Hindi Webseries Reviews – Page 2

July 14, 2025July 18, 2025

The Hunt: The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case: A gripping manhunt

Amit Sial, Sahil Vaid and co

The best thing about this Nagesh Kukunoor directed web series is the multiple perspectives. This includes both the special investigative team and also the perpetrators behind the assassination of late Rajiv Gandhi. The quote of “One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter,” has been explored well

Starcast: Amit Sial, Sahil Vaid, Bhagavati Perumal, Girish Sharma, Shafeeq Mustafa and others

Genre: Crime thriller

Director: Nagesh Kukunoor

Story: Rohit G. Banawilkar, Nagesh Kukunoor and Sriram Rajan

Based on: Ninety Days: The True story of the Hunt For Rajeev Gandhi Assassins

Producers: Nagesh Kukunoor and Sameer Nair

Production Companies: Applause Entertainment and Kukunoor movies

Cinematography: Sangram Giri

No of episodes: 7

Streaming site: SonyLIV

2025 has been a fantastic year for Applause Entertainment with consecutive hit web shows starting from Black Warrant and Criminal Justice Season 4, now their latest web show The Hunt: The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case has opened to rave reviews. The Hunt truly deserves all the praise that has come its way. The broad storyline of this Nagesh Kukunoor directorial has shades of Shoojit Sircar’s Madras Cafe also based on the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, however the tone and also the timeline varies significantly. Madras Cafe was about the events leading up to the assassination of Rajeev Gandhi due to India’s intervention in SriLankan’s Civil War. This web series though focuses on the manhunt following the assassination. Apart from being an investigative thriller Nagesh Kukunoor and his writers have also dwelt into the political tensions.

Madras Cafe directed by Shoojit Sircar

A major strength of The Hunt web series is the depiction of numerous challenges faced by the CBI team. How the squad gradually assembles all the pieces to track down the LTTE operatives in a terrain where the LTTE has widespread sympathy has been wonderfully written and enacted. The constant game of wits between the two sides plays out in a gripping fashion keeping the viewers thoroughly engrossed about the outcome.

Nagesh Kukunoor also deserves praise for the balance of intense moments with the personal side. There is a portion of the feared Sivarasan and the aid Suba (Gouri Padamkumar) enjoying a Rajinikanth movie like any normal couple. Similarly, there is a scene of Subha painting her nail while guarding the hideout with a rifle. These moments are lovely to watch. On the other hand, you have two investigators exchanging their views on the food in North versus South, this is just before meeting an informant. This juxtaposition of the professional investigation and some carefree moments makes the show very enjoyable.

Through the track of LTTE supporters Nagesh Kukunoor along with his writer’s dwell into how the armed rebels are considered heroes by the local population. This is where the theme of one person’s hero being another person’s terrorist comes. The viewers also see the officers doing certain things that don’t align with their personal beliefs. The web series at no point takes sides leaving the viewers to make their own judgments.

Mention must also be made of Sangram Giri’s cinematography. He does a very fine job in capturing the atmospherics of 1990’s Tamil Naidu. There is in a lived-in feel. Specific mention must be made of his work in the tension filled last moments.

The mixture of characters conversing in Hindi and Tamil also doesn’t get jarring due to the fluent pronunciation. Sahil Vaid in a breakthrough act nails his Tamil dialogues, breaking out of hero’s best friend mold Sahil gives a very good account of himself. Amit Sial as DR Kartikeyan too brings in the both the required gravitas and authority as per the requirement. Bhagavati Perumal is also good however the two actors who stand out the most in the supporting roles are Shafeeq Mustafa and Gouri Padmakumar. They play their roles to absolute perfection capturing the various nuances.

Sahil Vaid in a breakthrough act

Shafeeq Mustafa and Gouri Padamkumar

While gripping for most part The Hunt could have benefitted with more contextual set up about IPKF (Indian Peace Keeping Force). Also, Rajiv Gandhi’s involvement for those not aware needed a little more detailing. The last episodes also somewhat drag making you wish Nagesh Kukunoor had wrapped things more crisply.

Final word: The Hunt: The Rajeev Gandhi Assassination Case is a binge worthy watch for fans of layered thrillers featuring psychological warfare

July 9, 2025July 9, 2025

Criminal Justice Season 4(A Family Matter): A gripping legal procedural intermingling different threads

Director Rohan Sippy along with the writers do an excellent job in keeping up the viewers interest till the end. What makes Season 4 stand out is the exploration of issues like mental health and the grey areas in marriage. Pankaj Tripathi as lawyer Madhav Mishra slips into the part with practiced ease combining humor with empathy

Starcast: Pankaj Tripathi, Surveen Chawla, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub, Shweta Basu Prasad, Mita Vashisht and others

Genre: Drama/thriller

Director: Rohan Sippy

Writers: Sandeep Jain, Sameer Mishra and Harman Wadala

Creators: Harman Wadala and Rahul Ved Prakash

Producers: Sameer Nair, Deepak Segal and Sameer Gogate

Production Companies: Applause Entertainment and BBC Studios India

No of episodes: 8

Streaming site: Jio Hostar

Starting from 5th April 2019 The Criminal Justice web series is one of the longest running web shows next to Panchayat which has also completed four. The character of Madhav Mishra played by a delightful Pankaj Tripathi is a much admired for his wit and the way he solves cases. It is one of those rare web series where as a viewer you need not see from the starting season given that the cases aren’t interlinked, each one is a fresh chapter with a few recurring actors and actresses. For those who are not aware the base of Criminal Justice web series is a British Television series of the same name.

