Savdhaan rahiye, Satark rahiye

Savdhaan rahiye, Satark rahiye: My quick take on Zee5’s “Raat baaki hai”

The only good thing about this lamely attempted whodunit murder mystery is that it lives up to its title verbatim. After watching this movie which is as good as an overstretched crime patrol made famous by Annup Sonni (who has a major role in this movie too), you will still have enough “Raat baaki” to enjoy few other movies like Raat, Raat Akeli hai or Anokhi Raat. I strongly recommend watching these other Raat’s just in case you have watched “Raat baaki hai” as it will make you forget why you wasted your time.

Credit proudly mentions that the movie is based on a book/play “Ballygunge 1990”, generally thrillers that are based on plays seldom can recreate the magic. It needs a skillful writer to adapt it in a screenplay and an even more skillful director to bring this story alive on screen. I watched this movie because of Paoli Dham, let me confess that after watching her Bengali series Kaali I am in love with this dusky and expressive performer. The movie also features Crime Patrol fame Annup Sonni and former Gladrags super model Rahul dev.

The oversimplified plot starts with a murder of a popular movie actress, she is murdered on her wedding engagement night and her ‘engaged’ husband (played by Annup Sonni) is now missing from the resort. Now enters Rahul Dev a cop, who takes over the investigation. Annup Sonni, who is on the run bumps into his former girlfriend (Paoli Dham) who is now married to a royal family. Every character in the movie has a back story rather than heaps of skeletons in their closets, which are revealed as the plot progresses. The plot loses its steam midway and becomes predictable as it drops its “whodunit” avatar and takes on “whyidunit” garb.

Performance-wise, I was damn impressed with this well-chiseled persona of Rahul Dev, he does a good job as the investigative cop but unfortunately, the story suddenly changes the course, and his investigations prove futile in the movie. Savdhaan and Satark Sonnie and charming Paoli tried their best to breathe in some life in this lusterless thriller. There were some minuscule performances like one that of Saanand Verma, it must be hardly 2 min role but this guy makes a lasting impression.

On the positives, one can count the beautiful location of Nahargarh palace/resort, it's simply beautiful, I have added it to my must visit list.

All I can say is “saavdhan rahiye, satark rahiye aur dur rahiye “