Raid is a 2018 Indian Hindi-language crime drama film[3] directed by Raj Kumar Gupta. It stars Ajay Devgn, Saurabh Shukla and Ileana D'Cruz.[4] The film is based on the real life income-tax raid conducted by the officers of Income Tax Department on Sardar Inder Singh in the 1980s, which distinguished itself from others for being the longest raid in Indian history.[5][6]

Raid
Theatrical release poster
Directed byRaj Kumar Gupta
Written byRitesh Shah
Produced byAbhishek Pathak
Kumar Mangat Pathak
Bhushan Kumar
Gaurav Nanda
Krishan Kumar Dua
StarringAjay Devgn
Ileana D'Cruz
Saurabh Shukla
Saanand Verma
CinematographyAlphonse Roy
Edited byBodhaditya Banerjee
Music bySongs & Score:
Amit Trivedi
Guest Composition:
Tanishk Bagchi
Production
companies
Distributed byViacom 18 Motion Pictures (India)
Eros International (International)
Release date
  • 16 March 2018 (2018-03-16)
Running time
115 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageHindi
Budget₹40 crore[1]
Box office₹153.62 crore[2]

Raid was released theatrically in India on 16 March 2018 to positive reviews from critics and a major commercial success.[7][8]

Plot

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The film focuses on an IRS officer Amay Patnaik, who has just been transferred[9] to Lucknow as Deputy Commissioner of Income Tax, where he lives happily with his wife Malini. One day, he receives an anonymous tip about black money hoarded by (Member of Parliament) Rameshwar Singh, the don of Sitagarh, who had evaded income tax for a long time. So, Amay and his team, after much planning, head to Sitagarh. There he and his team face opposition from Rameshwar's very hostile family, but he holds up to his ideals and integrity. He searches every nook and cranny of the house with his team to find the black money without any success. After a few hours of searching, when all hope seems lost, he receives an anonymous letter, along with a map, revealing the location of the money in the house. Amay and his team break down the walls, ceilings, staircases and old storerooms (with the help of the map) to find assets worth crores (tens of millions).[10] MP Rameshwar, not willing to accept defeat, goads Amay into letting him leave the house.

He then meets the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, who refuses any help as the Income Tax department is under the control of the Central Government and the raid is legal. The Central Finance Minister is persuaded to call Amay but is promptly rebuffed. A relentless Rameshwar meets several MPs, politicians, senior officers and even the Prime Minister of India, but to no avail. He then rallies his political support and threatens to topple the state cabinet unless the Prime Minister agrees to meet him. As the raid continues for a 3rd consecutive night, the PM and Rameshwar meet. The PM calls Amay and asks him to look for other legal options; Amay agrees to comply, as long as she furnishes a signed order through fax ordering Amay and his team to stop the raid, effectively negating the request. The PM realises that a written order pressurizing the IRS Officer to stop the raid may reach the media and the Government may be brought into disrepute. She refuses to help and sends Rameshwar away. Frustrated, Rameshwar upon exhausting his political options, tries the tack of attacking Amay's wife Malini, who narrowly escapes. On hearing this, Amay becomes furious but decides to control his anger.

Finally, on the 4th day, at noon, Rameshwar sends his henchmen to kill Amay and his team. A long battle ensues and a nearly defeated Amay is saved in the nick of time by a special police force sent in by the PM. Rameshwar is arrested and before being led away in handcuffs, he asks Amay about the identity of his informer. Amay refuses to divulge that information. It revealed that Rameshwar's youngest daughter-in-law was the informer; she and her lover wanted revenge on Rameshwar for forcing her to marry his impotent son as part of a political deal. Rameshwar is seen wondering about the informer's identity in prison while Amay gets transferred to another city, with hopes of a brighter future.

