Category: Hindi Webseries Reviews

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Trial By Fire: An Unforgettable Story Of Courage And Resilience

The three directors do a brilliant job in making the views root for the real life couple Neelam and Shekhar Krishnamurthy

Trial by Fire (Web series) Hindi:          4 out of 5

Starcast: Abhay Deol, Rajshri Deshpande, Anupam Kher, Ashish Vidyarthi and others

Directors: Prashant Nair, Randeep Jha and Avani Deshpande

Based on: Trial by Fire: The tragic tale of the Uphaar Fire Tragedy

Writers and creators: Prashant Nair and Kevin Luperchio

Producers: Henry Dcunha, Sidharth Jain and others

Production Companies: House of Talkies and Endemol Shine India

No of episodes: 7

Streaming site: Netflix

Stories based on real life incidents can make for an immersive experience whether it is a movie or web series. Prashant Nair and Randeep Jha’s Trial By Fire looks at a fire incident that broke out in Uphaar Cinema hall of Delhi. This fire incident took the lives of 59 innocent people. The movie playing at that time was JP Dutta’s border. However zero accountability was seen from the culprits of this man made tragedy. The major culprits were the Ansal brothers. The Ansal brothers not only owned the Uphaar Cinema but also half of Delhi’s infrastructure in the late nineties. Among the victims the main focus is on Neelam and Shekhar Krishnamurthy (Rajshri Deshpande and Abhay Deol).

Trial By Fire is inspired from a memoir of the same name. The series begins with the day of tragedy and how nothing is going to be the same.  We see how Neelam and Shekhar stand united in spite of a long and uncertain journey for justice. The plot alternates between a personal tragedy and systemic negligence. The first two episodes focus on the pattern of events and the director duo give a clear indication of how this is going to be an uphill task. From the third equal focus is given on the supporting characters that have also lost their loved ones in the fire accident.

First and foremost Trail By Fire is not for those who want escapism. This is a serious subject with no scope for entertainment. The director duo of Prashant Nair and Randeep Jha do a fantastic job of not making it melodramatic at any point. The struggles of Neelam and Krishnamurthy are presented in a realistic manner without resorting to bombastic dialogues. The climax also goes perfectly with the tone of the show.

As audiences you not only root for them as mother and father but also as husband and wife. A major reason for that is the sensitivity with which Prashant and Randeep have portrayed them.

Another good thing about show is the way the parallel storylines have been integrated. One of my favorite subplots is that of a retired army officer (Anupam Kher) and his wife played by Ratna Pathal Shah. Another track worthy of mention is Ashish Vidyarthi who is a dry fruit merchant. All these stories are well woven and find a perfect culmination.

The etching of Neelam and Shekhar is another major plus of the series. As Neelam Rajshri Deshpande often uses silences to convey her grief. On more than one occasion she uses subtle gestures to express frustration. Neelam is a disappointed and broken mother however underneath that a fierce mother is still there. All this has been brought out well by the actress.

As Krishnamurthy Abhay Deol does some of his best work after a long time. He makes for a terrific spouse who stands by his wife through thick and thin. He has his moments of occasional outburst and the actor does complete justice to them.

A scene which has to be particularly mentioned here is when the Krishnamurthy’s visit their relatives after several years. There is a visible pain in the eyes of the couple upon seeing the relatives children all grown up and doing well for themselves. The feeling of how the Krishnamurthy’s could have also had the same joy strikes the audiences in a big way.

The likes of Anupam Kher and Ashish Vidyarthi are veterans who don’t need a specific introduction. They do justice to their parts as expected.

In a nutshell Trial By Fire isn’t an easy watch but this is a show which needs to be seen.  Watch it particularly if you are a fan of realistic storytelling.

