Rautu Ka Raaz is a murder mystery drama now streaming on Zee5, set in the Sewadham School nestled in a remote, serene village called Rautu Ki Beli. Life at this peaceful village was disrupted by the shocking news of the murder of the school warden, Sangeeta. This starts the investigation led by Inspector Deepak Negi, who dives into the mystery to uncover the truth behind her death. Throughout the film, we meet various characters whose roles and motives unfold in this suspenseful drama. Join us as we explore this cast and character guide to learn the secrets of Rautu Ka Raaz.
Spoilers Ahead
Deepak Negi
Deepak Negi, played by Nawazuddin Siddiqui, is an Uttarakhand police officer stationed in the remote Rautu Ki Beli area. He is an example of a simple, rule-abiding cop deeply committed to his job. His dedication to his profession has been something else, even at the expense of his personal life. Years ago, he left his home and his beloved Naina for the sake of his career. Tragically, he couldn’t be there for Naina when she passed away, a loss that continues to haunt him to this day. He is tormented by nightmares and struggles with insomnia. That’s why he has quite the reputation of a disturbed soul among his colleagues and the local community. Even though he had personal problems, Deepak was serious about his professional duties. His commitment is such that he hasn’t returned home since Naina’s death, although he dutifully supports his parents financially and provides for their needs. When he was assigned to investigate the death of Warden Sangeeta, he was the one who insisted on an autopsy, even though the death initially appeared natural. Discovering it was a murder, he started the investigation by working tirelessly day and night.
As the investigation progressed, Deepak identified Rajat, a blind student at Sewadham School, as the murderer. But even though Deepak knew the truth, he couldn’t bring himself to arrest the young boy. We see Deepak’s internal struggle with justice and morality in his handling of Rajat’s case. He believed Rajat had reasons for his actions and felt that the boy, still young, had the potential to change and understand the difference between right and wrong as he grew older. Deepak, older and more experienced, found himself questioning his own sense of justice. He realized that perhaps he was no longer fit to serve as a police officer. This self-awareness led him to resign from his position and return to his village and his parents as he sought peace and redemption. Through the investigation, Deepak found a form of liberation by letting go of the memory of Naina and making peace with her death. He ultimately framed Govind, a secretary at the school and a known molester of a young girl named Payal, for the murder of Sangeeta. In his eyes, Govind deserved the punishment. His actions suggest that justice is not always black and white, and maybe it requires making morally ambiguous decisions sometimes.Â
Sangeeta
Narayani Shastri, also known as Sangeeta, is the warden of the physically challenged school named Sewadham School. We see her using her authority in ways that are often harsh and manipulative. Despite her conservative nature toward the outside world, she engaged in morally questionable actions behind the scenes. Sangeeta showed no emotional connection to the children at the school and maintained a strict and unsympathetic attitude, especially towards those with disabilities. She believed they needed no special care or consideration. She harshly criticized and mocked Rajat and Diya for their innocent relationship and compared them to Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol mockingly. This led to Diya being expelled from the school by her for holding hands with Rajat, which showcases Sangeeta’s intolerance towards genuine emotions. Despite portraying herself as conservative, Sangeeta engaged in a romantic relationship with Manoj Kesari, the school trustee. She exploited him for financial gains even though she knew he was married and even pressured him to sell the school’s land for personal profit, even though she knew Kesari cared deeply for the school and its students. However, Sangeeta helped save Payal from Govind’s hands as he was about to molest the unfortunate blind girl. Despite knowing how Payal was being tortured, Sangeeta did not care for her and did not even take her to the hospital, and was ultimately responsible for her death. But the terrible thing was that Sangeeta showed no remorse, was cold-hearted, and claimed she handled the matter as if Payal were not human, and she made no mention of her even though the young child died as a result of her ignorance. All she cared about was getting all these kids out of school so that the land could be sold and she could make money from it after they end up building luxurious buildings in that place. Ultimately, her greed blinded her, leading her to be murdered by one of the kids from her own school that she dismissed so much, Rajat.
Rajat
Rajat was a student at Sewadham School, where he shared a close bond with his friend Diya. They often spent time together, holding hands and enjoying each other’s company. However, their innocent relationship was mocked by Sangeeta, the strict warden. She ridiculed them and called them names like “Shah Rukh and Kajol,” and eventually expelled Diya from the school by saying that she was setting bad examples for the other students. It left Rajat alone and heartbroken. As Rajat coped with this loss, he discovered something even more disturbing about Sangeeta. He found out that she was planning to sell the school’s land for her own gain, despite knowing the harm it would cause to the school and its students. This revelation angered Rajat deeply. He also learned that Sangeeta had been involved in the tragic death of another student, Payal, and feared she might harm Diya too. Driven by a mix of revenge and a sense of justice, Rajat decided to kill Sangeeta. He waited for the right moment, as he knew her nighttime habits well. While she slept peacefully, Rajat injected air into her bloodstream, which caused a fatal air embolism. It was a quiet but deliberate act to ensure that Sangeeta could no longer harm anyone else. In this way, Rajat sought to avenge Diya’s expulsion, seek justice for Payal, and prevent Sangeeta from carrying out her selfish plans for the school.
Manoj Kesari
Manoj Kesari, played by Atul Tiwari, was the trustee of Sewadham School. Despite being married, he had a secret relationship with the warden, Sangeeta. He kept this affair hidden because he feared it would damage his reputation if it got exposed. He can be a bit of a womanizer, but this doesn’t mean he is a bad person. In fact, Kesari cared deeply about the students at the school, especially the visually impaired students, for whom he arranged donations. He was strongly opposed to selling the school’s land because he understood how much it would harm the students and the school itself.
