Killer Soup: Abhishek Chaubey Cooks A Delicious Meal With An Ode To The Works Of Both Shakespeare And Virginia Wolf

An impressive OTT debut by Abhishek Chaubey.

3.5

Killer Soup (Hindi)

  • Cast:  Manoj Bajpayee, Konkana Sen Sharma, Nassar, Sayaji Shinde, and Lal
  • Director: Abhishek Chaubey
  • Producers: Honey Tehran and Chetana Koshwik
  • Original Score: Benedict Taylor and Naresh Chandavarkar
  • No. of episodes: 8
  • OTT platform: Netflix

Abhishek Chaubey has proved to be more than a worthy protégé to the master filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj. Starting from Ishqiya in 2010, he has created a space for himself in the industry.

Abhishek Chaubey’s movies have never been part of the big clubs, but he has earned a certain respect among moviegoers.

A case in point is 2016’s Udta Punjab, which ruffled many feathers for its honest portrayal of the drug situation in Punjab.

Now, he has made his OTT debut with Killer Soup, which has been anticipated for more than one reason: The lead actors, Manoj Bajpayee and Konkana Sen Sharma, who have proved their proficiency by playing distinct roles in both movies and web shows.

Additionally, the subject of Killer Soup is based on some real-life incidents. There is an uncanny similarity to a murder that happened in Telangana. A woman called Swathi Reddy killed her husband and burned his body with the help of her lover Rajesh.

Well, without much ado, let’s check the synopsis.

Synopsis

Manoj Bajpayee in Killer Soup
Manoj Bajpayee in ‘Killer Soup’. (X)

The setting of Killer Soup is the fictional town of Mainjur in South India. The story opens with the happy photographs of husband and wife Swathi (Konkana Sen Sharma) and Prabhu (Manoj Bajpayee). And then, we move to their daily routine, which includes Swathi preparing paya soup.

On the other hand, Prabhu chooses what to wear from his huge collection of printed shirts. Swathi aspires to open her restaurant where the star dish would be the paya soup.

Prabhu makes lofty promises to Swathi but does nothing substantial to help her achieve her goal. He maintains an image of a god-like man.

Swathi leads a double life. She wears a burkha and goes outside to meet two people. One is the woman who teaches her cooking, and the other is her lover Umesh (Manoj Bajpayee again).

Things turn drastically at the end of the first episode when Prabhu catches Swathi and Umesh.

From here begins a roller coaster of a journey where Umesh ends up replacing Prabhu. What follows is a delicious mix of a dark comedy and an investigative thriller.

Analysis

Konkona Sen Sharma in Killer Soup
Konkona Sen Sharma in ‘Killer Soup’. (X)

One of the things that stand out in Killer Soup is the mix of different languages.

All the characters alternate between English, Hindi, and Tamil. The vocabulary and diction have an authentic feel and don’t sound jarring at any point.

Abhishek Chaubey does a wonderful job of creating a lived-in world.

Anuj Rakesh Dhawan’s cinematography needs to be commended.

Killer Soup also has some impressive social commentary through the character of Konkana Sen Sharma.

Swathi is someone who has a single-minded ambition of opening her restaurant. There is a visible desperation in her need for respect and social stature. Here, the viewers are reminded of Sobhita Dhulipala’s Tara from Made in Heaven (2019 and 2023).

Swathi is not the only one who wants to have an identity of her own. Her niece Apeksha (Anula Navleker) dreams of getting enrolled in a fine arts school in Paris to escape her controlling family.

Shakespearean touch

Abhishek Chaubey's directorial Killer Soup
Abhishek Chaubey’s directorial ‘Killer Soup’. (X)

Abhishek Chaubey has also done a good job of incorporating the Shakespeare elements.

Hassan (Nassar), a cop, is on the cusp of retirement and wants to end his career on a high.

Aiding him in this investigation is the ghost of a private detective Kiran Nadar (Bagavathi Perumal). This ghost is visible only to Hassan and gives him valuable support whenever the senior officer is in the doldrums.