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CAT: Randeep Hooda Leads This Powerful Concoction Of Militancy And Drugs

Directors Balwinder Singh along with Janjua Rupinder and others present a Punjab that goes much beyond the mustard fields and Bhangra dances

CAT (Hindi Web Series)           4 out of 5

Starcast: Randeep Hooda, Hasleen Kaur, Survinder Vicky and others

Creator, writer and director: Balwinder Singh Janjua

Additional writers: Rupinder Chahal, Anil Rodhan and Jimmy Singh

Additional directors: Rupinder Chahal and Jimmy Singh

Producers: Balwinder Singh Janjua and Panchali Chakraverty

Production companies: Movie Tunnel Production and Jelly Bean Entertainment

Genre: Crime thriller/drama

No of episodes: 8

Streaming site: Netflix

The representation of Punjab in Hindi Cinema so far has been largely about mustard fields, Bhangra dances and families living in big havelis. However there have also been exceptions like Abhishek Chaubey’s Udta Punjab. Udta Punjab was a searing take on the heavy drug abuse and its aftereffects in Punjab. For obvious reasons it faced issues with the censor: however the film eventually came out with flying colors. CAT directed by Balwinder Singh Janjua tackles both militancy and drugs through its protagonist. The past of CAT aka Garry aka Gurnam singh was ravaged by militancy and his future is threatened by drugs.

For those who don’t know the word CAT it refers to people who were roped by the Punjab police to spy against the militants. Certain events force a young Gary to become a CAT. He later quits that line of work and starts leading a peaceful life as a mechanic. However things take a turn when he finds that his younger brother is doing drugs much like many young men of Punjab. This leaves him with no other option other than to become a CAT again, this time the mission is busting a huge drug trafficking run by a political leader Madam Aulakh (Geeta Agarwal).

Randeep Hooda has a vast platform to display his histrionic and the actor does not disappoint.

However, this is just the surface of the story as many things are happening simultaneously. For example there is a sportsman turned drug trafficker Laadi (Dakssh Ajit Singh). Another important character is that of police officer Babita (Hasleen Kaur). In a nutshell the series is about whether Gurman is able to bust drug trafficking and more importantly whether he is being used as a pawn by his superiors.

The best thing about CAT is how the director along with his writers use the backdrop of militancy and drugs. Both are serious issues which need nuance and the team does a mighty good job. All the central characters have got their own back stories and this helps in adding more intrigue. Some of the back stories continue to unfold even in the last episodes but as an audience you don’t complain.

Balwinder Singh also deserves credit for how he intersperses the past and the present of Gurnam. They add to the drama and as an audience you root for Gurnam. Special mention here must be made of Abhishant Rana who plays Randeep’s younger version. Abhishant is terrific in his portrayal of a young man who has lost his parents. There is a scene where Abhishant kills a man in the field and blood splashes all over his face. It is a scene that is going to stay with you for some time.

Another track worth mentioning here is that of Survinder Vicky who plays Gurnam’s handler. The scenes featuring these two give the show some of its best moments.

Balwnder Singh Janjua, director, tackles both militancy and drug menace.

Through the eight episodes the director weaves a narrative that packs in a lot. The nexus between politicians and police, along with the web of doping in sports, gun culture among other aspects could have easily become convoluted.  But thankfully it doesn’t because of the tight direction and writing.

CAT gives Randeep Hooda a vast platform to display his histrionics and the actor doesn’t disappoint. With this performance he shows once again why he is one of the most talented actors around who deserves much more.

He is supremely effective in bringing both the vulnerability and strength of Gurnam. Among the supporting actors Hasleen Kaur does a wonderful job in her de-glam avatar. Survinder Vicky as the handler is brilliant in showcasing the ambition, jealousy and lust for power.

Final word: CAT is a thrilling ride that keeps you invested in the emotional journey of its protagonist. It takes us a step ahead from Udta Punjab. Randeep Hooda is the icing on the cake.

