Gazab Raat review: A predictable plot, but Manoj Bajpayee makes it worth watching

At a time when the cop genre is at its peak in Indian cinema, and most cops are shown pulling off chest-thumping stunts and portrayed as the best men in the universe, Manoj Bajpayee's Ajay Nirvit in Gajab Raat stands out for his mischief. After stirring controversy with its original title, Ghooskhor Pandat, the film finally saw the light of day under a new title that sums up what the movie is about.

He plays a cop who is corrupt, flawed and deeply rooted in reality, bringing to the screen how law enforcement actually functions. But at the end of the day, he is the hero of the film and has to do heroic things. As in most of his films, Manoj stays authentic and presents a police officer whose priority is money, and is very raw about it.

The movie's authenticity can't be questioned when a director like Neeraj Pandey, who has given films like A Wednesday and Special 26, is the creative force behind it. Directed by Ritesh Shah, Gajab Raat ticks the major boxes while staying within limits.

Gajab Raat: What's the plot of the story?

Set in the National Capital, the 2-hour-3-minute film opens with a raid on a hotel by cops. While a lawyer and a sex worker manage to escape, others are caught. The raid is led by corrupt cop Ajay Nirvit (Manoj), who is in it only for the money. While he has other plans for the night, everything changes when a badly injured girl (Aditi Sandhya Sharma) is thrown out of a car in Connaught Place. Who is she? Some say she is a drug dealer from Russia; others claim she is of Indian-British origin. But who is she really?

Soon after she is found on the road, her pictures go viral on social media and the matter escalates. Ajay is assigned as the investigating officer in the case. What he initially thinks will be wrapped up in a few hours turns out to be far more complicated than it seems.

Still from Gazaj Raat Photograph: (Netflix)

Shraddha Das enters the picture as a social worker and becomes the first roadblock in Nirvit's investigation, who also sees it as a big money-making opportunity. Things get murkier when a CBI officer, played by Akshay Oberoi, enters and wants to get rid of the girl at any cost. Simultaneously, the NIA also gets involved in the case.

But why? What has the girl done that the entire system is after her life? Will this bring life-changing money for Ajay, or will he step away from the case, leaving the girl's life in limbo?

Not the Delhi Crime show we are used to

Directed by Ritesh Shah and co-written by Shah and Neeraj Pandey, Gajab Raat takes viewers through a night where many lives are at stake. With limited characters, the film holds its grip. At the centre is Nirvit, who is known as a chameleon, meaning he can change his colours at any moment according to his environment.

The camera takes the audience again and again to the same silent corridors of the hospital for the entire two-hour runtime, where one face that keeps appearing is Manoj's. With his trademark quirky smile, forehead wrinkles, and the way he adjusts his eyes and speech depending on who he is talking to, he does what comes most easily to him - entertain the audience. Indeed, he is the biggest strength of this drama.

With a girl's life at stake and a threat looming across the corridors, with the familiar crime-thriller background score, what I loved the most is Nirvit's conversations with his senior, Rana Saab, their sarcasm-filled chats that scream corruption with every line, where one is greedy for money, the other is a step ahead. Their humour was really effective here and played well in favour of the movie when it just started losing its charm.

Still from Gazaj Raat Photograph: (Netflix)

Set over the course of one night and confined to limited spaces, this is a game Pandey has aced in most of his films, especially A Wednesday, where just two characters talking can keep you gripped throughout.

Gajab Raat is a sarcastic commentary on corruption, politicians, and drama that unfolds with a subject that feels familiar and one that we have watched before. It is pretty much similar to what we have seen before and comes with a commonality that makes guessing the plot an easy game. Some things, like a greedy cop who is ready to risk a girl's life, suddenly bringing out his heroic side, are not easy to swallow. Even the climax does not hit the right spot.

But above all, when it comes to a movie, the first question is: does it give viewers two hours of entertainment? Yes. Manoj and Rajiv Gupta are the best, but they are well complemented by Divya Dutta, Akshay Oberoi, Saqib Saleem, and Nushrratt Bharuccha.

The movie may not impress you or leave you with a wow, but it's the characters and how the story has been paced on screen that make it entertaining and perfect for an afternoon watch over the weekend.

Gajab Raat is streaming on Netflix.