As the title suggests season 4 of Criminal justice is primarily about the fragile family dynamics. Raj (Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub) and Anju (Surveen Chawla) were once upon a time a couple, now they stay separately but aren’t divorced. In spite of their fractured marriage Anju lives in the same apartment as Raj. The reason being the daughter Ira (Khushi Bhardwaj). Ira is suffering from Asperger’s syndrome. Asha Negi is Roshini a nurse who has been taking care of Ira and slowly becomes an important member of the family particularly for Raj. Raj’s mother and Anju have made peace with their relationship. This settled dynamics receive a jolt when Anju and the maid find Raj holding a blood-soaked Roshni. What follows is a courtroom drama shuttling backing and forth with the ever reliable Madhav Mishra

A strong aspect of Criminal Justice Season 4 is the dual narrative running simultaneously with the legal proceedings. The complex personal relationships with shades of grey coupled with the difficulties in raising a neurodivergent child has been etched well by both the director and writers. These two aspects give the series an emotional resonance making it more than just another case.

The investigation aspect with numerous layers also catches the viewers unawares on many occasions. You are always guessing on whether Raj is really the killer or there is something more to this. At one point there are seeds of doubt on Ira too, on whether she was somehow involved. Just when you think everything is solved the web series throws an expected googly leading to a brilliant revelation. The ending leaves the viewers with many thoughts on justice and sacrifice.

The angle of Asperger’s syndrome and the difficulties in raising a neurodivergent child has also been dealt with the required sensitivity. Rohan Sippy and the numerous writers have done a very fine job in starting a conversation about this condition, they show how people living with Asperger’s can also bring a fresh perspective. Khushi Bharadwaj plays her part with the right amount of authenticity, even though the screen time isn’t a lot.

As expected Pankaj Tripathi as Madhav Mishra is a delight to watch like the previous seasons. His sharp humor adds a lot to the courtroom proceedings, apart from the subtle comedy Pankaj Tripathi also brings an empathy in the scenes with Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub and Surveen Chawla. His scenes with the wife and the brother in law bring a smile to the viewers face. At one point the wife played by Khushboo Atre becomes an unexpected pillar of support as well.

Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub as Raj is also terrific in portraying the moral complexities of the role. He brings out the inner turmoil brilliantly. Surveen Chawla too is very good. She touches the viewers heart with an emotional performance specifically in the climactic portions. Mita Vashisht and Shweta Basu Prasad in the roles of opposition also bring strength to their respective parts. Their performances add a lot in making sure that the courtroom proceedings resemble a tense chess game.

Mohmammed Zeeshan Ayub and Surveen Chawla

Asha Negi as Roshini is sincere but her relationship with Raj is loosely etched making it difficult for the viewers to care.. The love track of Raj and Roshini has a rushed nature instead of an organic development.

Final word: Criminal Justice Season 4 is a binge worthy watch for fans of the previous seasons and of course the magnetic Pankaj Tripathi.

June 18, 2025June 18, 2025

Rana Naidu (Season2): A competent follow up led by an excellent cast

A poster of Rana Naidu Season 2

The toned down approach of season 2 does harm than good robbing the show of its zing, nevertheless the family dynamics make up for the shortcomings. Abhishek Banerjee as Jaffa gets the best arc, a sexual abuse survivor finding his voice and the actor absolutely nails it moving the viewers. The new entrants led by Arjun Rampal and Kriti Kharbanda make their presence amply felt too

Starcast: Rana Dagubbati, Venkatesh Dagubbati, Surveen Chawla, Sushant Singjh, Abhishek Banerjee, Arjun Rampal, Kriti Kharbanda, Dino Morea and others

Genre: Action/drama

Directors: Karan Anshuman and Suparn Verma

Writers: Karan Anshuman, Karan Gour, Vaibhav Vishal etc

Producer: Sunder Aron

Production house: Locomotive Global Production

Cinematography: John Schmidt

Music: Sangeet-Siddarth

No of episodes: 8

Streaming site: Netflix

For those who haven’t seen season one of Rana Naidu the story followed the journey of a fixer Rana (Rana Dagubbati). The job of Rana is to clean up the mess of his high profile clients. Rana goes about his job with utmost seriousness successfully solving their problems, at home though its a very different matter. Naga (an uninhibited Venkatesh Dagubbati) played the estranged father. He had gone to jail for a crime he didn’t commit coming out of a prison after a huge gap of fifteen years. Naga is desperate to fix his relationship with the sons for the other mistakes he has done. Sushant Singh and Abhishek Banerjee played the other two sons. The series was based on an English web series Ray Donavan.