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Delhi Crime Season 2: An Immersive Investigative Thriller That Perfectly Depicts The Structure Of Caste And Class

The first season of Delhi Crime was a winner on several accounts. It was based on the aftermath of the well known Nirbhaya case. The series was much more than just your typical police hunt down. The plot was narrated from the perspective of DCP Varthika (A brilliant Shefali Shah). The series made subtle comments on the socio-political conditions that we live in, and how these impact the police force. These included mounting public pressure, dealing with protests and even flak from their own family members. Director Richie Mehta showed a very humane and vulnerable side of the police personnel. The pacing of the story was also fast paced. Most importantly it never turned gory, but yet it was heartbreaking without any melodrama.

Not surprisingly Delhi Crime won an award for outstanding series at the international Emmy awards held in September 2020. It was the first ever Indian series to win this award. Shefali Shah also won numerous awards for her performance. Naturally expectations from Season 2 are high. This time around Tanuja Chopra has directed the series, with Richie Mehta being the creative head.

First and foremost those who haven’t seen season 1 can still connect with season 2 like Family Man 1 and 2 seasons. This time around the focus is on a fictionalized version of the crimes committed by a gang called Kachcha- baniyan and the investigations that followed.

This gang terrorized those senior citizens who lived in gated communities. This gang breaks into their homes in the middle of the night. The reason for calling them Kacha-baniyan is their dressing while committing these crimes. All the gang members are dressed in underclothes. They would also smear their bodies with oil, making it difficult to catch them during a chase.

The rest of the story is about how Shefali Shah along with her team captures the culprits responsible for these attacks. Through this murder mystery Tanuja Chopra also touches upon how certain tribes are criminalized without realizing how problematic it is.

The best part of Delhi Crime Season 2 is the subplot highlighting the class issue and how deep rooted it is in our society. The director makes a strong statement about the injustice done to the underprivileged tribes and how the members of these tribes are criminalized. The show talks about the disparity in society which leads to these crimes being committed.

The aspect of social discrimination is brought through Tillotama Shome’s Lata Solanki. Through Lata Solanki, Tanuja chopra and the creative head Richie Mehta make a point about how no one is a born criminal.

The entire police investigation is also layered. It keeps you hooked to the proceedings. The professional and personal lives of these policemen and women are smartly integrated. The constant pressure that Shefali Shah’s Vartika faces from the higher ups to somehow solve the case makes you empathize with her. Equally effective are the other characters led by ACP Neeti Singh (Rasika Dugal). Her journey from a trainee in the first season to an ACP now is also well explored.

Her dynamics with the demanding husband and the scene where she stands up for herself gives the show some of its best moments.

Shefali Shah continues her winning form, she essays the various emotions from exhaustion to anger with her usual brilliance

Needlessly to say that Shefali Shah continues her winning form, she essays the various emotions from exhaustion to anger with her usual brilliance. Rasika Dugal and Rajesh Tailing also stand out as the loyalists of Vartika. Tillotama Shome is another standout performer. She does a brilliant job in portraying the eccentrics of her character.

Final word: Delhi Crime Season 2 is a perfect binge watch for those who love thrillers that show a mirror to society.

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Masaba Masaba Season 2: Neena And Masaba Score Once Again

Sonam Nair’s Masaba Masaba Season 1 was one of those loved web series when it released in the year 2020. Neena Gupta was expectedly brilliant, the surprise package though was daughter Masaba also playing herself. She stood her own and the scenes featuring Neena and Masaba were very good to watch. The plotline was basically Neena and Masaba playing a fictionalized version of themselves. The web series covered the professional and personal lives of the mother and daughter duo. There were also some important issues that season 1 covered like ageism in the industry, and how it is not so easy for senior actors particularly for the women to get solid parts. Director Sonam Nair smartly intergrated the film Badhai Ho into one of the episodes, for those not aware Badhai Ho was a huge gamechanger for Neena Gupta. The series also took several potshots at the fashion industry. At the end of season 1 you were eager to know how the story would go forward.

