Khufiya

Khufiya
Official release poster
Directed byVishal Bhardwaj
Written byRohan Narula
Vishal Bhardwaj
Based onEscape to Nowhere
by Amar Bhushan
Produced byVishal Bhardwaj
Rekha Bhardwaj
Starring
CinematographyFarhad Ahmed Dehlvi
Edited byA. Sreekar Prasad
Music byVishal Bhardwaj
Production
company
VB Films Production
Distributed byNetflix
Release date
  • 5 October 2023 (2023-10-05)
Running time
157 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageHindi

Khufiya (transl.Secret) is a 2023 Hindi-language spy thriller film written, produced, scored and directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, based on Amar Bhushan's espionage novel Escape to Nowhere. The film stars Tabu, Ali Fazal, Wamiqa Gabbi and Azmeri Haque Badhon (in her Hindi film debut). The film revolves around a Research and Analysis Wing operative who is assigned to track down a mole, who is selling defense secrets, while also grappling with her dual identity as a spy and lover.

Bhardwaj bought the rights for the novel in 2016 and wrote the script with Irrfan Khan in mind. However, with Khan's death in 2020, and other male actors rejecting the script, he rewrote it with a female protagonist and narrated it to Tabu, who accepted the role. The film was announced on September 2021 and principal photography commenced the following month and continued till April 2022, where it was shot predominantly in Delhi and Canada. It was filmed by Farhad Ahmed Delhvi and edited by A. Sreekar Prasad.

Khufiya was released on 5 October 2023 on Netflix to positive reviews from critics, praising the performances of the lead cast, screenplay and direction.

At the 2024 Filmfare OTT Awards, Khufiya received 3 nominations, including Best Actress in a Web Original Film (for Tabu) and Best Supporting Actor in a Web Original Film (for Fazal), and won Best Supporting Actress in a Web Original Film for Gabbi.