Movie Review- Raat Akeli Hai, a Murder Mystery in Netflix with Nawazuddin Siddiqui as an inspector

Honey Trehan- Director

Cast– Radhika Apte, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Aditya Srivastava, Shweta Tripathi, Swanand Kirkire, Nishant Dahiya, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Shivani Raghuvanshi, Ila Arun

On Netflix, an impressive directorial debut of Honey Trehan, Bollywood casting director, Raat Akeli Hai, which is a mystery about a homegrown murder are out now. These types of series are rare in Indian film,  which does rush for completing the story – deviate from the main plot whenever it wants and remove the typical types of character from it carefully. 

Watch the Official Trailer of the Movie Below-

Jatil Yadav, an inspector, is being played by Nawazuddin Siddiqui for a cop’s khaki, would like to ditch the grab of a gangster for reprimanding journalists who asked him that if he is typecast. 

In Uttar Pradesh, a rich patriarch family who owns the land, when their member Raghuveer Singh in his bedroom found dead, then Jatil went there for an investigation. In a dignified manner being affected by Benoit Blanc and Hercule Poirot, he observes the crime scene and members of each family closely. It was clear that they all are hiding something as they all have the reason for killing the old man. 

To all the family members, Jatil gathered them in the courtyard and said in a threatening tone that he would investigate this. Then Nawazuddin, with his physical stature, moves for delivering a performance that demands positive attention. 

Jatil character is interesting, and his sincerity is not to be questioned. He met many hurdles as uncooperative superiors, Munna Raja- a local politician. Like the other recent series like Paatal Lok, in Raat Akeli Hai, the detective must be suspended from the duty for crime to be solved. 

The best thing which Trehan had done is to take talented artist for his first film. Each artist from Nawaz, Tigmanshu Dhulia, and Shweta Tripathi are standouts, as cinematographers- Pankaj Kumar has given Tumbbad, Talvar, and writer – Smita Singh has given Sacred Games which are working comfortably in collaboration towards a shared vision. As he had casting experience, Trehan does not want to get into the trap of taking the wrong artist and making murder mysteries a failure. 

Knives Out, which shares the same DNA as Raat Akeli Hai, even cannot avoid this. As Chris Evans in the second half had stepped out, it was known that he is up to something. But which are the actors of Raghuveer Singh’s family is being guessed constantly by the viewer, and it is mostly wrong. 

Raat Akeli Hai has, unfortunately, coming after months of Rian Johnson’s film nominated for Oscar, which became a benchmark for it. 

Raat Akeli Hai has an old approach that is unlikely to make any of the grand statements about any patriarchy or class in India’s cow belt.

There is a romantic plot for Jatil with the mistress of old man’s and serving as a motivation for the man who does not want any. Radha, the rakhael which is done by Radhika Apte having a mysterious character who is a model after doing the classic film but then reduced to nothing but all in distress. 

Raat Akeli Hai is a big achievement of Trehan for having skill in directing actors, command over visual texture and tone. This is surely a bright beginning of a new franchise.