Cast

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  • Ajay Devgn as Amay Patnaik, IRS Deputy Commissioner of Income Tax, Malini's husband
  • Saurabh Shukla as Rameshwar Singh a.k.a. "Ramji" or "Tauji"
  • Ileana D'Cruz as Malini Patnaik, Amay's wife
  • Amit Sial as Lallan Sudheer, Amay's colleague
  • Devas Dixit as Shashi Singh, Tara's husband
  • Gayathri Iyer as Mukta Yadav, Amay's colleague
  • Sheeba Chaddha as Prabha Devi, Rakesh's wife
  • Saanand Verma as Suraj Singh
  • Sulagna Panigrahi as Tara Singh, Shashi's wife and Amay's informer in Rameshwar's house
  • Geeta Agarwal as Reema
  • Vikram Kochhar as ACP Shamsher
  • Amit Bimrot as Satish Mishra, Income Tax Inspector and Amay's colleague
  • Ravi Khanvilakar as Rakesh Singh
  • Pravin Singh Sisodia as Anubhav Singh
  • Pushpa Joshi as Amma ji
  • Saurabhi Singh as Jaya
  • Simran Nisha as Sushma
  • Prakash Bajpai as Ramu Kaka
  • Manju Shukla as Kaki
  • Udayvir Singh as Shyam Bihari Lal, Director General of Income Tax
  • Flora Jacob as Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
  • Anil Rastogi as Finance Minister Raman Kumar
  • R.C. Pathak as Chief Minister
  • Ajay Singh as IT officer

Production

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Development

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In August 2017, Raj Kumar Gupta made an official announcement about Ajay Devgn and Ileana D'Cruz being a part of his next film titled Raid.[11][12] More than 40 theatre actors of Lucknow were selected to play various characters in the film.[13]

Filming

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The principal photography of Raid took place in Lucknow and Raebareli, and commenced in September 2017.[14][15][16][17]

Background

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The film is loosely based on what is purported to be the longest-running Income Tax raid in history. On 16 July 1981, IT officials raided the house of a businessman, and Congress MLA and a former member of the Rajya Sabha, Sardar Inder Singh in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. The morning of July 16 began quietly enough. When Alok Kumar Batabyal, deputy director (Intelligence) who headed the raids on the first day, left his house in Swaroop Nagar with a group of other officers, nobody paid the slightest attention.[18] They recovered undeclared assets worth 16 million (US$190,000) in cash and gold. The raid reportedly took 18 hours and 45 people to count the notes.[19][20][21]

Soundtrack

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Raid
Soundtrack album by
Released1 March 2018 (2018-March-01)[22]
GenreFeature film soundtrack
Length15:22
LanguageHindi
LabelT-Series
External audio
  Audio Jukebox on YouTube
Amit Trivedi chronology
Padman
(2018)
Raid
(2018)
Blackmail
(2018)
Tanishk Bagchi chronology
Dil Juunglee
(2018)
Raid
(2018)
Fanney Khan
(2018)
Singles from Raid
  1. "Sanu Ek Pal Chain"
    Released: 12 February 2018
  2. "Nit Khair Manga"
    Released: 20 February 2018

The music of the film is composed by Tanishk Bagchi and Amit Trivedi while lyrics are penned by Manoj Muntashir and Indraneel. The first song of the film "Sanu Ek Pal Chain" which is sung by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan was released on 12 February 2018 It is the remake of Judaai (1997) Title Track. The second track of the film titled as "Nit Khair Manga" which is also sung by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan released on 20 February 2018. Both the songs were originally composed by Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and recreated by Tanishk Bagchi. The album was released on 1 March 2018 by T-Series.

Track listing
No.TitleLyricsMusicSinger(s)Length
1."Sanu Ek Pal Chain"Manoj MuntashirTanishk BagchiRahat Fateh Ali Khan3:30
2."Nit Khair Manga"Manoj MuntashirTanishk BagchiRahat Fateh Ali Khan3:48
3."Black"IndraneelAmit TrivediSukhwinder Singh3:40
4."Jhuk Na Paunga"IndraneelAmit TrivediPapon4:24
Total length:15:22

Reception

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Box office

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The film earned 100 million (US$1.2 million)[23] on its first day and by the end of its first weekend the film had made a collection of 410 million (US$4.9 million).[24][25] The film was a critical and commercial success and also entered the 100 Crore Club in India. It earned over 150 crore (US$18 million) in its global theatrical run on a budget 40 crore (US$4.8 million) crore[26][27]

Critical reception

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The film received generally positive reviews from critics.[28] On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 67% based on 12 reviews with an average rating of 5.8/10.[29]