The director has used the technique of magic realism in the scenes where Hassan interacts with the ghost. Some viewers will feel a sense of absurdity but it is also equally fun to watch.

The characters of Swathi and Umesh have also been humanised. For example, Umesh has pangs of guilt and expresses his frustration of being in the shoes of someone else.

In the case of Swathi, there are occasions where she does come across as a lady Macbeth with her manipulative ways but at the same time, she has a genuine fondness for Apeksha that comes out on more than one occasion.

The supporting characters have also been written with a lot of care. The best examples of this are Sayaji Shinde and Nassar. Sayaji Shinde is a delight to watch as a no-nonsense man. He is the elder brother of Prabhu.

Nassar as the determined cop brings in a lot of integrity to his scenes. The actor also leaves you in splits in his interactions with the ghost.

Performances

As far as the lead actors are concerned, Konkana and Manoj Bajpayee are simply magical together and individually.

Konkana pulls off the different moods with absolute panache —going from loving to scary without any fumble.

Manoj Bajpayee is also wonderful, particularly as bumbling Umesh, who has no control over what is happening around him.

A slight flaw in the Killer Soup web series is the role of Malayalam actor Lal’s Lucas. Lucas is hinted to be a rebel leader before working for Sayaji Shinde’s Aravind, but the characterisation feels sketchy.

Lal makes a solid impression, but a better characterisation would have enhanced the performance.

Also, the editing leaves something to be desired at places.

Verdict

In all, Killer Soup is definitely a dish worth tasting. Abhishek Chaubey has made an impressive digital debut.

(Views expressed here are personal.)

Mumbai Diaries Season 2: A Brilliant Story Of Human Triumph Against All Odds

Much like Season 1, director Nikhil Advani successfully delivers a web show that is high on both thrills and emotions.

For those who haven’t seen the first season of Mumbai Diaries (2021), the plot was about the events that took place amidst the terrorist attacks in Mumbai. At the centre of this story were the doctors in the fictional Bombay General Hospital.

In Mumbai Diaries Season 2, director and creator Nikhil Advani focuses his lens on unfortunate events that took place when Mumbai city was submerged under the floods. He skillfully recreates how the Mumbaikars survived nature’s wrath and their fighting spirit.

Once again, you have the doctors and their staff, who are struggling to save the ailing patients. This time, the challenges are related to infrastructure in the hospital and of course, their personal demons.

For example, Dr Kaushik Oberoi (Mohit Raina) is under severe media trial due to the grieving wife of an ATS chief Mrs Kelkar (Sonali Kulkarni). She blames him for the death of her husband as he couldn’t save him.

Additionally, Oberoi chooses to treat a dreaded terrorist on that fateful night.

On the other hand, there is Chitra Das (Konkana Sen Sharma) who has a traumatic past that is related to her ex-husband Dr Saurav (Parambrata Chattopadhyay).

Dr Saurav visits the hospital on the same night with a delegation comprising of London-based doctors.

Initially, the viewers are made to believe that Dr Saurav’s presence in the hospital is only a coincidence. However, as the story progresses, there is much more to this tale than what meets the eye.

In a nutshell, the story is about how these groups of doctors battle both the unfavourable weather and their personal demons.

A big plus for Mumbai Diaries Season 2 is how the screenwriters have built a sense of urgency through the writing.

The viewers feel an emotional connection towards these doctors and want them to emerge victorious both professionally and personally.

Performances

The performances across the board are brilliant with the standouts being Mohit Raina and Konkana Sen Sharma.

Mohit Raina does a brilliant job of conveying both the inner turmoil and the fighting spirit of Dr Kaushik Oberoi.

Konkana Sen Sharma is wonderful in displaying both the vulnerability and steeliness of Chitra Das. Her subplot with the junior doctor Ahaan (Satyajeet Dubey) has some wonderful moments.

Satyajeet Dubey’s character is attracted towards Chitra Das.

Amidst an intense scene with his fellow junior doctors, Ahaan bursts out about how he brought tickets to watch Love Aaj Kal (2009) with Chitra Das. This brings a smile to the viewer’s face.

