Despatch (HD)

Story: A veteran crime journalist struggles to stay relevant as news goes digital. While chasing a career-defining story, he dives into Mumbai’s dark underworld and uncovers shocking secrets that could change everything.

Review: Despatch is set in a newsroom adapting to digitalization. It follows Joy Bag (Manoj Bajpayee), a senior crime journalist, who promises his editor stories on two major scams but stumbles upon a bigger ₹8,000 crore scandal. What begins as a routine investigation turns into a dangerous journey, putting Joy’s life and a powerful figure’s secrets at risk. The film explores whether Joy can uncover the truth—and at what cost.

Director-writer Kanu Behl and co-writer Ishani Banerjee create a layered story blending crime journalism, Mumbai’s underbelly, and billion-dollar scams. Joy connects these worlds while dealing with personal changes: he considers divorcing his wife, Shweta (Shahana Goswami), and deepening his relationship with colleague Prerna (Arrchita Agarwaal).

The story moves from smuggling and contract killing to high-stakes scandals, including the murder of a vigilance officer and leaked 2G tapes. Despite warnings, Joy risks everything to chase the truth. The film captures the intense world of crime journalism, where relationships with informers and sources can be life or death.

Cinematographer Siddharth Diwan brings Mumbai’s crime scenes and newsrooms to life with gritty visuals, while Sneha Khanwalker’s dark score enhances the film’s somber tone. However, the slow pacing sometimes makes the film feel less engaging.

The film’s strength lies in Joy, played brilliantly by Manoj Bajpayee. Joy is a flawed, desperate journalist, determined to stay relevant despite his mistakes. Supporting performances by Shahana Goswami, Arrchita Agarwaal, and Rii Sen add depth to the story.

Despatch effectively portrays the challenges of crime journalism and the value of life-changing information. Though it feels slow at times, it’s a solid one-time watch.