Trailer drops for ZEE5 Original Film, ‘Despatch’; Manoj Bajpayee’s Journalist Character Faces Death Threats in His Quest to Uncover Dangerous Scams

~ After multiple festival rounds like MAMI, IFFI and JFF, ‘Despatch’ is set to premiere on ZEE5 on 13^th December ~

National, 3^rd December 2024: What happens when the pursuit of a breaking news leads you straight into danger? ZEE5’s highly anticipated investigative crime thriller, Despatch is about to answer that question in the most thrilling way possible. After debuting at the prestigious MAMI Film Festival 2024 followed by a special screening at the 55^th Internation Film Festival of India (IFFI), Despatch is all set to premiere on ZEE5 on December 13. Produced by Ronnie Screwvala’s RSVP Movies and directed by the acclaimed filmmaker, Kanu Behl, of Titli and Agra fame, Despatch stars Manoj Bajpayee as Joy Bag, a crime journalist who becomes embroiled in a dangerous investigation that threatens to unravel his life. The film also stars Shahana Goswami, Arrchita Agarwaal, Ritu Parna Sen, Dilip Shankar, Riju Bajaj and others in supporting roles.

The exciting yet intriguing trailer gives a sneak peek into the gripping tale of a journalist’s descent into darkness offering a bold and unfiltered take on crime and society. Crime journalist Joy Bag sets out on a perilous journey to uncover the truth behind a sinister scam, unknowingly placing his life in grave danger. With mounting threats from unknown enemies urging him to abandon the case, Joy’s pursuit of a breaking story becomes a dangerous game. But as the stakes rise, Joy finds himself caught in a storm far bigger than he anticipated.

Despatch explores Joy’s turbulent struggle as he navigates the complex seas of media corruption, power battles, and personal difficulties. Will he expose the dark secrets of Mumbai’s criminal underworld, or will the truth destroy him first?

Director Kanu Behl shared, “I began working on Despatch in 2016, and after immersive research, we uncovered a treasure trove of untold, jaw-dropping stories about the world of journalism, particularly those navigating the dangerous Mumbai underworld. Our goal was not to create just a thriller, but to dive into the flawed, human side of investigative journalism—showing the raw, gritty truth behind the headlines. Once the script was in place, we knew no one but Manoj Bajpayee could bring the character of Joy Bag to life – and he is nothing short of spectacular in the film. With an extraordinary cast including Shahana Goswami and Arrchita Agarwal, I can say that Despatch is an electrifying ride that I can’t wait for audiences to experience!”

Ronnie Screwvala, RSVP Movies said, “With Despatch, we are thrilled to present a gripping narrative that pushes the boundaries of storytelling in Indian cinema. Manoj Bajpayee’s stellar performance accompanied by Shahana Goswami and Arrchita Agarwal’s ace acting presented together by Kanu Behl’s unique vision have brought an edge to this exciting tale. Our long standing collaboration with ZEE5 has been instrumental in ensuring such bold stories reach a global audience, reaffirming our commitment to delivering premium content to viewers everywhere.”

Actor Manoj Bajpayee expressed, “After multiple festival rounds like MAMI, IFFI and JFF, we are incredibly excited for the release of Despatch on ZEE5. My association with ZEE5 goes a long way and post the success of Dial 100, Silence and Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai, we are thrilled to bring forth another engaging and entertaining film which is sure to keep the viewers hooked to the screen. I have undergone intense prep work for this role and Kanu is a tough taskmaster who has pushed us beyond our comfort to deliver our absolute best, so we hope that this movie strikes a chord with the viewers and pushes us to do better”.

Shahana Goswami shared, “It’s been first and foremost an opportunity to work with Kanu Behl, a director I admire hugely, and even more so after working with him, and then to be able to play off the incredible talent and presence of an actor like Manoj Bajpayee. It’s been a dream. The experience has been so rewarding. And now I can’t wait for the world to watch all the amazing talent in the film including the very talented debutant Arrchita Agarwal.”

Arrchita Agarwal added, “I feel incredibly grateful to have had the chance to mark my debut with a film like Despatch, with a director like Kanu Behl and with a co-star like Manoj Bajpayee. Working on this film was a masterclass in direction and acting as Kanu sir and Manoj sir are absolute geniuses at what they do. Due to the generosity of both these men, I did not feel like a newcomer on set but instead felt very comfortable to go on shoot every day, make mistakes and deliver my absolute best. I cannot thank the team of Despatch enough for being so incredibly encouraging and nurturing and now with the film releasing on ZEE5, I hope that more and more people watch this film, notice my work and remember me for this role”.

Catch the premiere of ZEE5 Original Film, ‘Despatch’ on December 13!