বীরাঙ্গনা ২: খুনের আড়ালে

গল্পটা কিন্তু বেশ চলছিল, কিন্তু গোলমালটা হল সাজানোটাতে। নতুন ধরনের প্লট, চমকপ্রদ মোচড়ও আছে এক জায়গায়। তার উপর, নাক কেটে নারকীয় খুনের পিছনের মনস্তাত্ত্বিক দিকটাও ভাবার বিষয়।

মহিলা রীল ক্রিয়েটররা খুন হচ্ছেন একের পর এক! হিংস্র ভাবে খুনগুলো করা হয়েছে - নাক কেটে! পুলিশ ফোর্স বিভ্রান্ত। এবারেই চমক! খুনি কে, তা দেখিয়ে দিয়েছেন পরিচালক এবং তারপরেও টানটান রেখেছে পর্বগুলো। এইটাতে কিন্তু স্বীকার করতেই হবে পরিচালক, নির্ঝর মিত্রের বাহাদুরি। খুনি কে জেনেও, তাকে ধরার উত্তেজনাটা দর্শকদের উপভোগ করাতে পুরোপুরি তিনি সফল।

মুশকিলটা হলো, এর পরেও ভুলত্রুটিগুলো অনেকটাই চোখে পড়ার মতো হওয়াতে, এই সীজনটা পুরোপুরি জমে উঠতে পারেনি কিছুতেই। কয়েক জায়গায় অতি সরলীকরণ করে ফেলেই গোলমালটা ঘটেছে।

যেমন, জনপ্রিয় ও উঠতি এক রীল ক্রিয়েটর তার লাইভ প্রোগ্রামের জায়গা ঘোষনা করে দিলেও, জায়গাটা শুনশান রয়ে যায়। তারপর অভিজ্ঞ পুলিশ অফিসার মারাত্মক খুনিকে আটকাতে ব্যাকআপ ছাড়াই বেরিয়ে পড়ে। এরকম কিছু বেকার ভুলই মন ভরাতে দেবে না এবারে। পরিচালক আরেকটু যত্ন নিয়ে বানালে আর খানিকটা কম মশলা দিলে কিন্তু এই সীজনটাও আগেরটার মতই জোরদার হতে পারত।

সন্দীপ্তা সেনের মুখ্য ভুমিকা, দেবরাজ ভট্টাচার্যের ছোট অথচ ব্যপক উপস্থিতি আর সর্বাগ্রে তথাগত চৌধুরির পেশাদারিত্ব চোখে পড়ার মতো হলেও শুধুমাত্র ছোটখাটো কিছু ত্রুটির জন্যই এবার সিরিজটা একটু পিছিয়েই থাকবে আগের চেয়ে। আশা রাখব, পরেরবার আরো নির্ভেজাল কিছু দেখতে পাবো!

Special Ops: Lioness Entrapped

Possibly, the best Lioness season so far.

The suspense was there! So was the action!

But the added element of mystery gave the right touch of espionage thriller.

Well, the initial couple of seasons being mostly based on actions, the essence of espionage was quite lacking, given that the underlying theme were tactical operations, spearheaded by intelligence agencies. But, this one, was undoubtedly, the best season, with agents of intelligence fighting the wars of the mind and transpiring, all through, the correct aura of intrigue that defines them. The thrill is heightened by grim revelations and sudden twists, which might surprise the audience till the very last scene.

A foreign agent is abducted. A retaliation is obvious and not so unexpected. But when the retaliation touches home, the game changes forever. Add to this, is the matter of the double agent that complicates matters the most.

Joe is captured but nobody seems to fit the bill for the captors. As the search ensues, there appears a host of possibilities, but nothing definite, to pursue. As time runs short and leads turn cold, the only way seems, is to wait for the opportune moment. But there too, collaterals seem always on the rise. Tragedy strikes more than often that takes the toll on mind and leaves the scar on the heart and the family as well.

A war, sparked by an individual, rages among nations and ravages many in a battle of wits that never cares for the innocents.

