''Wrong Side Raju'' (Stylized ''Wrong Side રાજુ'') is a 2016 Indian
Gujarati
Gujarati may refer to:
* something of, from, or related to Gujarat, a state of India
* Gujarati people, the major ethnic group of Gujarat
* Gujarati language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by them
* Gujarati languages, the Western Indo-Aryan sub ...
thriller drama film
In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-ge ...
directed by
Mikhil Musale
Mikhil Musale is a film director from India. In 2010, he founded the film production and distribution company, CineMan Productions, with Abhishek Jain and Anish Shah. '' Wrong Side Raju'' is his first film as a director and it won the Nation ...
. Starring
Pratik Gandhi
Pratik Gandhi is an Indian actor. He worked in Gujarati theatre before entering Gujarati cinema. He received wide acclaim for portraying Harshad Mehta in Sony LIV series ''Scam 1992''. He acted in several Hindi films thereafter.
Early life
G ...
, Kimberley Louisa McBeath, and
Asif Basra
Asif Basra (27 July 196712 November 2020) was an Indian actor who worked in Bollywood films and TV serials. He is best known to Western audiences for his role in '' Outsourced''. He also appeared in many other films. Basra died of suicide by h ...
, it is inspired by a
hit and run
In traffic laws, a hit and run or a hit-and-run is the act of causing a traffic collision and not stopping afterwards. It is considered a supplemental crime in most jurisdictions.
Additional obligation
In many jurisdictions, there may be an ...
in
Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad ( ; Gujarati: Amdavad ) is the most populous city in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is the administrative headquarters of the Ahmedabad district and the seat of the Gujarat High Court. Ahmedabad's population of 5,570,585 (per t ...
64th National Film Awards
The 64th National Film Awards was an award ceremony during which the Directorate of Film Festivals presents its annual National Film Awards to honour the best films of 2016 in the Indian cinema. The awards were announced on 7 April 2017, and th ...
.
Plot
The film begins with a checkpoint on the outskirts of
Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad ( ; Gujarati: Amdavad ) is the most populous city in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is the administrative headquarters of the Ahmedabad district and the seat of the Gujarat High Court. Ahmedabad's population of 5,570,585 (per t ...
. Two constables are investigating an elderly man and a speeding car knocks out the checkpoint, killing constables and seriously injuring the man. Some time later, Raju Bambani (
Pratik Gandhi
Pratik Gandhi is an Indian actor. He worked in Gujarati theatre before entering Gujarati cinema. He received wide acclaim for portraying Harshad Mehta in Sony LIV series ''Scam 1992''. He acted in several Hindi films thereafter.
Early life
G ...
) arrives at the scene, stunned.
Raju is a driver by day and bootlegger by night and aims to start his own
travel agency
A travel agency is a private retailer or public service that provides travel and tourism-related services to the general public on behalf of accommodation or travel suppliers to offer different kinds of travelling packages for each destinatio ...
with his mentor, Patil (Ragi Jani). Raju is employed by the former lawyer and industrialist Amitabh Shah (
Asif Basra
Asif Basra (27 July 196712 November 2020) was an Indian actor who worked in Bollywood films and TV serials. He is best known to Western audiences for his role in '' Outsourced''. He also appeared in many other films. Basra died of suicide by h ...
) and drives around his son, Tanmay (
Kavi Shastri
Kavi Shastri (born 19 February 1986 in London) is a British film and television actor.
Early life and education
Kavi Shastri was born into a Gujarati family in London, England.Garba. Raju acts as a guide for her and shows her around in the city and falls in love with her. While driving Tanmay around, Raju also learns about sour relationship between Tanmay and his father and Tanmay's problem with his business partner, Mark. When Tanmay finds out about Raju's growing closeness with Shaily, he pulls out of his
guarantee
Guarantee is a legal term more comprehensive and of higher import than either warranty or "security". It most commonly designates a private transaction by means of which one person, to obtain some trust, confidence or credit for another, engages ...
for the loan that Raju required for his travel agency. During
Navratri
Navaratri is an annual Hindu festival observed in the honour of the goddess Durga. It spans over nine nights (and ten days), first in the month of Chaitra (March/April of the Gregorian calendar), and again in the month of Sharada. It is ob ...
, Shaily goes to Garba with Raju and learning about this Tanmay asks Shaily to drive away with him and if she doesn't comply he threatens that he'll ruin Raju's future. Shaily reluctantly complies, Raju follows them on his scooter. The car eventually meets the accident and Raju arrives at the scene some time later.
