The film ‘Raat Akeli Hai’ – 2020

The movie ends with आधे आधे से हम (literally – half half we are) or ‘we are incomplete’. If man was made in the image of God and that’s all there is to it, i.e. image, none of the other attributes, then this movie lays bare all the shortcommings, false honour, weaknesses and insecurities of men. What about women? You ask. Well they exist simply as pawns in the games that men play. They live a life completely randomised, with no hope or a chance at freedom. Either they become slaves to their fate or use any means to survive.

This is murder mystery and a rather long one, but every time I felt that it was drifting, a piece of the puzzle fell into place. In the end इस हमाम में सब नंगे हैं | (everbody is naked in the hamam (Turkish bath)).

In all the muck there are some funny scenes, between the mother and son, mainly about the mothers advise on finding a suitable girl for her son. The scenes subtly show that the primary requirement for a ‘good’ marriage in India is your skin colour, it has to be in the ‘Gora’ range, any deviation and you are in the negative. It is not enough that you are an Inspector with a ‘Sarkari naukri’. The finesse with which Nawazuddin plays the scenes where he pulls out a fairness cream from behind his mirror are simply superb, they hint of personal experiences (as we know from his interviews).

From a certain point of view this is also a love story, but this is primarily a ‘whodunit’, the love story and other subtilties are what make this movie a super must watch.

I found top class performances from
Nawazuddin Siddiqui (whatever be his shortcomings, he is the best actor Hindi cinema has today) – the inspector investigating the murder, Radhika Apte – the रखेल (the keep) whom the victim has married and made a मालकीन (mistress), Aditya Srivastava – The politician who will do anything, including marry his daughter off to seek social status. (reminds me of his character in Gulal)) and Ila Arun – the inspectors mother whose sole aim in life is to get her son married. The rest of the cast supports the story superbly.

And finally, next time you eat noodles, you may be a tad bit uncomfortable doing so.