Rana Naidu Season 1

At ten episodes Rana Naidu did feel a little long, specifically the use of swear words, at times it felt overdone although the same no holds barreled approach was a major USP of the show. Season 1 was an gripping drama about a twisted family giving a psychological insight into the different psyches of parents. Not surprisingly the shows bold nature had its share of praise and brickbats making Season 1 one of the most watched web series. Now you have Season 2 within a gap of two years. The affect of the brickbats is clearly visible in toning down of the content, this makes the show less interesting nevertheless season 2 has its share of pluses specifically the drama involving the three brothers and also the women characters.

Season 2 of Rana Naidu begins with the protagonist wanting to quit his fixer’s life. However the dream gets shattered due to his son’s kidnap. Rajat Kapoor plays billionaire Vikram Oberoi. He helps Rana in rescuing the child however this comes with a cost. Rana aligns himself with Vikram helping the daughter Alia Oberoi (Kriti Kharbanda) to acquire her own cricket team. Enter Arjun Rampal’s Rauf Bhai, Rauf Bhai has a history with Rana. He comes out of jail with a the support of politician OB Mahajan (Rajesh Jais). Rauf Bhai is filled with Vengeance. On personal front Rana’s wife Naina (Surveen Chawla) becomes emotionally distant. This is the storyline in brief as the web series moves along multiple threads.

A strong aspect of Season 2 are the human emotions whether it is the subplot of Abhishek Banerjee’s Jaffa overcoming the trauma of sexual abuse and finding the courage to fall in love or the crumbling marriage of Rana and Naina. The subplot of Abhishek Banerjee and Aditi Shetty’s Tasneem gives the show some of its best moments. The love story and Jaffa’s path to finding courage has been wonderfully integrated. There is a brilliant scene where Abhishek Banerjee let’s out a shout of joy after a love making session. How he breaks down revealing a crucial incident of his past to Tasneem hugging her has been brilliantly written and enacted. Abhishek Banerjee continues his super run of form delivering a fantastic act, he is truly one of the best actors that we have in the current lot.

Abhishek Banerjee and Aditi Shetty

Mention must also be made of the nuanced manner in which the directors have depicted the complexities of a troubled marriage. The portions between Rana and Surveen Chawla also pack an emotional punch. The ups and downs of a long marriage has come out in an impactful manner. Just like the first season Surveen Chawla’s Naina is no push over, Naina is a strong woman who isn’t afraid of pointing out her husband’s flaws and following her heart. Surveen plays the part with a lot of grace perfectly capturing the robust nature. In fact the main women characters in the show apart from Surveen have also been written with lot of care with different shades. A good example of this is Kriti Kharbanda in the role of an ambitious girl who would go to any lengths in taking over her father’s business. Kriti pulls off a pleasant surprise with her impactful performance, she embraces the grey shades with complete conviction. Aditi Shetty as Tasneem is also very good as the woman in charge of her life. There is a key portion between Aditi Shetty and Rana just before her and Jaffa’s wedding, Tasneem clearly tells Rana on how she loves Jaffa as much as he does and how she isn’t marrying for his social background. This scene is a perfect example of Tasneem’s feisty nature and Aditi Shetty does a swell job.

Arjun Rampal and Kriti Kharbanda

Season 2 also makes an interesting case study of different types of masculinity. Rana Dagubbati’s Rana is the more macho guy, Jaffa on the other hand is more sensitive. In case of Sushant Singh’s Tej he somewhere falls in between as an elder brother. He doesn’t approve of Rana and Naga Naidu’s ways but at the same time he also takes decisions which go against the core nature of his personality. Sushant Singh plays a key emotional anchor in a solid manner.

The series also dwells into vote bank politics and power struggles, how greed and power fuel shifting alliances with nothing good coming out of it for the characters.

Coming to the titular protagonists. Rana Dagubbati as Rana reprises his role with practiced ease. There isn’t much of an upgrade and often times a predictability creeps in how Rana manages to get out of tough situations. Nevertheless the actor’s charisma keeps the viewers invested. Much like the first season he strikes the perfect balance between brooding intensity and emotional vulnerability. Venkatesh Daggubati as Naga Naidu has a lot of fun in spite of the reduced screen time and less profanities. In spite of Naga Naidu’s flawed nature Venkatesh makes you care for the character’s desperation to reconcile with the sons. There is a brilliant scene between Venkatesh and Abhishek Banerjee where Jaffa asks Naga on how to become the best father. To this Venkatesh says to not do the mistakes which he did, its a heartwarming moment. Arjun Rampal effortlessly slips into the shoes of a Mumbaiya Gangster whether its the dialect or the overall body language. The actor effortlessly switches between a supposed messiah and a merciless villain. Rajat Kapoor as Oberoi lends a suave charm to his role of a millionaire with hidden closets. Lastly Dino Morea as the undercover cop falling in love with Naina also makes his presence amply felt.