Nicole Kidman reprises her cool and calculative style while Morgan Freeman is brilliantly philosophical and Zoe Saldana plays her part as usual but with a performance, emotionally realistic more than ever. However, the surprise package consists of Elizaveta Nereten and Thad Luckinbill, both being intense and pivotal to the scenes, they are in and the theme that they portray.

So, if you already had endured the 1^st couple of seasons, this 3^rd season of Taylor Sheridan creation would be a must watch!

The Curious Case of Young Sherlock, Moriarty, Mycroft et al

Crafting a classic prequel to the investigative endeavours of Sherlock Holmes, the series delves into a mystery during his younger days that shaped his career. Created by Mathew Parkhill, Peter Harness and Guy Ritchie, the plot searches the origin of one of the most revered analytical minds in the history of detective fiction, interpolating back to the days when the investigator in Sherlock was young and maturing.

The main theme revolves around a haunting event that struck the Holmes family when Sherlock was just a boy that apparently intertwines with a curious case that Sherlock gets involved in concerning murder, missing persons and theft. Pulled out from the gaols by his brother Mycroft, after being thrown in due to his attempts at mastering the art of picking pockets (and returning) went awry, the young and fiercely intelligent Sherlock is obviously frustrated to find himself in the shoes of a scout at Oxford, with the best prospect being graduating to the post of a porter of the college. But that could never be a deterrent to the enterprising Sherlock as knowledge could be gained from quality books that Oxford could never be scarce of. Taking sneak peeks to whatever volumes that he could lay hold of, the young porter enriched his already inquisitive mind with the developments in the world that had evolved.

But as quite a few good things do not have a very happy finale, his adventure with knowledge was sure to suffer a major jolt!

There was a theft in the college. This followed a murder. Queerly, in both, Sherlock got himself involved, suspected........ and finally, once more, found himself behind the prison bars.

Enter Moriarty, a student at the college, a friend to Sherlock by their common interest for the uncommon and with intellect comparable and complement to his friend.

Surely the pen is mightier than the sword, but when two sharp enterprising souls joins force, the iron bars of the gaol are surely not enough!

But a break from the prison might free him, the accusation, however, remains.

So, thus starts the trek through the layers of lies against forces that are sinister yet sober, which  camouflages behind the unspeakably unethical!

The series is a very interesting search on the origin of the investigative mind that had mesmerised the fans of detective narratives through decades.

However, this pilot season of what could be a quite remarkable series, is enjoyable for a slightly different aspect. The search for the intellectual maturity combines with the subtle search for the characters that mature as well, much needed for completing the portraits that could be admired, in case of Sherlock, feared, in case of James Moriarty and become increasingly and happily intriguing, for Mycroft Holmes of the future!

Sessions with Harlan Coben's Lazarus

Suspense and the hint of supernatural combine as Dr Joel Lazarus strives to find the real reason behind the recent death of his father and the the murder of his twin sister that happened in his younger age.

Traumatising him very early in his life, the murder of his sister had scarred Joel deeply and a closure to the incident was all that he could wish for. Alas, the murder remained a mystery as well as the murderer.

But as the forensic psychiatrist in Joel tried to cope with his trauma later in his life, the world once again seemed to unhinge around him with the sudden suicide of his father, Dr L, a practicing psychiatrist of repute and the inspiration for Joel. As the police tried to close his father's death as suicide, the son had his own apprehension. Added to this were dreaded revelations from queer quarters. There seemed to be links to the murder of his sister as well. But as Joel Lazarus approaches the truth by unveiling the layers of mist that surrounds, grim twists await ahead that takes a toll on the mind as well.

With a thrill that can only be felt as the series nears the finale, the disappointing slow pace of the episodes causes a mar to the interesting theme. However, the season offers a few interesting facets. The title corresponding to any particular episode is designed in a sequence of numbers of a college course, thus keeping the essence of psychological drama alive without a hint of what might happen but ensuring that they essentially unfold the subject much like the chapters of a book. The other aspect is the music by Sarah Warne and her directing 'The Windmills of your Mind' cover by Rumer that keeps the theme resonating throughout with the melody that hypnotises with a calmly poignant appeal.

MobLand Melee

Fabulous, terrifying, dark and gripping!

