Unique perspective of the film
The most interesting aspect of this film is that its protagonist is not an idealistic policeman. He is a man who never felt ashamed of his dishonesty. But one night, the pain of a stranger begins to feel like his own pain. Perhaps the first step in humanity is to recognize a little part of yourself in someone else's pain. No matter how deep the night is, there is always a possibility of morning.
depth and mystery of the night
Night has its own language. The faces which remain hidden behind their characters in the daylight, the night exposes them. Some secrets are revealed, some relationships get complicated and sometimes a person has to meet his own conscience.
The story of 'Ghajab Raat' directed by the famous screenwriter of Hindi cinema Ritesh Shah is also of one such night. One night, in which vehicles of crime are running on the streets of Delhi, conspiracies are brewing in the corridors of power and suddenly humanity knocks in the life of a corrupt policeman.
complexity of the central character
The most interesting thing about this crime thriller is its central character. A policeman for whom his pocket is more important than his uniform. Who knows how to take advantage of the law's weaknesses instead of guarding it. But one night something happens that forces him to re-look at his entire life and his decisions.
This film is also special for Ritesh Shah because after making his mark as a screenwriter, he has entered the world of direction. Neeraj Pandey is with him in this first directorial innings, who has created a distinct identity for thrillers in Hindi cinema.
story development
Ajay Nirwit, played by Manoj Bajpayee, is a Delhi Police officer who has made corruption a part of his everyday life. For him, there is a possibility of earning in every action and there is a way to find a way out of every problem. In his world, honesty is not an ideal, but something that he has avoided until now. But one night he meets an injured girl who has been thrown out of a moving vehicle. Ajay takes him to the hospital. Initially, this seems like a small step of humanity on his part, but soon he gets entangled in a criminal network that reaches into the highest echelons of power.
question of morality
CBI and NIA officials enter the case. Everyone knows something, but no one tells the whole story. The identity of the injured girl, the incident that happened to her and the intentions of the people behind it gradually come to light. Ajay is faced with a choice between money and his conscience. A man whose whole life has been full of small dishonesty now faces a big question whether he will move forward with his old habits or for the first time, will he give a chance to the person left within him?
This is where the film raises an interesting moral question that can there be any honest corner left even within a dishonest man? Is it necessary to have some big event to change a person, or sometimes the suffering of a stranger awakens the humanity sleeping within us?
Written by Ritesh Shah
Ritesh Shah is one of those writers of Hindi cinema whose scripts have given space to social questions along with entertainment. He has been associated as a writer with films like 'Kahaani', 'Pink', 'Airlift', 'Raid' and 'Batla House'. His stories often have a social or moral question that forces the viewer to think even after the film is over. Even in 'Ghazab Raat', his attempt is to create a world where every character has his own interests, his own compulsions and his own hidden intentions.
Characteristics of Direction
The best aspect of Ritesh in his first innings of direction is that he saves the story from unnecessary sentimentality. The Delhi night, the inner world of the police department, the conflicts between different agencies and the constantly changing developments create a restless atmosphere.
However, the rigor and precision that is expected from him as a writer is not visible everywhere in direction. There is tension in some scenes, but it does not last long. The story moves ahead even before the layers of some characters are revealed. As a first film director, Ritesh's potential is clearly visible. Now it remains to be seen how strong a cinematic language he is able to convey his writerly understanding in the upcoming films.
Manoj Bajpayee's acting
It is always interesting to watch Manoj Bajpayee on screen. The specialty of his acting is that he does not play his character, he starts living within it. Ajay Nirvit's character is also similar. A corrupt policeman, who even smiles at his own tricks. Who knows how to talk to whom, where to bow a little and where to show the glory of his uniform.
Manoj has created such an ease in this character that makes him believable. The changing expressions on his face, the silence between dialogues and his behavior changing according to the circumstances make many scenes special. He doesn't try to showcase his acting anywhere. Sometimes greed is visible in his eyes, sometimes fear and sometimes a restlessness which even he himself is unable to fully understand. The biggest success of Manoj's character is that the audience, despite disagreeing with Ajay's dishonesty, wants to know his next move.
Contribution of other artists
Divya Dutta plays the role of Sunita Chaudhary. In this world of pursuing one's own interests between power, influence and public image, his character is an important link in the story. Audiences familiar with Divya's acting abilities always expect to see something new from her. Here too she makes her wonderful presence felt.
Nushrat Bharucha appears in the role of Rosie. Her scenes with Manoj add a personal and human element to the story. However, if his character had been given a little more detail, the emotional layer of the film could have been stronger.
Saqib Saleem and Akshay Oberoi as Karan Gill and Naveen Madhok respectively carry the investigation portion of the story. The conflict between the two helps maintain the mystery. Shraddha Das is seen as Neha Prabhu. Kiku Sharda appears in a different color apart from his familiar comedy style.
director's vision
As soon as the name of Neeraj Pandey comes to mind, films like 'A Wednesday!', 'Special 26' and 'Baby' come to mind. His stories often reflect the weaknesses of the system, power equations and the common man's encounter with extraordinary circumstances. 'Ghajab Raat' also seems to be a part of this creative world.
The interest of this film is not just in solving the mystery of the crime, but in understanding the intentions of the people who are standing at different ends of this mystery.
complex portrayal of corruption
Another good idea of the film is that corruption does not always start with a big scam. Many times it starts with a small agreement and becomes the nature of the entire system. Ajay Nirvit is part of this system. He is both its victim and its beneficiary. That's why his struggle becomes interesting, but at the level of the script, the film becomes a victim of its own pace at some places. Events move rapidly, new characters arrive, new secrets are revealed, but not every revelation shocks the audience as much as expected.
Cinematography and Music
Mystery is important in a thriller, but even more important than the mystery is its credibility. It is easy to shock the audience, difficult to convince the audience after being shocked. 'Ghajab Raat' is not able to achieve this difference everywhere.
Arvind Singh's cinematography makes Dilli Ki Raat an active part of the story. There is a kind of restlessness in the streets, hospitals and police environment of the city. Praveen Kathikuloth's editing keeps the events moving, though some scenes could have been further tightened up. Sanjay Chaudhary's background score adds to the suspense and tension. Rajesh Chaudhary's production design and Abbas Ali Mughal's action direction also contribute to making the world of the film believable.
conclusion
Coming under the direction of a screenwriter who has shown his writerly understanding to Hindi cinema with films like 'Kahaani', 'Pink', 'Airlift' and 'Raid', in itself arouses curiosity. There are definitely some shortcomings in his first film as a director, but what is more important is his understanding of storytelling, his sensitivity towards the subjects and his attempt to create a different cinematic world.
For me, the most interesting aspect of this film is that its protagonist is not an idealistic policeman. He is a man who never felt ashamed of his dishonesty. But one night he starts considering the pain of a stranger as his own. Perhaps the first step in humanity is to recognize a little part of yourself in someone else's pain.
No matter how deep the night is, there is always a possibility of morning. Sometimes to reach that morning a man has to overcome the darkness within himself.