Final word: Rana Naidu Season 2 is a perfect watch for admirers of dysfunctional and twisted families. The toned down approach becomes a roadblock for fans of first season nevertheless second season is still worth watching.

June 7, 2025June 7, 2025

Kankhajura (centipede): A gripping psychological drama about flawed humans

The starcast of Kankhajura

Inspired from the Israeli thriller/drama Magpie Kankhajura focuses on some important issues like the impact of childhood traumas specifically bullying and how a need for validation leads to manipulative behavior. Through the character of Roshan Mathews’s Ashu director gives a message on the need to recognize and address childhood trauma. The slow burn nature isn’t for all, but the acting performances led by Roshan Mathew and Mohit Raina coupled with the themes makes it a thrilling watch

Starcast: Roshan Mathew, Mohit Raina, Sarah Jane Dias, Trinetra Halder and others

Genre: Crime drama

Story and direction: Chandan Arora

Additional story: Upendra Sidhaye

Producer: Ajay Rai

Cinematographers: Rajeev Rai and Vinod Illampally

No of episodes: 8

Streaming site: Sonyliv

Stories of flawed human always make for an interesting drama as most of us have some flaw or the other whether it is psychological or psychical. The meaning of Kankhajura is a pest called centipede. This pest is small in size but extremely dangerous just like one of the protogonists who can be very cunning and dangerous beneath the seemingly soft persona.

The storyline of Kankhajura focuses on the release of Roshan Mathew’s Ashu. He has spent fourteen years in jail and is desperate to reconnect with his brother Max (Mohit Raina). Max gives refugee to Ashu, but the acceptance comes with a calculative nature. The affection is almost absent, as the plot unfolds Ashu turns against Max due to certain reasons leading to the unraveling of dark secrets. This is the story in brief.

A strong aspect of Kankhajura is how Chandan Arora slowly builds up the tension between the two brothers leading to a crescendo. He gives ample psychological insight into the mindset of the two brothers. The themes of past traumas, sibling rivalry and unresolved guilt has been well integrated by the director.

The cinematography of Rajeev Rai and Vinod Illampaly also adds to the tension. Both the cinematographers present Goa in a different way than the viewers are used to seeing. They present Goa as a place of shadows and secrets unlike a usual paradise. The visual pallet they have chosen perfects compliments the theme of the show.

Mention must also be made of the women characters both Sarah Jane Dias and Trinetra Halder give very good support as the moral counterweights. Their characters have a strong individuality particularly Sara Jane Dias who doesn’t shy away from giving it back to Max pointing out his greedy nature whenever required. This strong personality is maintained throughout and as viewers you cheer for her when she walks out of the marriage in the climax.

Sarah Jane Dias

Trinetra Halder as a transgender plays her role with a lot of grace and is successful in bringing out the inner strength. Her scenes with Roshan Mathew showcase a different facet to Ashu making the viewers wish there was more of her. Trinetra Halder is a real-life transgender; this adds to a certain authenticity specifically in the portions where her character talks about the past.

Roshan Mathew and Trinetra Halder

Coming to the lead actors both Roshan Mathew and Mohit Raina knock it out of the park with their respective characters. As Ashu Roshan Mathew strikes the perfect balance between intensity and underplaying as the situation demands. The role could have easily gone into the zone of overacting, but Roshan Mathew doesn’t let that happen with his skilled act. The way he portrays anguish in particular is excellent. Mohit Raina also does a swell job with his restrained yet impactful act. He perfectly brings out the different layers like being charming and ruthless at the same time. Mention must also be made of Mahesh Shetty and Ninand Kamat playing the morally ambiguous allies. Heeba Shah as inspector Leena also makes an impact.

Although taught for most part Kankhajura isn’t without flaws. On occasions the story loses momentum with meandering subplots. Similarly, the pace at which the events unfold may not satisfy thriller buffs.

Final word: Kankhajura is a perfect watch for those who like character driven dramas at a leisure pace.

June 4, 2025June 4, 2025

Royals: Superficial fun elevated by some strong performances

Ishaan Khattar and co

Royals directed by Priyanka Ghosh and Nupur Asthana often feels like a cross between the English web series Bridgeton and Shashanka Ghosh’s Khoobsurat. The initial episodes are more of a fizzle than a sizzle but the show does take a turn for the better in the later half particularly for those who like palace politics. Ishaan Khattar as Aviraaj is the series beating heart effortlessly combing swag with emotional depth

Starcast: Ishaan Khattar, Bhumi Pednekar, Sakshi Tanwar, Zeenat Aman, Vihaan Samraat, Chunky Pandey, Dino Morea, and others

Genre: Romance/drama

Directors: Priyanka Ghosh and Nupur Asthana

Writer: Neha Veena Sharma

Creators: Rangita Pritish Nandy and Ishita Pritish Nandy

Producer: Late Pritish Nandy

Production Company: Pritish Nandy Communications

Cinematographer: Nachiket Pangare

Music: Rooh and Joh

Episodes: 8

Streaming platform: Netflix

Ever since its release on May 9th the web series Royals has seen a very mixed response. Some have praised the performances and the visuals. There has also been a lot of criticism due to the hangover of films and web series set in the same space most notably Bridgeton, also the depiction of royal households has come under intense scanner with the members of erstwhile royal families expressing their displeasure. In spite of not so rave reviews Royals has seen a renewal for season 2.

