Raat Gayi, Baat Gayi? Reviews

The movie is about three couples and a sharp understanding about today’s modern day marriage. Rahul, palyed by Rajat Kapoor is a perfect family man, by profession he is an Ad film maker. He is married to Mitali, played by Iravati Harshe. They are married for eight years with a beautiful daughter. Mitali is a modern and intelligent woman. She was a sculptorer by profession but gave up her career after marriage to look after her family. Saxena, played by Dalip Tahil is a middle aged famous writer. He is very successful and has lot of fame, he is considered as life of party. Navneet Nishan plays Saxena’s wife. She is careless, light headed and quite loud but is a very lovely person by nature and very helpful but fails always fails to do that. Vinay Pathak as Amit and Anu Menon as Nandini are married to each other. Nandini once catches Amit watching porn and warns him that this could become a reason to end their relationship. The story revolves around Rahul who meets Sophia, Played by Neha Dhupia, last night in a party. Sophia is an aspiring actor, she is a sexy woman. She grabs everybody’s attention but keeps safe distance. Her character is confusing. Rahul and Sophia gets drunk followed by a mysterious night for Rahul, that changes a lot of things that he assumed about himself and his happily married life

After a gap of almost five years actor-writer and director Saurabh Shukla returns to the director’s chair with the movie RAAT GAYEE, BAAT GAYEE! It’s a comeback movie of Saurabh Shukla, which excels with its impressive performances, funny dialogues and realistic take on the High Society culture and its famous parties. The film Stars Rajat Kapoor, Vinay Pathak, Neha Dhupia, Irawati Harse Mayadev, Navneet Nishan, Dalip Tahil and Anu Menon

As the title suggests, it is an adult comedy. The film runs on a simple comedy of error. This film is about trouble in the paradise called marriage. In actual terms, “Raat Gayi Baat Gayi” is not a loud comedy with over the top sexual sequences as seen in some recent lousy comedies. On the contrary it’s a smart and intellectual kind of movie which more or less depends upon the entertaining verbal conversations between its characters. It’s indeed a treat to watch husband & wives talking bitterly about their spouses and then later repenting upon their own remarks and feeling sorry for it.

Incidentally, “Raat Gayi Baat Gayi” seems to be inspired by Hollywood film Hangover and another realistic gem called “Party” (1984) directed by Govind Nihlani, which also revolved around a similar get-together sequence involving several characters from the richer section of the society.

It is basically the story of Rahul (Rajat Kapoor) and his wife, Mitali (Iravati Harshe).

The story revolves around a weekend party. Rajat Kapoor is also attending the party along with his wife Irawati and their kid girl. There are the hosts, pseudo-intellectual writer Dilip Tahil and airhead wife Navneet Nishan, the soil-bound Vinay Pathak and his svelte missus, Anuradha Menon, the ekdum desi `Austraylian myte', Ranveer Shorey and the oomph factor, Neha Dhupia. Trouble begins when Rajat Kapoor has a drink too many and can hardly control his libido after spotting the mysterious single woman (Neha Dhupia) who agrees to play hide and seek with him in the overcrowded house. They both start with some casual talks and end up being in a room all alone. Now the next morning when Rajat wakes up with a hangover, he cannot exactly remember what had happened last night. Did they go all the way? Have the flirty twosome ended up jeopardizing their core relationships? Did the one-night stand actually happen?

He is not sure whether his wife knows anything about his one-night stand with Sophia that is if ever there was one. But his wife is in a foul mood. His friends, Amit and Saxena, don’t make things easy for him. Amit himself is in the midst of a marital crisis because Nandini has thrown him out of his house for cheating on her by preferring online porn over.

From here, starts the mix-up where everyone is blaming the other for his undisclosed and awkward position. Opening post the party, the story keeps going back to the night through frequent flashbacks and individual perspectives of the party attendees.

It however doesn’t follow a hyperlinked storytelling pattern but has a more straightforward approach. Interestingly everyone in the party is hitting on someone other than their spouse and these adulterous inclinations form the crux of the plot.

While the first half is mild and goes on a steady pace, it is the second half that has few twists and the climax was interesting.

Almost three decades ago, Basu Chatterjee made an adult comedy called SHAUKEEN, which told the story of three men who eye a pretty girl, who’s completely unaware of their intentions. In this film too, there are similar situations. It seems director Saurabh Shukla had this film in his mind while scripting this film.

There are a few nice touches here and there, mostly the casual exchanges between characters and the natural performances. The most entertaining scenes include the ones where Rajat Kapoor and Vinay Pathak are discussing the one night stand with each other. Later Dilip Tahil joins in, making it even more hilarious and absorbing.

But many key scenes - including the centerpiece seduction sequence between Rajat and Neha - are heavy in dialogue and lacking in action or drama. As a result, the pace drags and boredom sets in. Ultimately the film examines the modern Indian marriage, peeping into the problems that plague couples who've been together more than a few years.

Neha Dhupia is what can be called her first major multi layered role is a real delight to watch. She is best suited in her role.

The best act comes from Rajat Kapoor and Vinay Pathak. They are very natural as always and shares great chemistry among them. Vinay is superb in the scene where he apologizes to his wife.

Every other member of the cast such as Dalip Tahil, Irawati Harshe Mayadev, Anu Menon, Navniit Nisshan , Sudhir Mishra and Aamir Bashir – deliver fine performances.

Musically the film has nothing exceptional to offer with Ankur Tewari’s musical score mainly working as filler. Background score was quite nominal and two songs are alright. Fuwad Khan’s cinematography captures the varied moods well.

Saurabh Shukla directs with an easy hand, allowing the actors enough room to interpret their characters.

Narrated in a non-linear manner by Saurabh Shukla, the film is his finest effort as a director. The production values given by production Company PNC are of absolute high standards and the setting perfectly up-market. There is absolutely no sleaze and the adult humour is just what one often hears at the parties. Great one-liners spread across plenty of sequences leave you laughing your guts out. The twist at the end is again a big surprise.

The scene where a tarot card is being picked and predicted over the phone is hilarious.

After a long gap, comes an impressive and entertaining offbeat flick talking about the extra marital affairs in a comical manner. An intelligent satire on the ever changing relationships of 3 married couples and their reunion; it is not a usual cup of tea for every lover of Hindi Cinema.

In fact the movie is strictly for adults and the multiplex viewers who can easily understand the overdose of English conversations included in its narration. If you loved the artistic kind of movies made in the 70s & 80s, then you will readily appreciate the efforts put in “Raat Gayi Baat Gayi” accompanied by many superlative performances to enjoy.

Summing up, ‘Raat Gayi Baat Gayi” is a well directed and superbly acted movie which will mostly appeal to the thinking viewers who love the realistic, offbeat and artistic kind of cinema. But since it is of Multiplex standard there is doubt about its success in masses.

Go for it if you are a grown up person and like such type of films.