A tale of epic madness!

A brutal saga of blood and gore!

A platter worth of guilty pleasure!

As the child of a mob lord goes missing, tension rises between two crime families and a war is imminent. Any chance of peace is thwarted by the steady undercurrent of enmity that reigns supreme between the rival parties. The inherent craze for the ultimate control adds to the thirst to avenge. Events lead to war that seems to wipe all who stands in the way!

A lie is elaborately staged..... but is seen through, a delicate truce is offered..... but is quickly broken, alliances are forged..... and wreaked, the rats inside are chased for their lives..... and carnage continues.

The creator in Ronan Bennett scripts as well with Jez Butterworth that keeps the drama supreme with loaded yet crisp dialogues. The chilling and dark tone is maintained right through the haunting melody of the opening theme by Ilan Eshkeri and Matt Bellamy.

Performing with the correct blend of craziness and character, is Pierce Brosnan as the mob boss, on the verge of senility, yet hungry for the ultimate control. Synching a notch too high, is the enticingly evil play of Helen Miren in a show of superb insentivity. Balancing the bitterness with his surprise humour, Emmet J Scanlan masks a cruel character in a brilliant show of comedy in every opportunity that arises. But, the centre stage is for Tom Hardy, with impeccable acting, confident gait and with the least predictable demeanour in all types of situations that effectively ushers a sense of foreboding and appeal, at every scene that he treads. Actually, the inherent heart of the series, the finale of the season has the character pinned in a cliffhanger event, essentially promising a required sequel that will again be much awaited with apprehension and eagerness!

The Terminal List: Dark Wolf Rises

Intense and gripping!

Deceptive and shocking!

Scary and pacy!

A tight and crisp prequel that can't be any better.

Inducted into covert operations after being ripped off from his dedicated brotherhood of Navy Seals on grounds of disciplinary actions, Benjamin 'Ben' Edwards, gradually discovers the intricately dark yet strategically concealed side of international intelligence. Working apparently surreptitiously to protect his nation in a joint effort with another espionage agency, the collaboration gets a jolt when a carefully planned operation goes haywire. Tasked with intercepting and countering threats that have the potential to destabilize the world order in terms of nuclear power, retaliations are felt a bit too immediate as well as improbably fast! Inflicting damages to the team not only in terms of casualties, but their morals are also shaken with a sense of distrust clouding the minds of Ben and several members of the unit that are left breathing. With enemies striking hard and fast and those trusted appearing to switch allegiance, the motive and the path chosen suddenly become a bit less simple than what that was promised at the start.

Will Ben be able to trace the truth out of the web of lies and deceit? Will he be able to keep the mind steady in the world where trust gives way to cause that proves dangerously personal? Can he avenge the lives that are lost or will the revelations be shaping him anew?

The viewers of the primary series might take a rough guess but might brace themselves for a twist as well, as though the series means to reveal the character of Ben but the better part of unraveling him is left for the audience to ruminate². This keeps the show enthralling and I must say that I liked the intensity that remains consistent and the gripping thrill that I personally feel, surpasses the primary immensely.

The boldly rebellious demeanour of Taylor Kitsch fascinatingly contrasted with the grimly deceptive looks of Robert Wisdom that elevated the thrill of the drama to greater heights with a solid support from Tom Hopper with his impeccable portraiture of the ruthlessly disciplined fighter.

Based on characters created by Jack Carr, this origin story, is therefore, recommended as a thrilling, if not impressively engrossing watch.

অ্যাডভোকেট অচিন্ত্য আইচ: আইনের আয়নায়!

বিছানায় পড়ে থাকা এক রক্তাক্ত দেহ, এক অভিযুক্ত ড্রাইভার, জনতার দরবার, ময়নাতদন্তে পাওয়া কিছু তথ্য, পুরুষবিদ্বেষী এক দাপুটে মহিলা উকিল নিযুক্ত সরকারপক্ষে বিচারের দাবীতে! ব্যস, আর কি চাই? অভিযুক্তের দোষী সাব্যস্ত হতে তো আর কোনো বাধাই নেই! জনতা তো রায় দিয়েই দিয়েছে! বিচারেও তাই ধার্য হল। অভিযুক্ত দোষী! অতএব শাস্তি চরম দণ্ড! তাই হুকুম হল ফাঁসির! জনতা ওউকিল, উভয়েই খুশি!