There is no denying that Royals could have done with much more depth in terms of storytelling, a cut down on the glam quotient would have benefited the series immensely. Having said that Royals does make for a good guilty pleasure and the dramatic twist in the finale does set things nicely for season 2.

The storyline of Royals primarily centers on Morapur royal family. They are dealing with problems of various kinds like financial issues and the death of a king. Ishaan Khattar is Aviraaj, a reluctant prince. Aviraaj has no intention of taking over his father’s place but things take a turn where he is left with no other option. Aviraaj path crosses with Bhumi Pednekar’s Sophia. A self made entrepreneur with a fierce attitude. Sophia wants to turn this crumbling palace into something more luxurious. The two share a relationship swinging between hate and love leading to several developments.

A strong aspect of Royals is the production design and the cinematography department. The web series has a very rich look, the visual esthetics are absolutely on point transporting the viewers into the intriguing world of palace politics.

Talking about palace politics every relationship comes here with layers of manipulation and secrets traumas. Beneath the smiles there is a certain calculatedness making it entertaining specifically in the later episodes. At times it can get confusing too however it adds a lot of spice to the proceedings. The one liners is also a big USP of Royals. Numerous dialogues have shades of sarcasm, even when the script fails the conversations do pack a punch.

As already mentioned Ishaan Khattar’s Aviraaj is the beating heart of Royals. The character comes with different shades, on some occasions he comes across as an asshole with princely arrogance. At the same time he is also Chivalrous, this side comes out on more than one occasion in the scenes with Sophia. Ishaan delivers a splendid act embracing the grey shades of the role with panache, with this act he once proves his versatility in picking up different roles and doing justice to them. A particular scene worth mentioning here is the breakdown before the coronation. The best part of Ishaan’s performance is how he expresses the feelings of happiness, sorrow and other emotions through his eyes. Cannot wait to see his act in the upcoming Homebound which has already received great reviews. Apart from Ishaan Khattar Vihaan Samrat as Yuvraj Digvijay also gives solid support with his nuanced act. His character has the most grounded arc and the actor does a very good job. There is an interesting subplot of Digvijay of wanting to prove himself as a chef without the baggage of being a royal family member. Vihaan Samrat does a very fine job specifically in these portions. Mention must also be made of the scene where Digvijay clears the doubts of Aviraaj handling him with the required love.

Ishaan Khattar and Bhumi

Among the ladies Sakshi Tanwar has the meatiest role as maharani Padmaja. In spite of being a maharani Sakshi Tanwar’s character doesn’t come across as a usual rigid queen. The romantic subplot with the dashing Chunky Pandey shows a different facet to her personality. The way Sakshi portrays Padmaja’s need for love and embracing her libido (sexual desire) is a delight to watch. Veteran actress Zeenat Aman starts off promisingly but suffers on the account of a sketchy characterization, nevertheless Zeenat Aman plays her part with flair. Bhumi Pednekar as Sophia is a mixed bag. The actress looks glamorous with those stunning outfits looking every inch a fierce CEO but on the performance front she come across as rather flat with her expressions. She does ace some of the emotional ones like the portion where Sophia is ousted from her position however the consistency is missing. Also she doesn’t look comfortable in the dances with Ishaan, the chemistry between the two is quite underwhelming with Ishaan putting most of the effort.

Sakshi Tanwar and Zeenat Aman

A major problem with Royals is the clumsy treatment of the LGBTQIA+ representation. Milind Soman plays the father of Aviraaj. He is a closeted gay revealed at a crucial juncture. The past of Milind Soman’s character had good scope for emotional drama but the haphazard narration makes it more of a checklist to be added. Even the lesbian track with Kavya Trehan as Yuvarani Divyaranjini is more of an add on for inclusivity than cohesive storytelling.

The show also needed more depth in the writing of secondary characters, Milind Soman is mostly reduced to a wallpaper, the likes of Nora Fatehi and Dino Morea also don’t get much to do coming and going at the scripts convivence.

Final word: Royals makes for a fun watch provided you can get past the initial episodes and not looking for something very deep.

May 3, 2025May 3, 2025

Khauf: A slow burn paranormal thriller about the horrors of patriarchy

Khauf web series

Pankaj Kumar and Surya Balakrishnan’s Khauf juxtaposes the real world issues with the traditional jump scares. The series gives a strong message on how a certain kind of men are more dangerous than the supernatural entities. The show isn’t perfect by all means but there is a lot to like led by an explosive Monika Panwar. Rajat Kapoor and Geetanjali Kulkarni also make their presence amply felt.

