The 2018 Bollywood film Raid is based on the real-life income-tax raid conducted by the officers of the Income Tax Department on Sardar Inder Singh in the 1980s which distinguished itself from others for being the longest raid in Indian history, lasting 3 days and 2 nights.
The film follows Amay Patnaik, an honest and upright Income Tax officer who is transferred to Lucknow. He receives an anonymous tip that Rameshwar Singh, a powerful politician, and businessman, is involved in money laundering. Amay and his team raid Rameshwar's mansion, but they are met with resistance from his family and henchmen. Amay is determined to find the evidence he needs to bring Rameshwar to justice, but he faces an uphill battle.
The real-life raid took place on 16 July 1981, when a team of over 90 Income Tax officers raided the mansion of Sardar Inder Singh, a businessman and Congress MLA from Kanpur. The raid lasted for three days and two nights, and it resulted in the seizure of over ₹420 crores (equivalent to ₹13 billion in 2022) in cash and gold.
The raid was a significant blow to Sardar Inder Singh's political career, and he was eventually convicted of tax evasion and sentenced to prison. The Raid also served as a warning to other corrupt politicians and businessmen, and it helped to improve the image of the Income Tax Department.
The film Raid is a fictionalized account of the real-life raid, but it is largely accurate in depicting the events. The film's director, Raj Kumar Gupta, has said that he wanted to make a film that would "capture the spirit of the raid" and "show the courage and determination of the Income Tax officers who conducted it." In this film, Ajay Devgn is portraying the character of Amay Patnaik.
The film was a critical and commercial success, and it helped to raise awareness of the issue of corruption in India. Raid is a well-made and engaging film that tells a compelling story. It is a must-watch for fans of crime thrillers and anyone interested in the Indian political system.