A refreshing change from the first season is the character arc of Mansi (Shreya Dhanwantary). Her part was a weak link in the first part, But, this time around, Mansi has been etched out much better.

Coming to the negatives, the show could have done with crisper editing. A couple of narratives have been stretched needlessly. These include a queer character that slows down the proceedings.

Ashutosh Pathak’s background score is another major winner. His work is particularly praiseworthy in intense scenes.

The background score helps in further elevating the performances.

Another noteworthy aspect of this web series is the production design of Priya Suhass. There is an authenticity to how the flood scenes have been recreated.

Final take

To sum it up, Mumbai Diaries Season 2 makes the viewers wish that Nikhil Advani comes up with a Season 3.

(Views expressed here are personal.)

Lust Stories 2: An Engrossing Anthology About Love, Sex, And Desire

Much like its predecessor ‘Lust Stories’ (released in 2018), ‘Lust Stories 2’ also offers a fresh perspective on female desires.

Lust Stories (2018) — directed by Zoya Akhtar, Dibakar Banerjee, Anurag Kashyap, and Karan Johar — was a well-made anthology about female desire.

The protagonists in these segments belong to different generations, socio-economic statuses, and upbringings. But the common aspect that bound them was sex and lust.

The standout story in Lust Stories was the short directed by Zoya Akhtar. Her story was about a domestic worker and her boss. Zoya expertly tackled the issue of a class divide through the lens of lust.

Now, after a gap of five years, you have Lust Stories 2. Much like its predecessor, this also offers a fresh perspective on female desire.

Made For Each Other

Lust Stories 2 begins with R Balki short Made For Each Other. This short primarily looks at checking sexual compatibility before marriage. It opens with Veda (Mrunal Thakur) and Arjun (Angad Bedi).

You have both families discussing when their marriage should take place. At that exact moment, Veda’s  daadi (grandmother, played by Neena Gupta) asks Veda whether she and Arjun had pre-marital sex.

As expected, this leads to a complete silence in the room. Daadi also adds that checking sexual compatibility before marriage is as important as doing a test drive before buying a car.

In the hands of a lesser actor, daadi’s dialogue may have sounded awkward. However, Neena Gupta makes the cool daadi work with her natural performance. Her scenes with Mrunal in particular are very good to watch.

Mrunal Thakur and Angad Bedi don’t have a lot to work with. Nevertheless, they make for a good lovey-dovey couple.

The Mirror

The Mirror, directed by Konkana Sen Sharma, is more intense than Balki’s short.

Isheeta (Tillotama Shome) is an individual leading a mundane life. She has repressed sexual desires.

But one day, things take a significant turn when she accidentally sees her domestic help (Amruta Subhash) engaging in a sexual act with her husband in her house (Isheeta’s).

Instead of confronting the domestic help, Isheeta gets drawn to the scene. She gets a lot of pleasure from watching them.

This segment primarily looks at the inner desires of Isheeta and the complexities that arise from her voyeurism. This short also shows that lust knows no caste, colour or gender.

Both Tillotama and Amruta Subhash are in wonderful form with their uninhibited performances. Though it reminds you of Zoya Akhtar’s short in Lust Stories, Konkana adds many more layers.

Sex With Ex

Sujoy Ghosh’s Sex With Ex is a thriller in typical Sujoy Ghosh’s style. This segment of Lust Stories 2 doesn’t completely draw you in, but it isn’t a complete waste either.

David Chauhan (Vijay Varma) is involved in an accident on the outskirts of a town. While searching for a mechanic he visits a hamlet where he runs into his ex-wife Shanti (Tamannaah Bhatia).

Shanti was assumed to be dead for a long time. Expectedly, this reunion brings a flood of memories.

The best part of this segment is the real-life sensuality that Tamannaah and Vijay Varma bring to the table. The twist at the end also takes you by surprise.

Tilchatta

The last chapter of Lust Stories 2 is Tilchatta (Cockroach) directed by Amit Ravindernath Sharma.

It deals with two issues mainly — firstly, it is about an upper-caste man who still feels that he is living in the age of kings; secondly, it is about a woman trying to find her agency in an abusive marriage.