The next day, the police begins the investigation in the case and finds Raju's scooter near the scene of the accident, including the illegal liquor bottles he's carrying. The police threatens to file a case against Raju for Prevention of Anti-Social Activities (PASA), unless he co-operates in hit and run case, but Raju claims ignorance about the event as he arrived at the scene late. The police inspector asks for a bribe of 15 lakhs to ignore PASA case against him. Raju also finds out that the elderly man injured during the accident is one of his regular customers, Pritam Parikh (Kenneth Desai). Raju and Patil manage to gather bribe amount to get rid of PASA case against him. During the investigation, police find CCTV footage, showing Tanmay driving the car minutes before the accident. Amitabh Shah offers the bribe of 2 crores to frame Raju instead for the crime, he also succumbs to threats allegedly from Tanmay's business partner, Mark and gives him 50 million. When the case reaches the court, Pritam Parikh's son Parth Parikh agrees to fight the case for Raju. Parth highlights the shoddy investigation and conspiracy to frame Raju. The court dismisses chargesheet against Raju and asks the police to reinvestigate the case and file the chargesheet again, summoning Tanmay, who is missing since the accident.
After the acquittal, Raju confides in Parth about the events of the night. Raju reveals that when he reached the site of the accident, it was in fact Shaily who was driving the car and Tanmay had died during the car crash. To save Shaily, she's asked to leave the country; they get rid of Tanmay's body and threaten his father as Mark to create the impression that he has absconded. Raju defends himself saying he took the actions to save himself. Raju reunites with Shaily in
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
.
Cast
*
Pratik Gandhi
Pratik Gandhi is an Indian actor. He worked in Gujarati theatre before entering Gujarati cinema. He received wide acclaim for portraying Harshad Mehta in Sony LIV series ''Scam 1992''. He acted in several Hindi films thereafter.
Early life
G ...
as Raju Bambani
* Kimberley Louisa McBeath as Shaily Asher
*
Asif Basra
Asif Basra (27 July 196712 November 2020) was an Indian actor who worked in Bollywood films and TV serials. He is best known to Western audiences for his role in '' Outsourced''. He also appeared in many other films. Basra died of suicide by h ...
as Amitabh Shah
*
Kavi Shastri
Kavi Shastri (born 19 February 1986 in London) is a British film and television actor.
Early life and education
Kavi Shastri was born into a Gujarati family in London, England.Siddharth Randeria
Siddharth Randeria is an Indian actor of Gujarati theatre and films.
Biography
Siddharth Randeria was born on 17 December 1955 in Mumbai, India to Gujarati writer and stage actor Madhukar Randeria. His son Ishaan Randeria is also associated wi ...
as Mehta
*Kenneth Desai as Pritam Parikh
Production
Development
The film is inspired by a
hit and run
In traffic laws, a hit and run or a hit-and-run is the act of causing a traffic collision and not stopping afterwards. It is considered a supplemental crime in most jurisdictions.
Additional obligation
In many jurisdictions, there may be an ...
case which happened in
Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad ( ; Gujarati: Amdavad ) is the most populous city in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is the administrative headquarters of the Ahmedabad district and the seat of the Gujarat High Court. Ahmedabad's population of 5,570,585 (per t ...
in 2013. After finishing the script in 2015, CineMan Productions approached Phantom Films. In February 2016,
Abhishek Jain
Abhishek Jain is an Indian film director and film producer, producer known for his Gujarati cinema, Gujarati films ''Kevi Rite Jaish'', ''Bey Yaar'', and ''Wrong Side Raju''.
Early life
Abhishek Jain was born on 3 August 1986 in Ahmedabad. He i ...
announced that his production house Cineman Productions will co-produce three Gujarati films with
Phantom Films
Phantom Films was an Indian film production and distribution company established by Anurag Kashyap, director Vikramaditya Motwane, producer Madhu Mantena and the former head of UTV Spotboy, Vikas Bahl. It was founded in 2011 by all four of the ...
, the first of which will be directed by co-founder of CineMan productions,
Mikhil Musale
Mikhil Musale is a film director from India. In 2010, he founded the film production and distribution company, CineMan Productions, with Abhishek Jain and Anish Shah. '' Wrong Side Raju'' is his first film as a director and it won the Nation ...
. Musale had earlier worked as an
assistant director
The role of an assistant director on a film includes tracking daily progress against the filming production schedule, arranging logistics, preparing daily call sheets, checking cast and crew, and maintaining order on the set. They also have to tak ...
to Jain in ''
Kevi Rite Jaish
''Kevi Rite Jaish'' is a 2012 Indian Gujarati-language drama film directed by Abhishek Jain and produced by Nayan Jain. The film is a satire on the fascination and obsession of the Patels' – a Gujarati farmer community – migration to the U. ...
'' and ''
Bey Yaar
''Bey Yaar'' () is a 2014 Indian Gujarati-language coming-of-age film directed by Abhishek Jain. The film is about friendship and two friends. The film stars Manoj Joshi, Darshan Jariwala, Divyang Thakkar, Pratik Gandhi, Amit Mistry, Samvedna Su ...
''.