Starcast: Monika Panwar. Rajat Kapoor, Geetanjali Kulkarni, Chum Darang and others

Genre: Horror

Directors: Pankaj Kumar and Surya Balakrishnan

Writer and creator: Smita Singh

Producers: Sarita Patil, Vipin Agnihotri etc

Production Company: Matchbox shots

Cinematography: Pankaj Kumar

No of episodes: 8

Streaming site: Amazon Prime

In the last few years the horror genre has undergone a major reinvention with stories that go beyond creaking doors, there has been a conscious effort to give these plots a social subtext whether it is the whacky Stree films directed by Aamir Kaushik or Tumbbad a psychological horror/thriller about the devastating consequences of unlimited greed. Vishal Furia’s Chhorii movies also dealt with societal aspects combining elements of horror. The web series Khauf is a good addition to this trend. The major victory of the two directors is how they perfectly merge the real world issues faced by modern young women and combining that with the usual spooky elements.

The story of Khauf primarily revolves around Madhu (Monika Panwar). She has moved from Gwalior to a women’s hostel in Delhi. She is looking to make a fresh start but the room that she has been assigned comes with a dark past. Running parallel to this is the hakim played by a creepy Rajat Kapoor. He preys on young vulnerable girls in order to prolong his life. Geetanjali Kulkarni plays Madhuri, she is an alcoholic cop in search of her missing son. This is the story in brief nothing more can be revealed.

A strong aspect of Khauf web series is the technical department led by a brilliant Pankaj Kumar. Pankaj Kumar is a very reputed cinematographer whose work in Tumbbaad is hugely admired. Here too he brings the same level of craft, the hostel in which the young women stay becomes a major character in itself. He does a very good job in capturing a certain sense of claustrophobia. The long silences and a certain kind of lighting add to the eerie atmosphere. The setting of the story also plays a significant part in building up the tension. Delhi city has some shameful scars in cases related to atrocities on women and this includes not just the gruesome Nirbhaya case. Grounding the show in Delhi makes the horror elements even more chilling.

The hostel becomes a major character in itself

The show also does a very fine job in addressing the different issues faced by modern females. The way Madhuri juggles between the haunting past of the room and the men who prey on women gives the show some of its best moments. Monika Pawar does a fantastic job in showcasing the different emotions like anxiety and rage. The young actress is also mighty impressive in the portions where Madhuri becomes more confident after being possessed by a certain thing. Rajat Kapoor is also fantastic as a man who has zero regret about the evil things that he does. He brings in the right amount of creepiness instilling fear in the viewers minds. Geetanjali Kulkarni is also top class in a grey shaded role. The way she oscillates between a tough police women and a worried mother of an erratic boy is a delight to watch. The hostel mates played by Chum Darang, Priyanka Setia and Aasheema Vardan also make their presence amply felt. Each of these character represent a different facet of the problems faced by an everyday women in today’s society. Through their tracks the director duo of Pankaj Kumar and Surya Balakrishnan have addressed the aspect of societal expectations among other things.

Chum Darang as one of the hostel mates

A major issue with Khauf is the use of trauma as the only way to give agency for a victim, It becomes both cliched and problematic. Also the show’s tonal shift from ghosts to internalized trauma could have been handled better, a sense of clumsiness creeps in. The etching of the romantic relationship also leaves something to be desired. Abhishek Chauhan as Arun renders an instant likeability as the sweet and reliable boyfriend but the love story would have been more heartwarming with better depth.

Watch Khauf if you are a fan of horror stories mixed with social commentary

March 8, 2025April 16, 2025

Waking of a Nation: A slow burn but an engaging watch particularly for history buffs

The web series suffers somewhat from the constant back and forth and also the theatrical nature of the courtroom proceedings still the series is worth watching. Apart from exploring the events leading up to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre the series also gives an underlying message on the importance of unity

Starcast: Taaruk Raina, Sahil Mehta, Nikita Dutt, Carl Wharton and others
Director and creator: Ram Madhvani
Writers: Shantanu Srivastava and Shatrujeeth Nath
Genre: Historical Drama
No of episodes: 6
Streaming site: Sonyliv
Cinematography: Kavya Sharma
Music: Sameer Uddin
Producers: Ram Madhvani and Amita Madhvani

The Jallianwala Bagh massacre is easily one of the most gut wrenching chapters in Indian history. The blood bath which took place on the peaceful protesters that day can never be forgotten. The Jallianwala Bagh episode has already been explored with gut wrenching affect by director Shoojit Sarcar in the moving biopic of Sardar Udham Singh portrayed masterfully by Vicky Kaushal. The 2006 movie Rang De Basanti also featured a crucial subplot related to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Ram Madhvani’s latest directorial is more about the events which trigged the massive bloodbath through the character of Kantilal Sahani (Taaruk Raina).

