John Abraham and Sadia Khateeb’s long-awaited political thriller The Diplomat opened in theaters on March 14, 2025. Based on real-life events, the film revolves around a high-risk mission of an Indian diplomat to save a woman reportedly honey-trapped by a Pakistani man. Directed by Shivam Nair and penned by Ritesh Shah, the movie is based on India–Pakistan tensions and presents a thrilling real-life scenario to the audience.
Box Office Performance
In spite of the hype for the movie, The Diplomat has registered a sluggish opening at the box office. Having collected Rs 19.5 crore in the first week, the box office collections of the movie remained weak during the second weekend. On Saturday, the movie grossed only Rs 2 crore, rising a bit to Rs 2.75 crore on Sunday (Day 10), putting its box office collection so far at Rs 25.65 crore (nett) as of the end of the weekend, reports industry tracking website Sacnilk.
Narrative and Reception of the Film
The Diplomat chronicles the life of Indian diplomat J.P. Singh, who has to rescue Uzma Ahmed, a woman who had been kidnapped and coerced into marriage in Pakistan. Through Singh’s movements past diplomatic, legal, and political hurdles, the film vows an intense and gripping plot. But with all the ingredients in place for a political thriller that’s a real page-turner, it seems that reviews have gone on to mention that though the film is able to generate suspense, it fails to leave a lasting impression. News18’s review states that The Diplomat is able to keep the viewer gripped with edge-of-the-seat moments, tight narrative structure, and a tight background score, but fails to be a knockout film.
While the movie has a great premise and solid performances from the lead actors, its sluggish advance at the box office may be an indication of tough competition or lukewarm reception from audiences. The movie will require a strong push in the next few weeks to place itself in a more favorable position in the crowded market of 2025 cinema releases.