The initial draft of the film was written by Musale and Karan Vyas, later
Niren Bhatt
Niren Bhatt is a screenwriter and lyricist across mediums. He has written films like ''Bala'', ''Serious Men'', '' Made in China'', ''Ventilator'', ''Wrong Side Raju'' and '' Bey Yaar''. His recent work includes ''Bhediya'', starring Varun Dhaw ...
was hired, who had earlier worked with CineMan's previous film, ''
Bey Yaar
''Bey Yaar'' () is a 2014 Indian Gujarati-language coming-of-age film directed by Abhishek Jain. The film is about friendship and two friends. The film stars Manoj Joshi, Darshan Jariwala, Divyang Thakkar, Pratik Gandhi, Amit Mistry, Samvedna Su ...
''. The production of the film started in February 2016. On 13 August 2016, the film was officially announced and titled ''Wrong Side Raju''.
Filming
The film is set and shot in
Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad ( ; Gujarati: Amdavad ) is the most populous city in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is the administrative headquarters of the Ahmedabad district and the seat of the Gujarat High Court. Ahmedabad's population of 5,570,585 (per t ...
and was shot in 60 locations. Parts of the film were shot in H.L. College of Commerce and
Gujarat National Law University
The Gujarat National Law University (GNLU) is a pre-eminent public law school and a National Law University established under the ''Gujarat National Law University Act, 2003'' in the state of Gujarat. The university is located at Gandhinagar ...
.
Soundtrack
Sachin–Jigar
Sachin–Jigar is an Indian music composer duo consisting of Sachin Sanghvi and Jigar Saraiya. They compose for Hindi and Gujarati language films. They have scored a number of successful soundtracks in recent times. Before working independently ...
composed the music for the film and lyrics were written by
Niren Bhatt
Niren Bhatt is a screenwriter and lyricist across mediums. He has written films like ''Bala'', ''Serious Men'', '' Made in China'', ''Ventilator'', ''Wrong Side Raju'' and '' Bey Yaar''. His recent work includes ''Bhediya'', starring Varun Dhaw ...
. The first song of the film, ''Satrangi Re'' was released on 23 August 2016 on
Red FM 93.5
Red FM (Often stylized as ''Superhits 93.5 RED FM'') is an Indian FM radio network headquartered in Chennai and owned by Chennai-based Sun Group. The network broadcasts content in various Indian languages including Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, Telu ...
. The song was sung by
Arijit Singh
Arijit Singh (born 25 April 1987) is an Indian singer and music composer. He sings predominantly in Bengali and Hindi, but has also performed in various other Indian languages. He is the recipient of a National Award and six Filmfare Awards ...
, the first
Gujarati
Gujarati may refer to:
* something of, from, or related to Gujarat, a state of India
* Gujarati people, the major ethnic group of Gujarat
* Gujarati language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by them
* Gujarati languages, the Western Indo-Aryan sub ...
song sung by him. The song received positive reviews and amassed more than a million views on
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
within 24 hours. When Sachin–Jigar approached
Vishal Dadlani
Vishal Dadlani (born 28 June 1973) is an Indian singer, songwriter and music composer. He is one half of the duo Vishal–Shekhar, Front Man and vocalist of one of India's leading rock bands called Pentagram.
As a singer he has sung various h ...
he said it was his ambition to sing a song in all Indian languages and agreed to sing for the movie. The soundtrack of the film was released on 29 August 2016.
Music review website Milliblog! gave a mixed review and called the album "functional".
Release
The film was released on 9 September 2016 in India. The film was subsequently released in United States on 16 September 2016, Canada on 6 November 2016 and Australia on 11 November 2016 as limited release by Shagun Entertainment and United Kingdom on 12 November 2016. The film was shown at ''The Vancouver International South Asian Film Festival''.
Reception
Critical reception
''
The Times of India
''The Times of India'', also known by its abbreviation ''TOI'', is an Indian English-language daily newspaper and digital news media owned and managed by The Times Group. It is the third-largest newspaper in India by circulation and largest ...
'' reviewed positively saying, "Overall, a great effort by the entire team and it seems that the future of Gujarati cinema surely lies in the hands of those who are ready to break away from the mould and make content driven films." BuddyBits also reviewed positively saying it to be the right turn of Gujarati cinema. ''
Livemint
''Mint'' is an Indian financial daily newspaper published by HT Media, a Delhi-based media group which is controlled by the K. K. Birla family that also publishes ''Hindustan Times''. It mostly targets readers who are business executives and ...
'' gave a mixed review said, "''Wrong Side Raju'' is a first in Gujarati cinema in many ways, but it has to up its game to make its presence felt among the vibrant, new regional cinemas of the country." ''
The Hindu
''The Hindu'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper owned by The Hindu Group, headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It began as a weekly in 1878 and became a daily in 1889. It is one of the Indian newspapers of record and the secon ...
'' reviewed it negatively and said, "The Phantom backing might make cinema buffs beyond Gujarat curious about the film, but barring a few good songs by Sachin-Jigar, there is not much more to make you curious enough to watch it."