Dispatch, directed by the talented Kanun Behl, has sparked widespread attention following its world premiere at the Mumbai Film Festival (MAMI) in October. The film features Manoj Bajpayee in a bold new avatar, offering intimate sex scenes for the first time in his career. The film, however, should not be judged merely for these scenes; it goes far beyond the surface, delving into complex human emotions and societal issues.
Dispatch marks the third feature of young filmmaker Kanun Behl, after his well-received earlier works, Titli (2014) and Agra (2023). The film was recently showcased at the 55th International Film Festival in Goa, where it was widely appreciated. Bajpayee, known for his powerhouse performances, delivers yet another remarkable turn as an ageing crime reporter.
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His portrayal of Joy Bag, a seasoned journalist, battling personal and professional turmoil, reminds audiences of his earlier comeback roles, including Aligarh and Gulmohar.
While Bajpayee’s portrayal of a middle-aged journalist tangled in corruption, betrayal, and violence is compelling, some may find his bold, sexually explicit scenes controversial. However, when we reflect on global cinematic icons like Marlon Brando in Last Tango in Paris or Michael Douglas in Basic Instinct, Bajpayee’s performance, despite its novelty, fits well within a long-standing tradition of great actors pushing boundaries.
The film, like many of Behl’s works, is set in the noir genre, focusing on themes of crime, greed, and death. It presents a gritty view of Mumbai, far removed from the glittering images often associated with India’s financial capital. Set against the backdrop of a crime-ridden city, Dispatch paints a bleak picture of how professional and personal lives intertwine, pushing individuals toward self-destruction.
While the film may appear to be inspired by the infamous Jyotirmoy Dey murder case in Mumbai, Behl has creatively altered characters and events to fit the narrative needs. Dey, a prominent crime journalist, was assassinated in 2011, allegedly by underworld figures. His reporting on crime syndicates, including Dawood Ibrahim and Chhota Rajan, led to the publication of books that exposed the underworld’s ties to politics and business.
In Dispatch, Bajpayee’s character, Joy Bag, works for a tabloid called Dispatch. As digital media begins to take over print, Bag faces a professional crisis with his newspaper launching an online version and appointing a younger reporter as his editor. This shift reflects the changing landscape of journalism. Meanwhile, Bag’s personal life is unravelling—his marriage is falling apart, and he seeks solace in fleeting sexual encounters with colleagues.
Bag’s life takes a dangerous turn when his investigation into a murder leads him to uncover a vast network of corporate and political corruption. His dogged pursuit of a story that connects India’s telecom scam to international criminal networks eventually puts him in danger. As he gathers evidence, he realizes that the very people he is investigating have infiltrated his newspaper, and now they are after him.
In a tense final act, Bag tries to flee, but he is pursued by assassins and eventually gunned down in broad daylight. His death, like that of many journalists in India, is met with indifference by the city he once served. His body lies on the street, unnoticed and uncared for, a stark commentary on the apathy towards truth in a corrupt society.
Dispatch is a hard-hitting exploration of the cost of truth, the collapse of traditional journalism, and the pervasive nature of corruption. Bajpayee’s performance, coupled with Kanun Behl’s direction and Siddharth Diwan’s striking cinematography, makes it a film that challenges viewers to confront uncomfortable realities.