Some films thrive on a good storyline. Others on star power. But when you see Nawazuddin Siddiqui in the lead role of a project, and that too in a cop thriller, you can’t help but take notice. This is where Zee5’s latest offering, Rautu Ka Raaz, comes in. Set in the small, quaint village of Rautu Ki Beli, the film is about a boring murder investigation with sharp twists and even sharper turns. Let’s find out if the film is worth your time.
Plot
In Rautu, a small town in Uttarakhand, there have been no murders for the last 15 years. Hence, the policemen of the village are extremely relaxed. One fine morning, a sleepy Nawazuddin Siddiqui (SHO Deepak Negi) gets a call from Rajesh Kumar (Sub-Inspector Dimri) about the murder of a warden of a boarding school for the visually impaired. What they initially thought was a natural death turns out to be a never-ending rabbit hole of suspects, murders, disturbing incidents, politics and power.
Performances
Nawazuddin Siddiqui plays the loutish police officer Deepak Negi and leads the ship. By loutish, we don’t mean the typical Bollywood masala film lout. He is intelligent, witty, knows when to say no, can get things done, defies elders by insisting on his point of view and is completely himself. He certainly takes the bigger piece of the pie. Nawazuddin’s comic timing, dialogues and demeanour have always taken him far. Thankfully, this continues in Rautu Ka Raaz as well.
The Good
The film shines thanks to its stellar star cast. Everyone is perfect in their respective roles. There is Rajesh Kumar as Sub-Inspector Dimri who carries with his acting skills and remarkable bro-code with Nawazuddin’s character. This duo will make you believe in good cops.
Other supporting actors like Atul Tiwari and Narayani Shastri (Jail Superintendent) do a good job with their limited screen presence. There is nothing in Rautu Ka Raaz that you haven’t seen before. But it is real. And it gets even healthier in the second half. The film introduces real visually impaired characters who act with a twinkle in their eye, thus maintaining credibility.
The Bad
One of the few drawbacks of Rautu Ka Raaz is its cliched sad cop story. How many times have we seen the same story of a cop who gets braver by the day and has a ‘nothing left to lose’ attitude after losing a loved one? Nawazuddin’s character evolves as he comes to terms with the loss of his partner. But it’s time the makers bid farewell to this age-old concept. Cops can be brave even without a tragic past and that is the need of the hour.
Two elderly men have been used as fillers to talk about the happenings in their village. Though they may have been added to break the monotony and speak directly to the viewer to make them ponder on their thoughts, it seemed quite unnecessary.
Conclusion
All in all, Rautu Ka Raaz is a decent film for those who love hill crime, police crime and of course Nawaz. The film has a lot to offer and goes beyond its star cast. You won’t regret adding it to your weekend binge list.
