Rautu Ka Raaz Review: Nawazuddin Siddiqui's mystery-drama is lackluster and has very little redeeming about it

Rautu Ka Raaz, directed by Anand Surapur and starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Rajesh Kumar, Atul Tiwari and Narayani Shastri is now streaming on ZEE5. Read our review here.

By Rishil Jogani

Published on Jun 28, 2024 | 12:21 AM IST | 173.4K

Rautu Ka Raaz is a mystery drama starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui that is now streaming on ZEE5 (Credit: ZEE5)

Name: Rautu Ka Raaz

Director: Anand Surapur

Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Rajesh Kumar, Atul Tiwari, Narayani Shastri

Rating: 2/5

Where To Watch: ZEE5

Plot:

Inspector Negi (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) is given the task to investigate the death of a warden at a school for the specially-abled in Rautu Ki Beli, Uttarakand. While the death of the warden is thought to be of a natural cause by everyone around her, it gradually gets clearer that it infact was a murder. In this peculiar and convoluted case, a lot of secrets that were meant to remain secrets, come out.

Who is the murderer of the warden? Why was the warden murdered? Why does Inspector Negi become so personal about the case at hand? To know all this, you need to watch Rautu Ka Raaz, now streaming on ZEE5

What works for Rautu Ka Raaz:

Rautu Ka Raaz is made with honesty. It tries to show the hidden complexities in a setting that seems basic. The film throws light upon the extent of corruption in simple-looking places. The best part about Rautu Ka Raaz is definitely the correlation the case at hand has with Inspector Negi's personal life, and how the investigation result helps him find his long lost peace. The letter written to the murderer by Inspector Negi towards the end of the film is eye-opening. The camaraderie that Negi shares with his subordinates also acts as a rare positive in this mystery drama.

What doesn't work for Rautu Ka Raaz:

Rautu Ka Raaz doesn't draw you to it as a viewer. It isn't the taut or gripping thriller that one would expect. It begins lousily and remains lousy. The film feels extremely basic and generic with few characters who deliberately or intentionally try to look suspicious. The editing is very choppy. There are few scenes that span five seconds and don't have any reason to be part of the film in the first place. The background score doesn't enhance, infact reduces the impact of the film. It clearly seems done by some amateur. Rautu Ka Raaz can be seen as a film that had scope but never delivered.

Watch the Rautu Ka Raaz Trailer

Performances in Rautu Ka Raaz:

Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Inspector Negi is dependable. It is getting increasingly clearer that his performances never let him down. Rajesh Kumar as Negi's subordinate Naresh Dimri plays to the gallery. It isn't a standout performance. Atul Tiwari as school trustee Kesari Ji is strictly ok. Narayani Shastri as the school warden Sangeeta doesn't get much screen-time to create impact. The kids who essay the role of blind students in the movie are good. Every other supporting character in the movie is just about alright.