The tonality of Season 2 which has seven episodes is more or less the same, but director Sonam Nair is successful in bringing different dimensions to the same story. Season 2 begins off with Masaba’s pregnancy scare, and this unfortunately leads to Neena going all guns blazing on her. Masaba’s professional life isn’t exactly going well either. She puts all her energy into the fashion show but things don’t turn the way she expects, the reason for that is a young designer who steals the limelight. Neena, on the other hand, doesn’t want to confine herself to the backseat and is on her way to challenge the expected norms. In a way the problems addressed are similar to the first season, but the handling of it is more intense.

Director Sonam Nair dwells deep into the burden that successful women have to carry on their shoulders. She does a good job in capturing both the public scrutiny and also the unrelenting social media. In spite of being a fashion designer for a decade and learning the craft, Masaba still has to justify her talent time and again. Masaba even ends up hiring a publicist for her professional life to get better.

This publicist makes Masaba do things that she isn’t comfortable with. A segment that stands out is when Masaba is invited on a reality show as a judge. Masaba is made to go against her nature.

Another segment worth mentioning is the involving Neena Gupta.  Neena Gupta wants to revive her hit show Fursat but her script has been turned into a ridiculous joke by the producers and also a young-know-it all director. The reason for changing the script is that no one is apparently interested in watching older people romance on screen. It doesn’t take long for the director’s sexism to come out.

Sonam Nair also brings a certain sensitivity in handling the scenes between Masaba and Niel Bhooplam’s Dhairya Rana. Dhairya is Masaba’s investor. He has feelings for Masaba but there is a past incident involving her personal life and things get complicated. Niel Bhooplam plays his part with lot of understatedness.

As expected both Neena and Masaba knock it out of the park both together and also individually. Their scenes together have a real life warmth that makes you root for them.

Through the mother and daughter duo director Sonam Nair tells a heartwarming story of women standing up for each other, and how this changes each other’s lives.

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Panchayat Season 2: A Worthy Follow Up To Season 1

Sequels are always a tricky business whether it is movies or web shows. The audiences have a certain set of expectations which are not easy to meet. But director Deepak Kumar Mishra does a very good job in exceeding those expectations with Panchayat season 2. Panchayat season 2 not only delivers laughs, but it also makes you introspect. Tight writing combined with solid performances makes this web series one of the better shows of this year.

For those who don’t know Panchayat season 1 followed the journey of Abhishek Tripati (Jitendra Kumar). Abhishek Tripati unwillingly accepts the job of a Panchayat secretary in Phulera. Phulera is a remote village in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh. The first season was essentially about how he acclimatizes himself to the village. An important part of the show was his bond with the locals, particularly Pradhan (Raghubir Yadav), his wife and the actual Pradhan (Neena Gupta) and finally the two office bearers played by Faisal Malik and Chandan Roy, Season 1 also covered some important issues, but without any melodrama.

Season 2 takes off from where season 1 ended. Abhishek Tripati’s bond with the Pradhan and the others has become strong. There is also a hint of romance between Abhishek and the daughter of Pradhan. This season covers local politics, rivalries and also relatable issues like standing up for your friends.

 It is easy to get repetitive with a premise like Panchayat. But director Deepak shows growth both in the characters and the story. We see new dimensions to the village of Phulera and also the residents living in it. The director smartly avoids the typical tropes of films set in rural India. He presents Phulera as a real place with real people. Most of the humor comes from the situations that people find themselves in. The director also nicely sets up Season 3 with a smart twist at the end.

Apart from delivering laughs, the series is also successful in dwelling into issues with simplicity. There are no lengthy monologues here. But Deepak Kumar Mishra gets the point across successfully.

The subtlety of the show also extends to the performances. Jitender Kumar shows once again why he is perfect actor to play Abhishek Tripati. Jitender has grown leaps and bounds; this is evident in the way he holds his own against the likes of Raghubir Yadav and Neena Gupta. Raghubir Yadav and Neena Gupta are actors who don’t need any particular validation. Both of them are in terrific form as always.

Faisal Malik and Chandan roy are more than just comic reliefs in Season 2. Towards the end there is a scene where Faisal Malik will get you close to tears.

One minor complaint about the series is the track of the foul-mouthed politician. It doesn’t serve any major purpose. Also you wish there was a little more of Neena Gupta.