Rachit Gupta of Times of India found the screenplay of the film and Saurabh Shukla's acting performance to be impressive but criticized the songs which he felt were unnecessary and only acted as a distraction. Rachit gave the film a rating of 3.5 out of 5.[30] Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV gave it 3.5 stars out of 5 saying "Devgn's brooding presence" made the film riveting.[31] However, in a 1.5 out of 5-star review, The Indian Express called the movie "overlong and tepid".[32] In 4 out of 5 star review for Bollywood Hungama, Taran Adarsh wrote that the film is a nail-biting thriller which "is smart, engaging, gripping and entertaining".[33] Sweta Kausal of Hindustan Times praised the acting performances of Ajay Devgan and Saurabh Shukla but criticized the excessive length and the repetitive nature of the screenplay and gave the film a rating of 2.5 out of 5.[34] Rajeev Masand of News18 found the movie to be impressive in parts but was critical of its editing and the second half's screenplay which he felt was weak. Among the actors, he felt that Saurabh Shukla's performance was exceptional, and gave the film a rating of 2.5 out of 5.[35] Actor Ajay Devgn has won Best Foreign Actor award at the 27th China Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival for his role in film Raid.[36]

Awards and nominations

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Date of Ceremony Awards Category Recipient(s) and nominee(s) Result Ref.
16 February 2019 Mirchi Music Awards Recreated Song of the Year "Sanu Ek Pal" Won [37][38]

Sequel and remake

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In April 2020, Raid 2 was announced.[39] Principal photography began in January 2024.[40][41] The film stars Ajay Devgn, Riteish Deshmukh, Saurabh Shukla and Vaani Kapoor.[42] It is scheduled to release early 2025.[43]

The film was remade in Telugu as Mr. Bachchan (2024) starring Ravi Teja and directed by Harish Shankar.[44]

