Manoj Bajpayee ’s latest, backed by filmmaker Neeraj Panday’s banner, had stirred up quite the storm when it was announced. Initially called Ghooskhor Pandat, the film has now, by some strange twist of logic, been rechristened Gajab Raat. Ironically, the new title is far more apt for the film than the original one.
Because of its cast or premise, but because of its title, not.
The tension is taut over the first 30 minutes, as director Ritesh Shah, along with writers Neeraj Pandey and Deepak Venkateshan, build a world where the price for fixing a case is already decided, and even ₹ 5 crore is considered too little. Gajab Raat begins by teasing a morally murky thriller, and, for a while, it delivers. The film establishes its corrupt ecosystem effectively, making you curious to see just how deep the rot goes. The trouble begins once the film moves past that promising first half hour. We learn that the victim stumbled upon something she was never supposed to discover, but the big reveal is less impactful than the buildup suggests. What should have raised the stakes instead leaves the narrative struggling to recapture its tension. The climax, meanwhile is too convenient to be genuinely satisfying, tying things up with an ease that feels at odds with the murky world the film initially shows you. Also, there’s a track between Manoj and Nushrrat Bharuccha (who plays an escort in the film), which leads nowhere. Same goes for Saqib Saleem’s character. Overall, for a film that has already had quite the journey with its title, Gajab Raat could have done with a few more surprises in its screenplay. The premise is promising and Manoj Bajpayee makes for a compelling leading man. But once the initial intrigue wears off, the film struggles to keep you invested. A decent one time watch, then, though the night could have been considerably more eventful.
