Espionage Thriller 'Salakaar' Uncovers Pakistan's Nuclear Secrets

'Salakaar', a new espionage thriller streaming on JioHotstar, delves into the covert nuclear missions between India and Pakistan. Set across two timelines - 1978 and 2025 - the series follows the story of Mariam, an undercover R&AW agent who poses as a tuition teacher to get close to a hardcore anti-India Pakistani colonel, Ashfaq Ullah.

In 1978, a young Adhir Dayal, posing as a cultural attaché in Islamabad, is sent on a high-stakes mission to stop Pakistan from building a nuclear bomb. Decades later, in 2025, Mariam, now codenamed Shristi Chaturvedi, uses her cover to photograph the blueprint of a secret nuclear plant in Kahuta. This sets off a chain of events as the Indian intelligence agency tries to uncover Ashfaq's obsession with the nuclear program and get Mariam back to safety.

The series explores the moral compromises spies often make, the cat-and-mouse games between intelligence agencies, and the unfinished business between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. While the premise is intriguing, the execution is uneven, with some logical lapses and far-fetched twists. Nevertheless, 'Salakaar' offers a glimpse into the high-stakes world of espionage and the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan.