—Anjum Rajabali (writer) and Shiv Rawail (director)—had a rich political backdrop to explore, but played it too safe and too bland. 🤐Viewers expecting an Oppenheimer-style deep dive into politics and morality will be disappointed.

People’s Angle:For Gen Z, this could’ve been a sharp intro into South Asia’s nuclear legacy. 💥But instead of thought-provoking drama, you get long, boring dialogues, predictable twists, and overly simplistic storytelling. 😴For young history nerds and political buffs, this feels like a missed chance to learn through entertainment. And for the average binge-watcher? There are better options right now.

MediaFx Take:In an age where political thrillers like Rocket Boys and The Diplomat are crushing it with strong scripts and real tension, Salakaar fizzles out before liftoff. ❌The series had the right ingredients: secret missions, government pressure, moral dilemmas, international espionage...But the flavor? Flat.We need stories that challenge, not just narrate. That stir curiosity, not snores. 😤Next time, maybe ZEE5 should hire a team that trusts the audience’s intelligence. 🤷‍♀️

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