*Director Ram Madhvani on the set of the web series Waking of a Nation*

Kantilal Sahani is a member of the Hunter commission . Kantilal Sahani is a young lawyer newly returned from London. He is a beneficiary of western education. This makes him an outsider amongst the friends group something which he is always reminded about. This character of Kantilal Sahani is supposedly inspired from Sri Chamanlal Harilal Setalvad. A man known for cross examining General Dyer. Through the turbulent journey of Kantilal Sahani the web series explores the ideological struggles of the times between various aspects like reform and revolution etc. The close knit friends of Kantilal Sahani include Ali Allahbaksh (Sahil Mehta) and Poonam Aulakh (Nikita Dutta) among others. The friends represent different perspectives of the Indian freedom movement embodying the diversity of India both religious and ideological.

An image from Waking Of a Nation

A strong aspect of the web series is how Ram Madhvani along with his writers dwell into the political environment leading up to the bloody massacre. Ram Madhvani and the writers are particularly successful in shedding light on the controversial Rowlett act. This Rowlett act gave Britishers complete freedom to imprison individuals without any trial.

A major portion of the web series is about the aftermath specifically the hunter commission inquiry meant to investigate the massacre. The courtroom drama though bordering on theatrics offers a fresh lens.

A very interesting aspect of the web series is also how Ram Madhavani depicts the massacre. He avoids the explicit route instead the reliance is more on sound design and the panic stricken reactions of the people present there along with the not visible carnage makes for a haunting experience.

He allows the viewers to interpret and fill in the gaps using their own imagination. This method leaves a much more impact than the use of graphic method.

The friendship angle and the creeping ideological differences between Kantilal Sahani and his friends has also come out well. The journey of Kantilal Sahani both internally and externally has been well written and brilliantly performed by Taaruk Raina. There is a very poignant moment where Kantilal Sahani imagines his group of friends whom he has lost along the way. The audiences see Kantilal pouring out his anguish on how he has been left behind with so many families looking at him as a beacon of hope. In the same portion there is a key revelation acting as a layer of guilt. This acts as a major trigger point for the case Kantilal is fighting. Previously the viewers see that Kantilal has major ambitions of going to London. While he is fighting the case an unofficial offer is made to him but Kantilal refuses.

These events show the growth of Kantilal. There is another equally poignant bit where he reads out the names of the people who have lost lives in the massacre. The pain in the eyes of Kantilal perfectly reflects emotions which others in the room are also undergoing.

The web series also subtly touches upon the aspect of racial discrimination followed not just by the British but Indians too along with the tendency of discrimination on the basis of religion and caste. The underlying message of how we need to be united irrespective of which religion and caste we come holds a lot of relevance to today’s political environment.

Waking Of a Nation is very non linear in style with multiple timelines. This for a section of people can prove to be a major hindrance. Also the web series can feel sluggish for some given the deliberate slow pace.

The cinematography of Kavya Sharma is also of a very high order. He brings the colonial times to life with his fantastic cinematography. His camerawork deserves a special mention too in the recreation of 1919 Amritsar along with the massacre. The soundtrack of Sameer Uddin is haunting as well perfectly capturing the emotional turmoil.

Apart from Taaruk Raina Sahil Mehta also deserves major appreciation for his striking performance in the role of Allahbaksh. Allahbaksh is often assertive with his ideology and acts as a major foundation for the change in Kantilal.

The British characters thankfully don’t speak in broken Hindi. Among the foreign actors Carl Wharton is top notch as the head of human rights commission. Alexander West as General Dyer is also successful in making the viewers hate him. Paul Mcewan as Michael O’ Dyyer is understated yet highly effective as a man who is extremely calculative.

Alexander West as General Dyer

Final Word: Waking of a Nation is a searing take, a must watch for fans of detailed history lessons.

March 7, 2025March 8, 2025

Dabba Cartel : Solid performances marred with uneven narrative

More than a crime drama, ‘Dabba Cartel’ works as an interesting character study of women across different strata of society.

Dabba Cartel (Hindi), 28-02-2025, Action, Drama, 7 episodes, 16+, OTT

Main Cast: Shabhana Azmi, Jyothika, Shalini Pandey, Nimisha Sajayan, Anjali Anand, and Sai Tamhankar
Director: Hitesh Bhatia
Producer: Farhan Akhar, Ritesh Sidwani, and Shibani Akhtar
Music Director: Gaurav Raina and Tarana Marwah
Cinematography: Eeshit Narain
Rating: 3/5

Hitesh Bhatia’s Dabba Cartel centres on various women across different social strata. The director is successful in creating interesting characters and also making some impactful social commentary.

More than a crime drama, Dabba Cartel works as an interesting character study of women across different strata of society.

Synopsis

There is Raji (Shalini Pandey) running a small Tiffin service with her maid Mala (Nimisha Sajyayan), this soon becomes a drug cartel service thanks to Mala.

Mala secretly distributes a certain kind of Viagra to get extra cash. As a frustrated single mother grappling with society’s degradation of her, she wants to make sure that her daughter gets the best education.

