Nawazuddin Siddiqui unfortunately stars in one of his least convincing roles that he could’ve probably played even in his sleep
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Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Rajesh Kumar, Atul Tiwari, Narayani Shastri
Director: Anand Surapur
Language: Hindi
Ages ago, I saw an episode of Mr Bean where he was unable to sleep, so he decided to keep a picture in front of him and count the number of sheep it had. It’s said if you feel insomniac, count as many sheep as you can in your head. I have a better idea, count the number of murder mysteries we have unleashed ever since the pandemic began and ended. The sob saga continues. I’ll give it a try before I add the latest name in the addition- Undekhi, Silence, Forensic, Foot Fairy, House of Lies, U Turn, Raat Akeli Hai, Charlie Chopra, Gaanth, okay, I’m tired now. The newest name is Rautu Ka Raaz, the uniqueness begins and ends right here.
The sprawling landscape and long camera shots aren’t enough to suck us into a dull world or seduce us with the staggering camerawork anymore. The film is headlined by Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Rajesh Kumar, both of whom can do better than this. They play two police officers investigating a murder case with the kind of comical absurdity that it’s impossible to be drawn into their psyche. Even Abbas-Mustan’s 36 China Town (2006) did a far more exciting job in combining the two contrasting genres together. Siddiuqi’s always been devoid of virility, but he has compensated with an arresting aura and unique writing. Here, his approach to a dead character feels like a 9-5 job at a corporate office where one has to punch in and punch out.
Ditto for Rajesh Kumar, who stays rent free in people’s head due to his inimitable poetries in Sarabhai vs Sarabhai and inspiring sermons in Kota Factory. So what’s the mess all about? A warden has died under what else but mysterious circumstances and obviously the case has to be solved. Siddiqui’s Inspector Negi, who suffers from PTSD. It’s a good idea but the gaudiness on display chews away any meat in the writing possible. It reeks of lameness and lunacy that not even once you’re biting your nails in wanting to know who the killer is and why he does what he does. The other actors never feel like characters wanting to add depth to the narrative, but fillers to suffocate the frame and unnecessarily add more drama to the stale material. By the time Rautu Ka Raaz ended, I knew this wasn’t the last name in the list I just shared above. But it’s good the names are piling up, I always wish to have a good sleep.
Rating: 2 (out of 5 stars)
Rautu Ka Raaz is now streaming on Zee5