The patriarch here is Kumud Mishra and the married woman is Kajol.

Tilchatta takes place in a sprawling haveli. Amit Ravindernath Sharma does a wonderful job of bringing out the toxicity and suffocation that Chanda (Kajol) and her son are going through in that large space.

There is an affecting subplot concerning sex workers since Chanda was a sex worker before getting into this haveli. This subplot adds more heft to the drama.

Both Kajol and Kumud Mishra bring their A-game. Kumud Mishra shows once again why he is considered a brilliant actor. He is absolutely terrific as the torchbearer of patriarchy. The way he unabashedly gazes at the bodies of women with so much lust makes the viewers hate him.

Kajol, as the woman trying to find her agency, conveys a lot with just her body language. As viewers, you want her to take the bold step which she eventually does, although things don’t go exactly according to the plan.

Verdict

Much like Lust StoriesLust Stories 2 also makes a bold attempt at bringing taboo topics to the forefront through the digital space.

(Views expressed here are personal.)

Mumbai Diaries Season 1

The horrors of 26/11 are something that has a deep emotional impact even today. Not surprisingly various filmmakers have chosen this topic and have weaved films or in this case a web series around it. For example there is Ramgopal Varma’s 26/11 which dealt with how the terrorists travelled and launched several attacks at various places in South Mumbai. There is also Hotel Mumbai which was about a hotel staff risking their lives to save the frightened guests from the terrorist’s attacks. Out of these two Hotel Mumbai fared better in dealing with the subject.

Directors Nikhil Advani and Nikhil Gonsalves pen a fictional story around the real incidents and place it in a crowded, chaotic and low- on resources government hospital. The doctors and the nurses here are stretched to their limits as victims of gunshots are wheeled in one after another on the night of November 26. However Mumbai Diaries is much more than just a medical thriller.

Yes medical professionals are at the core of the story but they are not the only people under the spotlight. Mumbai Diaries is about the spirit that the people showed on that particular day. It was a night where the city didn’t have the option of dozing off. It had to be on its toes to fight this unexpected attack.

Nikhil Advani and Gonsalves are successful in making a thriller that is both heartbreaking and heart stopping. It is a series which hits you in the guts and makes you applaud the courage and determination that both men and women showed in the face of death.

The series begins off with the introduction of surgeon Kaushik Oberoi (Mohit Raina). He is a workaholic professional who loves taking on challenges but with the tendency of flaunting rules and regulations in the line of duty. The hospital’s chief played by Prakash Belawadi has issues with Kaushik but he still supports him as Kaushik is a highly efficient doctor. The second most important character in the hospital is that of Chitra Das (Konkana Sen Sharma). She is someone who has had a bad marriage; Chitra is struggling to get rid of scars that have left an impact both in her mind and heart. But she isn’t someone who let’s that come in her way of duty. Chitra does her job with utmost seriousness and never shies away from fighting for what she believes is right.

On that fateful day three trainers come to work under Kaushik Oberoi. These are Divya Parek (Natasha Bardhwaj), Sujata Ajawale (Mrunmayee Deshpande) and Ahan Mirza (Satyajit Dubey). Out of these three Divya Parek comes from a privileged section as her grandfather had funded a key wing of the hospital. Alongside the hospital there is also a five star hotel under attack.

An important part of Mumbai Diaries is how the directors deal with the media’s ethically questionable choices. This is presented through the character of Mansi Hirani ( Shreya Dhanwarthy). Mansi is someone with a single minded agenda of chasing scoops. In order to achieve her goal she puts herself and also others at risk. Through her character the directors make some valid points, the redemption arc of Mansi has also been done well.

Another good thing about the series is the restraint that has been shown. The series never pits one nation against another or one religion against other. It is about terror versus humanity. Mumbai Diaries never loses sight of the emotions that are at play.

The female characters of the show are something that can easily have a show of their own. The two female characters that particularly stand out are that of Konkana Sen Sharma and Nitya Bardhwaj.

The etching of the characters is another applause worthy point. There are no superheroes here. All of them come with their own inner demons and are forced to confront them. They all have their backs to the walls both professionally and personally.

