Gajab Raat is one of those movies that starts with something thatmakes you curious about what is really going on, Gajab Raat begins with a police officer who is only interested in making money suddenly finding himself in a situation where one wrong decision could cost him his life, that is exactly what happens in this crime thriller starring Manoj Bajpayee and trust me the night turns out to be more complicated than he expected.
The story follows Ajay Nirvit, played by Manoj Bajpayee, a police officer who's already comfortable with corruption, Ajay Nirvit is not the kind of policeman who sees his job as an opportunity to protect people, for Ajay Nirvit, taking bribes using his position for benefits and looking for ways to make extra money are all part of his everyday life, he is also not exactly the responsible person when it comes to his personal life.
Everything changes when an injured young woman is thrown out of a moving car in Delhi, Ajay Nirvit becomes involved in the case, takes her to the hospital but he soon discovers that this is not an ordinary case of violence, the people connected to the woman seem to be hiding something and before long Ajay Nirvit finds himself dealing with people claiming to be from security agencies.
A man claiming to be a CBI officer wants control of the investigation while another man associated with the NIA also becomes involved, now imagine being a police officer who is already used to collecting bribes, suddenly having different powerful people fighting over one case. Obviously Ajay Nirvit begins to suspect that something bigger is happening behind the scenes.
Things become more dangerous when he realises that some people are willing to do anything to stop the injured woman from revealing what she knows, what initially looks like a straightforward investigation gradually opens the door to corruption, political influence and a conspiracy involving people in positions.
The interesting thing about Ajay Nirvit’s character is that Ajay Nirvit is not presented as a hero, In fact Ajay Nirvit is the kind of person you would probably complain about if you encountered him in life, at one point Ajay Nirvit is more concerned about how money he can make from the situation than about getting justice for the victim, as the investigation continues Ajay Nirvit begins to question himself and the kind of person he has become.
Manoj Bajpayee really carries this movie, Manoj Bajpayee’s performance makes Ajay Nirvit entertaining to watch especially because Manoj Bajpayee knows how to balance the character’s behaviour with humour and moments of seriousness. You may not agree with Ajay Nirvits actions, you will probably want to see how Manoj Bajpayee handles the dangerous situation he has found himself in.
The supporting cast also brings personalities into the story although I feel some characters could have been given more attention, Gajab Raat has a storyline but some of its twists and developments are not as surprising as they could have been there are moments when the story feels unnecessarily complicated, the conclusion could have been stronger.
Another thing I found interesting is how Gajab Raat explores corruption. Gajab Raat shows what can happen when people who are supposed to protect the public become more interested in money and power, unfortunately ordinary people are often the ones who suffer when those in authority decide to protect their interests.
Gajab Raat is a crime thriller with a strong performance, from Manoj Bajpayee. Gajab Raat has suspense, crime, corruption and a main character whose unexpected change of heart drives the story, however the writing and some of the plot developments stop it from becoming an outstanding thriller.
I would say it is worth watching if you enjoy crime dramas but don't go in expecting a perfectly written mystery, sometimes the acting is what keeps this movie interesting when the storyline could have been better.
Rating: 80/100
