D-Day starts with promise… a RAW team in Karachi, Irrfan Khan as a conflicted agent, and a mission steeped in real-world stakes.
But the film trips over itself, drowning its potential in padded songs and forced emotional detours. The 140-minute runtime drags, with music sequences breaking tension just as the story should tighten its grip.
Irrfan Khan anchors the film with a performance that’s measured and convincing, selling the moral ambiguity of his role. Arjun Rampal is fine as the team lead, but Rishi Kapoor’s Dawood feels off… mainly because his familiar acting tics make the character less threatening, more cartoonish. Huma Qureshi and Shruti Haasan add spark, though their arcs often feel like afterthoughts.
The direction wavers between realism and Bollywood excess, never fully committing to either. The cinematography captures Karachi’s grit, but the script’s uneven tone and pacing hold it back. D-Day is watchable, even engaging in parts, but it’s frustrating to see how much sharper it could’ve been with tighter editing and a clearer vision.
6.5/10 – worth it for Irrfan’s work, but the mission loses its way.