কিন্তু বাদ সাধল এক নাছোড় উকিল। একটা ছোট্ট বিসদৃশতা, আর তার থেকেই নতুন করে প্রমাণ যোগাড় করে বিচারের রায়কে আবার একবার খতিয়ে দেখার আর্জি! তাই আবার শুরু হলো তদন্ত। আবার আদালত বসল বিচার করতে! বেরিয়ে এল কিছু চাঞ্চল্যকর তথ্য! এই সাহসী সিদ্ধান্তের জেরে আর সত্যকে বের করতে অ্যাডভোকেট অচিন্ত্য আইচ শুরু করলো এক অসম লড়াই! সাথে থাকল কয়েকজন শুভাকাঙ্খী আর ফাউ হিসেবে জুটল জনরোষ! ঝামেলা বাড়াতে শুরু হল খুচরো কিছু উৎপাত! তার মধ্যেই চলল অচিন্ত্যর লড়াই! এ যেন হেরে যাওয়ার আগে ফুরিয়ে না যাওয়ার তাগিদ।

রহস্যের মোড়কে ঘেরা এই সিজন বেকার কোনো সময় নষ্ট না করে এক সাবলীল গতিতে এগিয়েছে! কয়েক জায়গায় ভুলত্রুটি চোখে পড়তেই পারে, কিন্তু বিষয়ের প্রাসঙ্গিকতায় তাকে গুরুত্ব না দিলেও চলবে! যে সমাজে মহিলাদের সন্দেহজনক মৃত্যুর দায় আর্থসামাজিক স্তরের পিছনের দিকের মানুষের উপর চাপিয়ে দেওয়াটা দস্তুর, সেখানে এরকম কিছু ঘটনাকে আমাদের সামনে তুলে আনাটা বোধহয় সময়ে সময়ে দরকার! তার সাথে বোধহয় মানুষের মনের ঘৃণার দিকটাকে প্রয়োজন চিনিয়ে দেওয়ার, কারণ মানবসভ্যতার সবচেয়ে ভয়ানক প্রবৃত্তি বোধহয় এই রিপুটি যা যুক্তিবুদ্ধির তোয়াক্কা না করে মুহুর্তের মধ্যে দোষীকে ভুলে নিরপরাধকে দোষী বানিয়ে ফেলতে পারে! দর্শকদের চোখটা এভাবে কল্পনার জগতে খুলে দিতে পারলে বাস্তবেও হয়তো একদিন আশপাশের অমানবিকতার বিরুদ্ধে তারা নতুন আঙ্গিকে প্রশ্ন করতে পারবে!

এরকম সিজনের জন্য তাই হইচইকে ধন্যবাদ,

মনকাড়া অভিনয়ের জন্য ধন্যবাদ প্রাপ্য দেবরাজ ভট্টাচার্য, সত্যম ভট্টাচার্য, সোহিনী সেনগুপ্তর,

ধন্যবাদ সামগ্রিকভাবে পরিচালক জয়দীপ মুখার্জ্জীকে ও এই সিজনের বাকি সকল কলাকুশলীকে!

Special Ops 2: Seven days Served!

A threat to the nation, another emergency - internal and escalating and a very personal crisis in his family, Himmat Singh must handle all these three simultaneously!

When a scientist, holding the keys to all the strategic gateways, gets kidnapped and a R&AW agent killed, in different locations but around the same moment, the presence of a link between the two is quite evident to Himmat, but apprehending the criminal behind, seems a completely new ball game.

Add to this is the hunt for a fugitive banker, the man behind ruining several who believed, driving the believers now towards vengeance, caring less for further collateral damages that might follow!

Seven episodes.

Seven days to achieve his target.....

And his own problems to solve!

