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‘Raid’: A one-dimensional tale that hinges on a weak plot
Film: “Raid”; Director: Raj Kumar Gupta; Cast: Ajay Devgn, Saurabh Shukla, Ileana D’Cruz, Gayathri Iyer, Ajay Singh, Amit Sial,; Rating: **1/2
Of late, there has been a string of films inspired by true events. The latest to join the list is Director Raj Kumar Gupta’s “Raid”.
Designed to glorify the unsung heroes namely the Income Tax officers who work to make the Indian economy run smoothly, the film portrays one such officer Amay Patnaik (Ajay Devgn). How he relentlessly and honestly goes about his duty ensuring that the government gets its due from defaulting tax-payers, forms the crux of the tale.
The story written by Ritesh Shah is set in the early 1980s. It is a laboured, one dimensional tale which involves the incorruptible and fearless Amay who after getting tipped by a secret source, raids the premises of the well-connected business tycoon and the most powerful man in Lucknow – Rameshwar Singh aka Tauji (Saurabh Shukla).
The raid spans over a couple of days with Rameshwar trying to use all his clout to put a spanner into the proceedings.
While the message against corruption is strong, the plot pivoting around just one case, seems stretched with verbal deliberations and one-upmanship between the hero and the antagonists and overtones of romance and concern between the hero and his wife Malini (Ileana D’Cruz).
Also, the Raid, which is a battle against evil – read corruption, seems to have a diluted effect, not because mythology is dragged into the dialogues, but because Tauji was actually ignorant of how, “so much black money was stacked in his own house”. This is definitely a sore point in the plot. It diminishes the aura of the antagonist and thereby plummets the film notches down the relatability grade.
While the first half of the film is engrossing, the second half turns into a comic exposure of serious events.
Ajay Devgn with his intense look and no-nonsense demeanour slips into IT officer Amay Patnaik’s boots effortlessly. He displays his righteousness and sincerity with equal ease, but does nothing to elevate his performance. He is his usual self and we have seen him perform such roles in numerable films earlier. He is aptly paired with Ileana as his concerned and courageous wife. She hardly has anything to offer in terms of histrionics.
Saurabh Shukla as the chief antagonist is in top form. He delivers with all sincerity. But what elevates his performance is the support he gets from the cast who plays his extended family. Each character has their moment of on-screen glory, but the best is his octogenarian mother who is charming with her bluntness. She steals the show from all of them.
On the production front, the film is well-mounted except that in certain scenes, the lighting seems to be an issue. The frames were too dark to enjoy the visuals. While Amish Trivedi and Tanishk Bagchi’s background score has the right timbre for the drama, the songs in the film are an aberration in the narrative. They break the momentum of its intensity.
Overall, with a tinge of patriotism, Raid is a film that gives an insight into how corrupt our country is.
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.
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