Review: Raat Akeli Hai
Acclaimed for its captivating performances, beautiful cinematography, and masterful direction, crime thriller Raat Akeli Hai engages viewers with its unpredictable and intriguing plot. This blockbuster is certainly not to be missed.
From the opening sequence onwards, the audience is ensnared into the intricate plot. A shocking scene plays, in which a terrifying character brutally murders and dispatches the two bodies in cold blood. The film bursts onto screen with this unprovoked attack on a dark isolated route, toying with a deep, universally human, inner fear of violence.
Five years later, whilst investigating the murder of an affluent powerful old man, our main character Jaitil navigates a web of evil family secrets and political corruption. A short-tempered, misanthropic, and efficient investigator, Jaitil helps a mysterious figure to seek her freedom as redemption for the past.
Enter this mysterious past figure: the beautiful and resilient young bride of the murdered old man, unfairly suspected for the crime by his family members, presumably because she is an easy target.
Through the rich and diverse set of characters, audience members are immersed into the film’s exploration of a wide range of social issues, ranging from skin fairness, to misogyny. The film expertly interweaves these discussions into the plot, thus providing an almost educational visualisation for those unfamiliar with these Indian socio-cultural issues. For those who are knowledgeable on such issues, the film is enjoyable and relatable; Jaitil’s frustration at his mother’s insistence on him using ‘Fair and Lovely’ cream, rather than valuing him as a healthy, talented, and handsome man, is particularly poignant.
Whilst the audience roots for Jaitil during his dangerous quest for the truth, the audience also roots for Radha, as during the movie she is unaware of the glimmer of hope that is available to her. The audience is immersed in Radha’s inner struggle to trust someone again and make the decision to take help, gaining her freedom again and healing from past trauma.
The two female protagonists of the film, Radha and Vasudha, are from the opposing ends of the spectrum. Nonetheless, they are both survivors of misogyny and the mistreatment of being reduced to pleasure objects by men. A situation upheld by Pramila, another female character, fits another aspect of misogyny, of how some women uphold misogynistic tendencies to satisfy their own selfish desires at the expense of other women.
The character development of Vasudha certainly peaks the audience’s interest. She is, on first appearances, an unpleasant and interfering lurker. A deeper tragic reason is unearthed as the movie progresses, and she surprisingly evolves into a figure of sympathy. Karuna is another character trapped in a shroud of silence enforced by Pramila. Her situation is representative of many south Asian families, in which young women are expected and pressured to be silent, whilst their egotistical, aggressive husbands bully their way in life and are left unchallenged.
While many other issues are touched upon in the movie, and as women empowerment improves in India, it can be fair to write that the movie focuses on an unpredictable plot and brilliant characterization, therefore the movie is a good source of entertainment, and not too much of a lecture. Smita Singh, writer for another Netflix production Sacred Games, lends her pen to the script of Raat Akeli Hai. Her immersive script is composed of a gripping plot, intriguing characters and a focused plot structure, displaying respect for the audience’s intelligence.
A good movie direction can be attributed to thoughtful camera angles, enhancing the audience’s understanding. In the absence of speech and action, Raat Akeli Hai’s cinematography provides subtle additional information, affecting the viewer’s interpretation of the screenplay.
Raat Akehli Hai is composed using the objective camera angle in a steady manner for the majority of the film, which seems to be rare now as typically action sequences in movies and thrillers tend to be shot with a shaky camera hold. The steady camera shots greatly improve the enjoyment of an action sequence, crime thriller or any other form of thriller movie.
As a cinema-goer who tends to not enjoy romance arcs, and despite some reviewers criticizing the movie’s finale, I personally found the romantic ending enjoyable. The film predominately focused on Jaitil’s aim to find the murderer, whilst jostling corrupt forces larger than himself.
Overall, Raat Akeli Hai is tragic crime story with peace found towards the end, yet the film manages to be striking and unique in its own manner. For crime fans, this movie is a must see.
Interested? The movie trailer can be found here. The movie is currently available to stream on Netflix.
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