Adding to the mix is a local broker, Shahida (Anjali Anand), and Varuna (Jyothika), the wife of Shankar Dasgupta (Jisshu Sengupta), a top executive at a pharmaceutical giant. Varuna, an ex-employee of the company, is now a regular housewife. Her relationship with her husband is on the brink of disintegration.

Shabana Azmi plays Raji’s mother-in-law referred to as Baa aka Sheila. She has a dark secret of her own. Due to certain circumstances, these five women form a group. On the surface, the connection between women and a drug cartel may seem dubious but here it’s more about survival rather than power.

Strengths

Shabana Azmi in Dabba Cartel — Shabana Azmi in ‘Dabba Cartel’. (X)

A strong aspect of Dabba Cartel is how Hitesh Batia uses the set-up of the pharmaceutical company. It becomes a very useful accessory for women to run the drug cartel while using the Tiffin service grounded in home-cooked meals as a front.

This setup is used cleverly to play up on some of the societal norms that we reduce women to particularly homemakers.

Thankfully director Hitesh Bhatia, along with the writers Vishnu Menon and Bhavana Kher ground the narrative from the lived experience of these women. The show is shaped more by the biases which play a significant role and the subsequent decisions they make under pressure.

The show also excels in its depiction of gender dynamics. The male characters, particularly the husbands are very dismissive of their wives, particularly Shankar.

There is a brilliant confrontation between Varuna and Shankar, concerning an important revelation. This revelation acts as a major drive for Varuna.

In more ways than one Dabba Cartel is a character-driven show rather than a plot-driven one.

Flaws

A major problem with Drug Cartel is some of the patchily written tracks. For example, in the beginning episodes, a character called Chavan is given a lot of importance but is soon forgotten after a point.

Even the LGBTQ+ track involving Anjali Anand’ Shahida and Sai Tamhankar’ Preeti isn’t organically woven. Varuna’s acceptance in the group could also have been better written particularly given that she is an outsider for others.

Characterisation

Gajraj Rao in Dabba Cartel — Gajraj Rao in ‘Dabba Cartel’. (X)

The supposed invisibility of these housewives becomes their biggest weapon. Mention must also be made of the track involving Gajaraj Rao and an eager-to-prove police officer played by Sai Tamhankar.

Gajraj Rao’s character is an officer from Narcotics who wants to unveil the duplicities happening in the pharmaceutical company VivaLife. His detective-like persona coupled with the desperation of Sai Tamhankar’s Preeti in solving her first major case adds an interesting layer to the web show, particularly in the middle episodes.

Some of the tension-filled moments where a heist kind of mission takes place with the use of the song from the famous Excel Entertainment movie Don add a touch of mischievousness.

Performances

Shalini Pandey and Jyothika in Dabba Cartel — Shalini Pandey and Jyothika in ‘Dabba Cartel’. (X)

Not surprisingly, Dabba Cartel is mostly shouldered by its female cast with particular mention of Shabana Azmi, Nimisha Sajayan and Jyothika.

Shabana Azmi has a towering presence and portrays the role with her usual finesse, she conveys a lot through her eyes and overall body language. Nimisha Sajayan does a very good job of capturing the fiery nature of a woman from a marginalized community.

The character’s need for respect has been portrayed brilliantly by the actor. Jyothika as the seemingly happy housewife with a growing resentment is also a delight to watch.

Among the men, Gajraj Rao leaves the biggest impact as the no-nonsense investigator followed by Jisshu Sengupta.

Technical aspects

The music composed by Gaurav Raina and Tarana Marwah is funky jellying perfectly with the nature of the series.

Eeshit Narian’s cinematography is also of a very good standard. He effectively captures the rooted middle-class milieu through his lens. His cinematography is particularly impressive in the scenes of the crowded alleys and the heavy monsoons.

Final take

To sum it up Dabba Cartel doesn’t completely deliver, still, the show is worth watching for its fantastic female cast.

(Views expressed here are personal, edited by Sumavarsha)

https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/dabba-cartel-web-series-review-solid-performances-marred-with-uneven-narrative/

March 7, 2025March 10, 2025

Aashram Season 3 Part 2 : A strong conclusion

Director Prakash Jha once again succeeds in delivering a strong socio political drama headed by the fantastic cast. In spite of a few elongated stretches the series makes the viewers introspect about the hold that these fake babas have.

Aashram season 3 part 2 (Hindi), 27-02-2025, Drama, Thriller, 5 episodes, 16+, OTT

Main Cast: Bobby Deol, Aaditi Pohankar, Chandan Roy Sanyal, and Tridha Choudhary
Director: Prakash Jha
Producer: Prakash Jha
Music Director: Sunny Inder
Cinematography: Chandan Kowli
Rating: 3.5/5

The filmography of Prakash Jha has always been dominated by subjects of social importance.

Whether it is his initial films like Mrityudand (1997) focusing on injustice practices set in Bihar or even the later ones like Gangajaal, Apaharan and others.

The filmmaker has often drawn inspiration from real life. Of course, the results haven’t been always great, particularly in the last few years but the director’s commitment to portraying socially relevant issues is undeniable.