References

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  1. ^ "Ajay Devgn's Raid 2 confirmed, here's everything you need to know". WION. 7 January 2024. Archived from the original on 5 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  2. ^ "Raid Box Office Collection | India | Day Wise | Box Office - Bollywood Hungama". Bollywood Hungama. 17 March 2018. Archived from the original on 14 November 2023. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  3. ^ "Raid". British Board of Film Classification. Archived from the original on 12 September 2024. Retrieved 12 September 2024. RAID is a Hindi language crime drama in which a tax officer raids the mansion of the most powerful man in Lucknow.
  4. ^ Express Web Desk (14 August 2017). "Ajay Devgn to play a non-nonsense UP Income Tax officer in his next". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 13 April 2019. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  5. ^ Kotwanil, Hiren. "Ajay Devgn: Ajay Devgn to 'Raid' theatres with a real story". Times of India. The Times Group. Archived from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  6. ^ FP Staff (8 February 2018). "Raid: Ajay Devgn's upcoming film inspired by high-stakes income tax raids conducted in the 80st". Showsha. Firstpost. Archived from the original on 15 March 2018. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  7. ^ "Raid (2018) (2018) – Box Office Mojo". www.boxofficemojo.com. Archived from the original on 5 April 2019. Retrieved 10 July 2018.
  8. ^ "Raid (2018)". Fandango. Archived from the original on 11 May 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  9. ^ "Raid (2018)". Archived from the original on 6 February 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2018 – via www.imdb.com.
  10. ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Crore" . Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
  11. ^ "Ajay Devgn to play a non-nonsense UP Income Tax officer in his next". Indian Express. 14 August 2017. Archived from the original on 13 April 2019. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  12. ^ "Ileana D'Cruz and Ajay Devgn reunite for Raj Kumar Gupta's Raid". Mumbai Mirror. Archived from the original on 15 September 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  13. ^ "More than 40 local actors to be seen on screen in Raid". The Times of India. 15 March 2018. Archived from the original on 14 July 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  14. ^ Misral, Itishree (18 September 2017). "Ajay Devgn braves the heat in Lucknow for film shoot". Times of India. The Times Group. Archived from the original on 31 October 2017. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  15. ^ Misral, Itishree (11 September 2017). "Ajay Devgn-Ileana D'Cruz begin shooting in Lucknow". Times of India. The Times Group. Archived from the original on 12 October 2018. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  16. ^ Bollywood Hungama News Network (11 September 2017). "WOW! Ajay Devgn's Raid goes on floors today". Bollywood Hungama. Hungama Digital Media Entertainment. Archived from the original on 15 September 2024. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  17. ^ The Hitlist Team (11 September 2017). "Taxing time for Ajay Devgn". Mid-Day. Mid-Day Infomedia. Archived from the original on 16 September 2017. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  18. ^ S. Premi (13 November 2013). "Income Tax officials raid Kanpur businessmen properties, unearth enormous haul". India Today. Archived from the original on 7 March 2021. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  19. ^ "How Raid filmmaker convinced a Lucknow-based I-T officer to part with his secret". Mid-Day. 24 February 2018. Archived from the original on 29 July 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  20. ^ "Raid movie review: Ajay Devgn, Ileana D'Cruz's film is repetitive and preachy". Hindustan Times. 18 March 2018. Archived from the original on 28 June 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  21. ^ Income Tax officials raid Kanpur businessmen properties, unearth enormous haul Archived 29 July 2018 at the Wayback Machine India Today, 13 November 2013.
  22. ^ "Raid (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)". iTunes. March 2018. Archived from the original on 5 November 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  23. ^ FE Online (17 March 2018). "Raid Box Office Collection: Ajay Devgn starrer earns over 10 crores on day 1". The Financial Express. The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 17 March 2018. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  24. ^ "Box Office: Ajay Devgn's realistic Raid collects Rs. 41.01 cr. in its opening weekend". Bollywood Hungama. 19 March 2018. Archived from the original on 15 September 2024. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  25. ^ "Ajay Devgn's Raid Wins in China. Will it Help Other Indian Films?". News18. 13 November 2018. Archived from the original on 8 April 2022. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  26. ^ Bollywood Hungama News Network (17 March 2018). "Box Office: Worldwide collections and day wise break up of Raid". Bollywood Hungama. Hungama Digital Media Entertainment. Archived from the original on 20 March 2018. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  27. ^ "Ajay Devgn's Raid 2 confirmed, here's everything you need to know". WION. 7 January 2024. Archived from the original on 5 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  28. ^ Goswami, Parismita (16 March 2018). "Raid movie review roundup: Ajay Devgn starrer is realistic, say critics, celebs". International Business Times. Archived from the original on 16 March 2018. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
  29. ^ "Raid (2018)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Archived from the original on 17 March 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  30. ^ Gupta, Rachit (15 March 2018). "Raid Movie Review". The Times of India. The Times Group. Archived from the original on 15 September 2024. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  31. ^ Chatterjee, Saibal. "Raid Movie Review: Ajay Devgn's Brooding Presence Makes This Riveting Fare". NDTV. NDTV Convergence. Archived from the original on 16 March 2018. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
  32. ^ Gupta, Shubhra (16 March 2018). "Raid movie review: The Ajay Devgn starrer is overlong and tepid". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 16 March 2018. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
  33. ^ Adarsh, Taran (15 March 2018). "Movie Review: Raid". Bollywood Hungama. Hungama Digital Media Entertainment. Archived from the original on 27 February 2021. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  34. ^ "Raid movie review: Ajay Devgn, Ileana D'Cruz's film is repetitive and preachy". Hindustan Times. 16 March 2018. Archived from the original on 11 May 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2018.     
  35. ^ "Raid Movie Review: Ajay Devgn Starrer is Promising But Runs Out of Steam Before The Finish Line". News18. 16 March 2018. Archived from the original on 15 September 2024. Retrieved 28 June 2018.     
  36. ^ "Ajay Devgn's Raid Wins in China. Will it Help Other Indian Films?". News18. 13 November 2018. Archived from the original on 11 January 2019. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  37. ^ "MMA Mirchi Music Awards". MMAMirchiMusicAwards. Archived from the original on 7 February 2019. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  38. ^ "11th Mirchi Music Awards: Complete list of winners – Times of India". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 9 August 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  39. ^ "Ajay Devgn to return with Raid 2, producers confirm script is under development". Hindustan Times. 23 April 2020. Archived from the original on 26 June 2024. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  40. ^ "Ajay Devgn's Raid 2 Shooting Begins". NDTV. 6 January 2024. Archived from the original on 7 January 2024. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  41. ^ "Ajay Devgn Starts Filming For 'Raid 2', Film To Release In November". The Times of India. 6 January 2024. Archived from the original on 7 January 2024. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  42. ^ "Ajay Devgn begins 'Raid 2' shooting. Film to release on November 15". India Today. 6 January 2024. Archived from the original on 6 January 2024. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  43. ^ "Raid 2 Release Date Postponed? Ajay Devgn Starrer Set To Hit Big Screens On THIS Date". Times Now. 8 August 2024. Archived from the original on 15 September 2024. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  44. ^ "Mr Bachchan is a mix of Raid and Raid 2 movies?". Deccan Chronicle. 7 July 2024. Archived from the original on 14 August 2024. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
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