Raja Natwarlal(2014)
Raja Natwarlal is a 2014 Indian Hindi-language crime thriller film directed by Kunal Deshmukh and produced by Siddharth Roy Kapur under UTV Motion Pictures. The film stars Emraan Hashmi as a small-time con man, alongside Paresh Rawal, Kay Kay Menon, Humaima Malik, and Deepak Tijori. The story follows Raja, who seeks revenge against a powerful gangster after his partner is murdered, by enlisting the help of a retired master con artist. The plot moves from Mumbai to Dharamshala and Cape Town, blending revenge, romance, and elaborate cons. The film was released on August 29, 2014, and received mixed reviews from critics, with praise for the performances of Paresh Rawal and Kay Kay Menon but criticism for its pacing and songs. It was previously titled 'Shaatir'.
Quick Facts
- Theatrical Release
- 29 August 2014
- Director
- Kunal Deshmukh
- Language
- Hindi
- Runtime
- 2h 21m
- Rating
- 5.6/10
Storyline
A small-time con man named Raja loses his partner to a ruthless gangster. He seeks out a retired master con artist named Yogi to help him take revenge. Together, they hatch an elaborate plan to con the gangster using a fake cricket memorabilia auction. But Raja has a hidden agenda that even Yogi does not know about.
“The biggest con is the one you never see coming.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Raja Natwarlal
Cast reunions in this film: Paresh Rawal & Deepak Tijori (4 films together), Paresh Rawal & Kay Kay Menon (3 films together), and Emraan Hashmi & Kunal Deshmukh (3 films together).
Trivia
- The film's title character is inspired by the real-life con man Natwarlal, known for selling the Taj Mahal and Red Fort multiple times.
- Actor Paresh Rawal was initially considered for the role of the main antagonist, which ultimately went to Kay Kay Menon.
- The song 'Mere Sapno Ki Rani' from the 1969 film 'Aradhana' is recreated in a club sequence as a tribute.
- Director Kunal Deshmukh described the movie as a 'con film' rather than a typical revenge drama, focusing on the mechanics of the scam.
- The film underperformed at the box office, failing to recover its reported production budget of around 40 crore rupees.
- A key plot device involves cricket betting, reflecting a common illegal gambling scene in India at the time.
- This was one of the last films produced by the banner UTV Motion Pictures before its complete integration into Disney.