This can only be handled by Kay Kay Menon (as Himmat Singh) with a characteristic composure that assures but with the ruthless spontaneity of the character that frighteningly appeals. With his band of associates, both internal and foreign, Himmat Singh must fight the enemy at the gate and one outside with his own family, held at a crucial crossroad that threatens to destroy whatever preciously private he had always carefully tried to keep secured.

While Kay Kay Menon is natural in his role as Himmat Singh, so is Vinay Pathak as SI Abbas Sheikh of Delhi Police, the deceptively inconspicuous investigator in the force, radiating a supreme confidence in his enviable knack of sniffing out information from the coldest of trails. Both Pathak and Menon steal the scenes, wherever present by keeping the sequences intense while lacing them with humour, whenever the slightest of opportunities warrants. Added to this, is the chemistry, on the screen, crafted with measured elegance by Gautami Kapoor (as Saroj) with Menon, which adds drama and will surely warrant deserving credit.

With a script (Neeraj Pandey, Deepak Kingrani, Benazir Ali Fida) composed crisply for the correct touch of verbal requirement in a season, based on actions and subtle expressions primarily, the suspense is heightened by the haunting melody of Advait Nemlekar that sets the thrill triggered right from the very beginning.

However, there are a few flaws! The least of them is the not-so-surprising finale of so gripping string of episodes. Thus, the directors (Neeraj Pandey, Shivam Nair) peak their achievement in yet another brilliantly designed "Wednesday" (S2E6) but the zeal is lost in the action-primed climactic cliché of "Thursday" (S2E7) with the thrill subsiding. Again, there are instances where intuition prevails over intellect. Lacking in rationale, certain sequences might feel warily unconvincing and could disappoint the critical viewer.

But the major concern is the childish way the nuclear reactors of the country are shown to be vulnerable to threats. In a country, where nuclear power is not very well accepted by the masses owing to the fact of being unaware of the fundamentals, if a popular series like this, portrays the wrong facts, this may equally add to the deterrent views! A little insightful research could have revealed that Indian nuclear reactors are inherently safe and cannot be compromised by the imaginary way envisaged and the event of a core meltdown being thematically transformed to a catastrophic blast is a famous misconception that once again proves the inadequate awareness of the established safety practices and related technicalities that entail the restraints!

বেপরোয়া বিভীষণ

একদিকে আইসির মেয়ের বিয়ে সামনে, তাই তিনি ভীষণ ব্যস্ত!

অপরদিকে ওসিও নিজের নাতনির অন্নপ্রাশনের আয়োজন করতে বাড়িতে।

তাই বলাগড় থানাটা সেদিনের মতো চালানোর ভার পেল, এসআই বিধান সেন, যার বাড়িতে আবার স্ত্রী একলা থাকে এবং সে সন্তানসম্ভবা, তাই তারও মনে চিন্তা অনেক!

কিন্তু তা বললে চলবে কেন? চোরডাকাত তো আর বসে থাকবে না! তাই সেদিন দুপুরের দিকে কাছের জঙ্গল থেকে একটা অচেনা লাশ উদ্ধার হলেও খুব একটা বিশেষ রকমের অস্বাভাবিক কিছু লাগেনি কারুর। কিন্তু মুশকিলটা শুরু হল তারপর পুলিশের প্রায় নাকের ডগা দিয়ে যখন সেই লাশের মাথাটা কেউ হাপিস করে দিল। এতেই অবশ্য ব্যাপারটা থামল না! এই লাশের মাথা খুঁজতে বেড়িয়ে বেরোল আরেকটা লাশ, তবে এবার মাথা সমেত! বিধান সেনের এই অবস্থায় নিজের মাথা, মানের নিজের চাকরীটা সামলানোই দায় হয়ে পড়ল। একে জোড়া খুন, তার উপর চুরির কেস তো থানায় লেগেই আছে! সাথে মাথা হারানোর সম্পূর্ণ দায়। আইসি হাত তুলে দিয়েছেন, ওসি অবশ্য সাহায্য করে যাচ্ছেন সাধ্যমতো, আর সাহায্যের ব্যাপারে সাথে আছে সহকর্মীরা, যাদের অবশ্য জিজ্ঞাসাবাদ করার ক্ষমতাটা মোটামুটি গুছিয়ে থার্ড ডিগ্রি প্রয়োগের মধ্যেই সীমাবদ্ধ। এ হেন পুলিশের দল নিয়ে বিধান কি পারবে অপরাধী ধরতে? বলতেই পারতাম যে জানার জন্য দেখতেই হবে.....ইত্যাদি, ইত্যাদি। কিন্ত না, তাহলে বোধহয় খানিকটা ভুলই বলতাম।

