Aitraaz
2004 · Directed by Abbas Alibhai Burmawalla, Mustan Alibhai Burmawalla
Original language: Hindi
- thriller
- romance
- drama
The story
Raj, a married man, is falsely accused of rape by his ex-girlfriend who is also his employer's wife. He decides to sue her for sexual harassment despite societal pressures.
What it’s like
Glossy, saturated studio color and polished corporate interiors: glass-walled offices, dark wood boardrooms, and bright, slightly stylized Mumbai apartments, with swooping camera moves and tightly staged courtroom confrontations. Songs break up the tension, and the score pulses with thriller stings that push the suspense forward. The mood is slick melodrama, glamorous and self-consciously dramatic, with a cool, conspiratorial undertow that builds in a steady sequence of reveals and flashbacks. Pacing is brisk and twisty, with a long middle that circles back to earlier scenes. Intensity is moderate: the central allegation of sexual assault drives the story and is discussed in courtroom and domestic scenes, with suggestive romance and some tense physical confrontations, but no graphic sexual content and little gore. Emotional register swings between romantic longing, anger and shame, with a protagonist caught between his reputation and his conscience. It suits a Friday night with friends, a fast-paced rewatch, or a viewer who enjoys Bollywood thrillers with courtroom drama, gossip-column glamour and a plot that keeps turning. Not suited to anyone wanting something gentle or wanting the subject of sexual harassment handled lightly.
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