In a nutshell, Panchayat Season 2 is going to make the audience impatient for Season 3.

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Mai: Sakshi Tanwar And The Presentation Make This Familiar Cocktail Work

Mothers seeking justice for their daughters has become a genre in itself. Late Sridevi’s Mom along With RaveenaTandon’s Maatr are very good examples of that. Directors Atul Mongia and Anshai Lal take this familiar premise but they still make it work. They make sure that the audiences connect emotionally with the main protagonist Sheel Chaudhary (SakshiTanwar). She is the mourning mother in search of justice. The story takes place in the labyrinthine of Lucknow over six episodes.

Wamiqa Gabbi plays the daughter Surpriya. She is a mute girl who is not just a doctor, but she also does standup comedy. She is in love with a married police officer Faroque Siddiqui (Ankur Ratan).In the very opening episode we see her being hit by a truck. Sheel is absolutely convinced that it’s a murder and not a hit and run accident. She sets out to find the killers. However, Sheel has no idea that she is going to rub shoulders with a big syndicate that takes lives each day. What starts off as a search for killers turns into a tangle of crime, more murders, corruption etc.Other important caste members include Vaibhav Raj Gupta, Raima Sen and Vivek Mushran among others.

There are many things which work for Mai. To begin with the co-directors have done a very impressive job in building up the character of Sheel. When Sheel gets into the revenge mode she doesn’t become cunning or smart overnight.

She is a woman who has not even thought of slapping a stranger let alone killing someone. Her moves at the beginning are a little foolish but sheel still makes it work.

Of course, sheel gets smarter with time, but there is a journey to the entire thing and this journey has a strong emotional connect.

The husband and the wife relationship between Sheel and Vivek Mushran’s Yash also gives the show some of its best moments. The ups and downs of their marriage particularly after the death of their daughter has been dealt with the required sensitivity. Vivek Mushran is also in good form as the husband who is facing the storms of life with a smile.

There are many subplots that the co-directors have integrated into the narrative. My most favorite of the lot is the one involving Ankur Ratan’s Faroque Siddiqui. He is a police officer who could not fit into the world of his upper class wife. He is also not successful in ensuring that Surpriya had a passage to enter his. Initially Sheel just sees him as a Muslim. But as the series progresses the dynamics between these two undergo a significant change. Both of them realize that they are living in a very complex space grappling with many inner demons. He along with Wamiqa Gabi give arresting performances in their respective parts.

The biggest reason why the series works though is the conviction that Sakshi Tanwar brings in. She embodies the various aspects of her character without missing a single beat. The guilt, grief, anger, vengeance and the softness of being a mother to a dead child is all brought out superbly by the actress. She constantly osculates between being a homemaker and a badass woman who is on the quest of finding her daughter’s killers. This juggling act majorly works because of Sakshi Tanwar’s performance. This series should do what Aarya web series did for Sushmita Sen.

DOP Ravi Kiran’s work is another big plus for the series. He captures the three distinct landscapes of Lucknow without much effort. The three distinct landscapes here are the elite, middleclass and slum dwellers. Ravi Kiran had earlier worked on a classic like Sairat and you can see a bit of that perspective.

There are some things which stick out like a sore thumb in this series. One among them is Raima Sen’s character and performance. The character is sketchily etched and Raima’s stone faced act doesn’t exactly help the cause either. She is not able to muster up the deadliness which is required.

The story also ends up being convenient at certain junctures. Sheel is always there at the right time and that sometimes looks odd. Also the percentage of family scenes could have more.

All said and done Mai is a haunting series that is going to stay with you.

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Rudra: An Convoluted Thriller

Rajesh Mapuskar’s Rudra is a psychological thriller/drama that doesn’t quite land. For those who are not aware this series is an official adaptation of the BBC show Luther. Since I haven’t seen Luther I would be talking about this as a standalone one.