মজাটা হল, গল্পটা থ্রিলারধর্মী মনে হলেও, তার আসল রূপটা হলো মনস্তাত্ত্বিক। আর এখানেই পরিচালক, রাজা চন্দের মুন্সিয়ানা, যেখানে অপরাধীকে ধরার থেকে তার মনটার হদিশ পাওয়া ও তারপর তার দখল নেওয়াটা গুরুত্বপূর্ণ হয়ে উঠেছে। একদম প্রথম থেকেই যার মায়াবী মুর্চ্ছনা ধরা পড়েছে রথীজিৎ ভট্টাচার্য রচিত অসাধারণ এক ওপেনিং স্কোরের মাধ্যমে। সুবীর মান্নার পরিমিত মেকআপ ও শর্বরী চক্রবর্তীর সামঞ্জস্যপূর্ণ পোষাক চয়ন, দৃশ্যগুলোকে অস্বাভাবিকরকম স্বাভাবিক করে তুলতে পেরেছে।

অভিনয়ে সোহম মজুমদার ঠিকই আছে, তবে কথাটা খানিক কম চিবিয়ে বললে আর ক্ষেত্র নির্বিশেষে চলনবলনটা আরেকটু কম নরম করলে চরিত্রটা প্রয়োজনীয় পুষ্টি পেত! অবশ্য দেখার মতো অভিনয় করেছেন দেবপ্রিয় মুখার্জ্জী ও অমিত সাহা। চরিত্রের মধ্যে সম্পূর্ণ ঢুকে গিয়েও কি সাবলীল অভিনয় দেখানো যায়, আমার উত্তরোত্তর পছন্দের শিল্পী, এই দেবপ্রিয় মুখার্জ্জী, তাই যেন প্রমাণ করছেন বারবার। অমিত সাহাও লা জবাব! স্রেফ যেন অভিব্যক্তি দিয়েই মাত করে দিলেন।

তাই বলছি, সিরিজটা দেখা দরকার। ভুলত্রুটি হয়তো অল্পবিস্তর হলেও আছে, কিন্তু তারই মাঝে ভাবনার কিছু সূক্ষ্ম খোরাকও যে বিছিয়ে রাখা আছে।

Primarily Paatal Lok

There is a word called 'unputdownable', for books. I don't know any equivalent term for TV shows. But if there had been any, Paatal Lok, Season 2, would fit the bill precisely!

If the Season 1 was great, the 2^nd serving will be felt tremendous! With a surprise pace and a gripping tale, the twists are just too many to be comprehensively penned. But leaving the thrill inherent, what wins the heart is the hope that survives and the honesty that satisfies!

The decapitated remains of a Naga leader in his own restroom at the Nagaland Sadan in Delhi threatens the fate of a political summit bitterly. Obvious ripples are felt in Nagaland where the political situation becomes tense. The Delhi cops are alerted and ACP Imran Ansari is assigned the case. Meanwhile, Inspector Hathiram Chaudhary of the Outer Jamuna Paar PS is on a case to find a trumpeteer of a local band party who was reported to have not come home for days at a stretch. Curiously enough, this apparently ordinary case seemed to hold a significant key to the assassination case. The point was brought to notice by Chaudhary, the man with the eidetic memory, a personal asset that came in handy more than once while both the cases proceeded. However, the authorities were initially reluctant in involving Chaudhary, a mere inspector, in the investigation of a murder, labelled to be immensely sensitive in the political regime. But ACP Ansari, the once junior to Chaudhary while in his 1^st appointment, recommended for his revered mentor and the team of two set sail to crack the case just like old times. But the latest mission seemed to be pitted against varied levels of hurdles with the atmosphere of Nagaland turning increasingly hostile, a feeling of mistrust flowing through the ranks, each of their steps being minutely surveilled upon and to top it all, a lone sniper on the loose, apparently on a killing schedule, erasing witnesses at the slightest of opportunities!