Mumbai Diaries is crowded with lot of actors and each of them have their moment. The ones who stand out are Mohit Raina, Konkana Sen Sharma, Nitya Bardhwaj and Satyajit Dubey. Mumbai Diaries is a web show which should been on the top of your list.

Ajeeb Daastaans: An Uneven Anthology Saved By Neeraj Ghaywan And Kayoze Irani

Ajeeb Daastaans has interesting ideas at its core but it could have been far better. Out of the four stories only two stand out. One is Neeraj Ghaywan’s Geeli Pucchi starring Konkona Sen Sharma and Aditi Rao Hydari. In this approximately 40 minutes film the director combines the themes of caste, sexuality and womanhood. Kayoze Irani’s Ankahi on the other hand is a heartwarming story with winning performances from Shefali Shah and Manav Kaul. Below is my brief analysis of the four films.

  1.  Majnu directed by Shashank Khaitan- Majnu revolves around a couple who end up together because of a business alliance and as a result struggle to find happiness. Things take a turn when a third person Raj played by Armaan Ralhan turns up. He turns their life upside down. The biggest issue with this story is Mirzapur hangover. Right from the atmospherics to the dialogues you are heavily reminded of that series. There isn’t much here to appreciate but there are a couple of positives. One of them is the unexpected revelation of Jaideep Ahlawat’s character. It comes in when you are least expecting it. The other positive is the performance of Fatima Sana Sheikh. The actress does a good job. Jaideep Ahlawat on the other hand looks lost which is strange considering how good he was in last year’s Paatal Lok.
  2.  Khilona directed by Raj Mehta – Director Raj Mehta’s Khilauna is an earnest attempt at highlighting the gap between rich and poor. It does succeed in making you uncomfortable but it is not in a good way. Nushrrat Bharuccha and Inayat Verma play sisters who have strong survival instincts. Sushil played by Abhishek Banerjee is a laundry man who loves Nushrrat Bharuccha’s Meenal. When her illegal electricity connection is terminated she decides to use her sexuality. In spite of strong performances by Bharrucha and Inayat Verma this segment suffers because of cramming too many things. Raj Mehta is not able to humanize the character of Meenal. Too much time is spent on her sexuality.
  3.  Geeli Puchhi directed by Neeraj Ghawyan – Geeli Puchhi is easily the best one out of the four. In its crisp run time the director addresses caste, sexuality and womanhood in an impactful way. In fact a whole movie can be created out of this short story and it would make for an interesting film. Konkana Sen Sharma plays a Dalit assembly line worker and Aditi Rao Hydari is the Brahmin data operator who has been given the job that Konkan’s character wanted.

Historical faultiness stand between these two but they have a mutual attraction which draws them together. However the limits of their mutual attraction are revealed in a quiet but devastating manner. There is also a clever node to 36 Chowringhee Lane which was directed by konkana’s mother Aparna Sen.

Konkana delivers a super performance as usual. With her body language she conveys the multiple battlefronts that a woman faces at any given point. Aditi Rao Hydari gives a pleasant surprise as a seemingly immature woman who is a rebel in her own way.

  •  Ankahi directed by Kayoze Irani- Ankahi is a heartwarming story which works more because of the treatment and also the chemistry between Shefali Shah and Manav Kaul. Shefali plays Natasha the mother of a teenager who is slowly losing her hearing. Natasha and her husband Rohan are drifting apart because of the strain. A welcome distraction arrives for Natasha when she meets a deaf photographer Kabir played by Manav Kaul. Kabir touches Natasha’s heart with sign language and oodles of charm.

What keeps this segment afloat is the way the characters of Natasha and Kabir have been written. It also helps that both the actors share a wonderful chemistry. The scenes between them are sure to bring a smile on your face, especially the one filmed in Kabir’s art gallery. While Shefali Shah stands out Manav Kaul also wins hearts with his charming performance.

To sum it up Ajeeb Daastaans is a mixture of good and not so good stories. It is an earnest attempt but it never comes across as a whole.