This Hindi remake revolves around DCP Rudraveer Singh (Ajay Devgn). He is a part of the special crimes unit of Bombay police, every episode has a new case that puts Rudra to test. The first episode introduces Rashi Khanna’s Aliyah Choksi- she is a genius in space research and also a suspect in a double homicide case. Aliyah’s character keeps coming and going in the series. She is seen affecting Rudra’s professional and personal life. Other important characters include Esha Deol, Atul Kulkarni, Ashwini Kaleskar etc.

One of the few things which work in Rudra is the scenes between Ajay Devgn and Rashi Khanna. The unusual bond that Rudra shares with her is brought out well by the director. Rudra wants to keep away from Aliyah but there are certain times in the series where he has to take help from her. The chemistry between Rudra and Aliyah keeps the series afloat even when things start to go downhill.

It also helps that Rashi Khanna gives a layered performance. She plays her character’s complexities with ease.

Out of the multiple psychopaths KC Shankar is the most terrifying one. The actor plays a painter who paints with blood and gets a kick by drinking other women’s blood. KC Shankar plays his role with an unhinged madness. He is the only villain who stands up to Ajay Devgan’s screen presence.

Another performance worth noting here is that of Ashwini Kalsekar. It is refreshing to see the actress step out of the Golmaal mode and playing an authoritative character.

Ajay Devgn as Rudra gives his trademark intense performance. There isn’t particularly anything new but the actor makes it work. He displays the various shades of his character with finesse.

The biggest issue with Rudra is the underdevelopment of several characters. This can be best seen with Atul Kulkarni’s Gautam. In the initial episodes he is the best friend of Rudra but the character takes a 180 degree transformation, this sudden twist makes you scratch your brains about what the director was thinking.

Another issue with the show is its predictability. The template of Rudra getting it wrong for the first time and solving it in the second chance feels so overdone after a point.

This predictability can also be seen in the scenes of Ajay getting angry. He breaks the things in his cabin and just messes everything around him. As an audience you wonder why the bosses aren’t deducting salary.

The portions involving the turbulent personal life feel more like an add on than anything else. It also doesn’t help that Esha Deol hasn’t improved one bit in all these years.

In a nutshell Ajay Devgn’s OTT debut could have been far better.

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The Great Indian Murder: Much More Than Just A Murder Mystery

Vikas Swarup’s Six suspects was a book which used the format of an investigate thriller to talk about the rampant corruption that runs through in all the systems. The character of Vicky Rai who gets killed in his own party was a just a medium through which Vikas Swarup explored the different facets of our contemporary society. For those who are not aware, the book was about a playboy called Vicky Rai. He is the son of the home minister of Uttar Pradesh. He gets embroiled in a murder case, but he quickly gets acquittal being the home minister’s son. To celebrate his acquittal he throws a party in his farm house. In that party he gets killed by a gun shot. The police arrest six guests on the grounds of suspicion.

Among those who are arrested there is a bureaucrat who claims to have become Mahatma Gandhi. Director Tigmanshu Dullia takes the Skelton of this book and gives it his own touch. There are certain characters in the book which aren’t here but you don’t really miss them as Tigmanshu delivers a mostly satisfying thriller.

The very first episode sets the base for what is to follow. You have a wealthy womanizer Vicky Rai (Jatin Goswami). He has thrown a bash to celebrate his acquittal at his Delhi farmhouse. The party includes family, friends, foes and also quite a few gate-crashers.

Ashutosh Rana plays the father of Vicky Rai. He is a power mongering home minister. Fireworks begin soon after Vicky Rai’s speech. In these fireworks someone has shot a bullet that leads to the death of Vicky Rai.

There are three people who come under the most suspicion for Vicky Rai’s death. One is a slum- dwelling thief (Shashank Arora), another is a tribal who is looking for a stolen ancient idol and lastly there is the former chief secretary (Raghubir Yadav). He is suffering from split personality, due to the split personality he sometimes starts behaving like Gandhi.