So, the stage is set, the suspense is created but what remains is the flurry of twists that creates all the difference!

A season, rivetingly directed (Avinash Arun), well surpasses the predecessor (directed by Avinash Arun and Prosit Roy) both in thrill and pace! Created by Sudip Sharma, the themes are fabulous and twists, though a few tragic, but are unprecedented. Then there is Jaideep Ahlawat as the indomitable Inspector Hathiram Chaudhary whom you'll just love from the word go! With an appearance as gruff as can be, and gait, visibly clumsy particulary while on a chase, the character will inspire awe with the determination that he showcases. Jaideep Ahlawat is simply magnificent with all the naturalness that he portrays and the naive desperation that he projects. The utter helplessness of the salaried, yet the sense of duty that prevails, the character of Hathiram couldn't be more sincerely portrayed. Gul Panag reprises her role as Renu Chaudhary but surpasses her acting with a presence that commands sympathy and respect. Ishwak Singh as ACP Imran Ansari supports ably in a major way while Nikita Grover also refreshes with her wee bit of presence as Constable Manju Verma. Infact, the season seems to be trimmed to perfection, mainly due to all the artists apparently performing, all too precisely without overdoing anything!

The series, designed to be just a thriller, actually becomes appealing not for the rush of adrenaline but for the maturity of remaining practical, while the underlying theme resonates with the dilemma of choosing the priority when protocol of the assigned job comes in conflict with the moral duty that the responsible heart desires.

Cross: A couple of cases

A serial-killer on the loose and a mysterious prowler out with a vengeance, DC homicide detective, Alex Cross must tackle this double trouble that pose threats to both public and his private life. While trying to cope with the trauma of losing his wife, the forensic psychologist in Cross fights the pain within while trying to nab the killer that kidnaps the victims and kills them as a tribute to murderers who became infamous. Racing against time, as Cross tries to save the next victim, there lurks threat to his home and children from a deceptively dangerous enemy, rising from the unforgivingly dormant past. Moles inside add to the worries as strategies get leaked, witnesses killed and evidences lost. Will Cross be able to unmask the adversary? Will he be able to solve a mystery that threatens his family? Will the victims that are in danger be saved?

Primarily based on the characters created by James Patterson, this series by Ben Watkins is a thrill to watch though the suspense is somewhat loosely composed. Aldis Hodge plays the titular character but is eclipsed by the natural acting of Isaiah Mustafa as Detective John Sampson, a supporting role that gets projected to greater significance by the brilliant character portrayal by the superbly refreshing Mustafa. Johnny Ray Grill as the treacherous Bobby Trey will again be felt less impressing in contrast to Ryan Eggold who will send chills through the veins as Ed Ramsay, the psychotic killer who appears increasingly sadistic as the season progresses. Special mention must be reserved for Alona Tal as Special Agent Kayla Craig and the young Caleb Elijah as little Damon Cross, the former breathing relief while the latter giving the touch of genuine innocence, maintaining, all the while, the gravity of the sequences in which they appeared!

Thus, though this season will be a thrill to watch, but a bit of tactful suspense needs to be infused to satisfactorily keep the essence of the series appealing.

Those About To Die..... And Breath

Treachery and tragedy go hand-in-hand as the Roman empire witnesses yet another struggle for power. The dynasty of the Flavians reigns but the lust for supremacy drives the nobility in the race for the curule chair of apparently unlimited power. While the ambitious hatches a coup, the cunning waits for the opportunity, and the apparent plebian gambles for a subtly ambitious strategy of ascendancy! But as the fight for power continues, the ordinary suffers the most! But these puppets of the empire are kept at bay by the games of death and bets.

