The Diplomat: If John Abraham Wants to Save His Career, He Needs to Stop Saving Damsels in Distress First

In a film that had the potential to spotlight a woman’s courage, The Diplomat instead becomes another vehicle for John Abraham to flex stoicism and swagger. Based on the real-life story of Uzma Ahmed, an Indian woman trapped in Pakistan under harrowing circumstances, the film promises empowerment but delivers a narrative hijacked by a male savior complex.

John Abraham plays JP Singh, India’s Deputy High Commissioner in Pakistan. In a typical film, this role might've made a striking last-act appearance to bring resolution. But here, Singh dominates the screen — relegating the actual protagonist, Uzma (played with quiet grace by Sadia Khateeb), to a passive participant in her own story.

The film frames Uzma’s ordeal through Singh’s lens, robbing her of narrative agency. She falls for Tahir, a Pakistani taxi driver she meets in Malaysia, only to discover — too late — his darker motives after following him back to Pakistan. It’s her story of entrapment, escape, and emotional survival. Yet, the storytelling choices repeatedly cut away from her arc in favor of portraying Abraham’s character as the one pulling all the strings — quite literally the man who rescues her.

What The Diplomat misses is that heroism isn’t just about brute strength or diplomatic power — it's also about inner resilience, which Uzma’s true story has in spades. Instead, the movie dilutes her struggle into a plot device that fuels another John Abraham showcase.

Post-Credits Thought:

Inverting the roles could’ve made this a powerful, feminist drama. Instead, it’s a dramatically inert film that plays it safe with its Bollywood formula. For John Abraham, who’s been boxed into brooding action-hero roles, choosing projects that amplify others — rather than overshadow them — might be the real career pivot he needs.