There are also other characters that may or may not have had a hand in the murder of Vicky Rai. One of them is Vicky Rai’s own father. Thrown into this mix are a top cop and a CBI officer. These characters are played by Richa Chadda and Pratik Gandhi respectively. Revealing anything more wouldn’t be appropriate since this is a thriller, also there are many mini stories within that are important to the plot.

The most striking aspect of The Great Indian Murder is the grip that writer director Tigmanshu Dhulia maintains for the most part of the show. There is lot of back and forth which is going on, the sequence of events keep on changing with plenty of twists and turns. It is a lot to handle but Tigmanshu makes good use of the Rashomon approach. The underlining theme of the show is the manipulating of evidence for political mileage.

Each character shows a different side of our society. My most favorite one is that of Shashank Arora. Yes, he is a slum dwelling thief but at the same time there is an inherent decency to his character. The trajectory of his role has an emotional touch. His love for Vicky Rai’s sister and how he goes out of his way to help her leaves you quite emotional.

Another character which needs to be mentioned here is that of Raghubir Yadav. His split personality gives the show some of its best moments. The scenes where he switches over to Gandhi are very amusing, to say the least. There are several jibes that the director takes through his character. 

While most of the characters are well written there are also some which could have done with more bite. An example of this is Paoli Dam who plays an actress. She is someone who has been body shamed and also physically assaulted by Vicky Rai. She even goes to a television channel and blasts Vicky Rai with her words. However, she is soon pushed to the background after the first two episodes.

Also the handling of the many tracks slows the proceedings at certain junctures. You can see that Tigmanshu is trying his best to tie up the many subplots, the strain of that shows up more than once.

In this huge ensemble Shashank Arora and Raghubir Yadav stand out the most.

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Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein: A Twisted Love Story That Keeps You Hooked

The story of Siddarth Sengupta’s Yeh Kaali Ankhein isn’t particularly new. Love triangles where one person is obsessed with another isn’t an unfamiliar space, here instead of a male obsessive/possessive lover you have a female. But what makes the show click is the treatment. Every episode ends on a cliffhanger which arouses curiosity in the audience. The twist at the end in particular deserves a special mention. It is not only something that catches you unawares but it also sets up the base for an exciting season 2.

This eight episode series is set in the imaginary town of Onkara. The plot focuses on the character of Vikrant played by Tahir Raj Bhasin. His father (Bijendra Kala) works under the powerful politician of that area Akhiraj (Saurab Shukla). Vikrant’s life plan is very simple. He wants to move out of Onkara, get a job and have a happily ever after with the love of his life Shikha played by Shweta Tripathi. But his life turns upside down with the entry of a childhood classmate Purva (Anchal Singh). Adding to Vikrant’s misery she is the daughter of the politician under which his father works. Purva’s obsession with Vikrant had started from school itself and now it has reached a dangerous level. Things take such a turn that Vikrant is forced to marry Purva as a result his life turns upside down. Since this is a thriller revealing anything more wouldn’t be appropriate.

An important aspect of a genre like this is how you keep audiences on the edge of their seat, it has to be said that the director does a splendid job in keeping the audiences guessing. The way the narrative moves between reality and Vikrant’s imagination is neatly done. The director also deserves credit for the way he sets up the story in the first twenty minutes of the first episode. There is no dragging or beating around the bush.

The lights moments have also been smartly integrated into the plot. Most of them involve Vikrant and his family. The son’s desperation to move away and do something with his life and the father’s inability to understand it raise many chuckles. These scenes provide a much needed comic relief from the tense drama.

Siddarth Sengupta also deserves appreciation for the way he shapes up the character of Vikrant. The journey of Vikrant from a small time boy to a man on mission is smoothly done. Because of this the grey shades of Vikrant’s character in the latter half of the show do not feel abrupt. It also helps that Tahir captures the nuances perfectly; he doesn’t miss a single beat. Anchal Singh’s Purva is another big winner. The most striking aspect of her performance is the way she uses her eyes. Every time she smiles at Vikrant audiences feel a sense of uneasiness. She is perfect as the intimidating and unforgiving Purva. In comparison to Tahir and Anchal, Shweta Tripathi’s character doesn’t feel adequately fleshed out. She feels mostly underutilized in spite of being one of the major characters. Her job is mostly confined to being on the run and waiting for Vikrant’s instructions. There is a half hearted attempt to give her some agency but it feels labored. Here’s hoping that she will have a better role in season 2.

