Critics’ Verdict: ‘Raag Desh’ Is Important But Not Engaging Enough

Check out how critics are reacting to Tigmanshu Dhulia’s ‘Raag Desh’.

Kunal Kapoor in Raag Desh.

Film: Raag Desh
Director: Tigmanshu Dhulia
Cast: Kunal Kapoor, Amit Sadh, Mohit Marwah

Excerpts from reviews of Raag Desh:

Either way, what cannot be denied is the immense value of Tigmanshu Dhulia’s (‘Paan Singh Tomar’, ‘Saheb Biwi Gangster’) thoroughly sincere, cinematic piece. This film painstakingly researches and details the infamous ‘Red Fort trials’ held by the British-Indian government, towards the end of their rule, against military officers, who as prisoners of war under Japan during WWII, had broken off to serve Subhash Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army (INA) -- fighting for freedom against the British govt. itself.

Mayank Shekhar (Mid-Day)

The film has been culled out of footage intended for an eventual series on Rajya Sabha TV. This shows in the cramming of events that deserved greater exposition, the short shrift given to key characters, and the impoverished production values that might pass muster on the small screen but show up on the big one. <em>Raag Desh’</em>s under-funded attempts to recreate the pre-Independence period result in a tacky and messily assembled production. <em>Raag Desh</em> doesn’t meet the requirements of the historical epic in terms of its production values, but it does match the genre’s basic requirement: the only reason to travel back into the past is to ponder about the present.

Nandini Ramnath (Scroll)

Keeping up with the traditional characteristic of a war drama, Tigmanshu Dhulia’s film is an unflinching story of gore, gun shots and blood. It is a narrative that is woven in the clean and systematic environment of a courtroom but takes flight on the battlefield. Cinematographer Rishi Punjabi captures the looming fear of the enemy and the stifling confines of a courtroom through shots that allow details to emerge. It is rather disappointing to see a film that ticks all the right boxes, fall apart because of the lack of a captivating narrative. With <em>Raag Desh</em>, you may walk home with more facts about the INA and the Red Fort trials than previously known, but not with indelible emotions of admiration and awe that the film could have generated.

Kennith Rosario (The Hindu)