Saurab Shukla is an actor who doesn’t need any special introduction. He has proved his worth many times in the past and here too he gets perfectly into the headspace of Akhiraj

The cinematography by Murzy Pagdiwala adds authenticity to the plot. The atmospherics feel real starting from the river Ghats and dams.

Watch Ye Kaali Kaali Ankhein if you are in the mood for a twisted tale of power, love and deceit.

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Human: A Show That Is Going To Haunt You For A Long Time

Vipul Amrutal and Mozez Singh’s Human is a deeply disturbing portrait on how the poor become sacrificial lambs at the secret clinical trials. The people in this case are victims who belong to the families of Bhopal gas tragedy. Most of the medical professionals that you meet in the show are manipulators of different kinds with few exceptions. It is true that the show presents a rather bleak picture of the medical community, however, at the same time the underbelly of the pharmaceutical industry is something which cannot be ignored either. The show is not making a statement that all doctors are evil, it only wants to show how some medical professionals lure the poor in order to test the drugs on them.

The story of Human revolves around a pharma giant that is trying to fast track the development of a new drug in spite of fully knowing its side effects. Kriti Kulhari plays Dr Saira Sabharwal. She lands a dream job in Bhopal’s premier hospital under the mentorship of the famous 45- year old Dr Gauri Nath (Shefali Shah). Saira looks up to Gauri as an inspiration, she feels that Gauri is an embodiment of goodness. However, she doesn’t know that Gauri is not what she appears to be on the surface. Saira grows a lot under Gauri’s tutelage as the two women start to form a deep bond. However, her life turns upside down when a shocking discovery throws her life into a chaos. This discovery is intertwined with that of a young migrant worker Mangu (Vishal Jethwa of Maardani 2 fame). Another important character is that of Roma ma (Seema Biswas). Roma and Gauri share a special relationship.

The most striking aspect of Human is the writing of Mozez Singh and Ishani Banerjee. It is not easy to showcase the ills of a profession that is considered very sacred but the writers do a wonderful job in exploring the hierarchy that exists in our society. They don’t confine themselves to just illegal drug tests, they expand the story by showcasing a number of societal evils. There are many times where the audiences will be deeply unsettled but in a good way.

The Bhopal gas tragedy has also been smartly integrated into the plot. It is not used for mere technicality. The directors deserve a huge appreciation for the sensitivity with which they have showcased the plight of the numerous generations which have been effected because of the gas tragedy.

However, it also has to be said that certain subplots don’t quite land. For example, the lesbian track of Saira feels convoluted and doesn’t really serve much purpose. The show could have also done with some trimming. The last few episodes after Saira’s expose of Gauri feel like a drag. Instead of ten, eight episodes would have been better.

The technical team of Human also does a wonderful job in creating the right atmospherics. The cinematography, production design and background score play a major part in the audiences being invested.

Shefali Shah scores the highest marks for her performance as Gauri. We don’t first see Gauri as a villain but as the show progresses several layers come out. By the end the audiences go from ‘Oh so good lady’ to please someone stop her’. The range that she shows is incredible to say the least. On a personal note can’t wait to see Shefali Shah and Alia sharing screen space in Darlings. It will be a pleasure to watch the two dynamite actresses together.

Kirti Kulhari is also in good form as a woman who is working hard to give her life a meaning. There are many emotional moments where the actress makes a striking impression. Vishal Jethwa is another standout performer. It is a far cry from what he played in Mardaani 2. Unlike Mardaani 2’s character, Mangu is vulnerable and helpless here. The actor does a good job in bringing out the nuances.

Watch Human for the performances and the reality it portrays.