The amphitheatre hosts the gladiators and the charioteers who battle for their lives and for the stakes of pleasure. The arena soakes in blood while the audience lauds the carnage! Cruelty reigns supreme while sentiments run raw! Many a hearts are killed while new hopes rise afresh. The lives of the gladiators hang precariously on the cold whims that the head of the nobility commands. The commoners bet on the lives and horses as the sports of blood appeal to the baser instincts.

But the smell of blood reeks the royalty too as the apparently noble and those who rule play deadlier games, in the arena of politics. As the race for supremacy infests the factions, conspiracies are set afoot and human lives matter little to the firmly ambitious.

As both the games spill blood, the only class that flourishes is the underworld. Gambling dens greatly prosper and the profits fuel the conspiracies. A particularly scheming owner tries his fortune to rise across the peers while a mother desperately tries protecting her wards. As they both unite in a silent pact, the collapse of many a formidable starts! Curiously enough, in the filths of the corrupts, the purest of amours also finds a place.

With a compact theme spiced with thrilling pace, the guilty pleasure of the blood sports will fade against the tragedies that matters. Created by Robert Rodat, the drama will be remembered for the twists that terrifies, the violence that chills and the tragedies that inherently disturbs! As to the acting, Sara Martins is magnificently perfect with Iwan Rheon closely following while Anthony Hopkins provides the refined touch of sickly classic aristocracy. But the series falters under less thoughtful direction (Marco Kreuzpaintner, Roland Emmerich) that could be planned way better for a subtler touch to emphasize reality.

Mercilessly Mirzapur

After going through the initial few episodes of Season 3 that forced me to assume that the season is only slightly better placed than the Season 2, suddenly episode 7 happened that changed everything. Beginning with a gripping yet not so dramatic start, the plot seemed not so thrilling. We seemed to know what could happen! We knew that Kaleen Bhaiya had survived. We knew Guddu would be ascending the throne tainted with blood. We knew that Madhuri would seek vengeance. We knew the Tyagis will thirst for the blood of Golu. We knew that there will be a power tussle between Sharad and Guddu. And we knew that the life of Ramakant Pandit will be leading haywire!

But what we didn't know was how, if at all, Guddu retains his prized possession of the throne! We didn't know if Beena is satisfied in her cleverly camouflaged nest for her son! We were having no idea of how, if at all, Guddu and Golu plan to survive the onslaught of the opposing parties, a professional hazard that often entails terrifying domino effects! We had no inkling of what fate had in store for Kaleen Bhaiya! We didn't have known what destined role does Robin play in the Pandit family. And we surely didn't know if Maqbool plans to enter the foray to quench his thirst to avenge against the family that betrayed his heart!

Strictly speaking, these form the motive force behind the season and keeps the grip on but falls short of the suspense. But I must, however, admit that the series of climactic twists leading to the startling showdown catapults the rendition way ahead of the Season 2, though not reaching the frightening benchmark that Season 1 had set. Revealing evil in the rawest, the season provides ample opportunities to bask in guilty pleasure but the frequent collaterals may keep the primitive attitude somewhat at check!

As Guddu Pandit stoops to a new low, Ali Fazal attains newer heights of superbly natural acting, precisely presenting the character through all the required shades. Ranging from the utter cruelty to inescapable despair, every emotion is effortlessly portrayed as the actor blends all too well with the character he plays. But slight disappointingly, Shweta Tripathi Sharma, my favourite, overdoes the Golu effect, very much spoiling her singularly terse appeal. Isha Talwar, on the contrary, shines in her cool charisma as she completes the transformation of the aspiring diplomat from the preceding season to the suavely strategist Madhuri. But beside these, two actors deserve special mention due to their individual skills that are greatly distinct yet equally brilliant. One of them, as most might already have guessed, is no other than Pankaj Tripathi, who wins the admiration while playing one of the vilest crime lords of all times. With a short screen presence and even shorter amount of dialogues, his mere presence heightens the sequences featuring him, augmented by his signature crisp comments and subtle yet piercing gestures. The other is Vijay Varma, who played the dual role of the Tyagi siblings in the previous season and reprises his role of the surviving brother in the latest one. He portrays one of the most complicated characters that the drama demands with perfect poise and enhances the chilling suspense of several situations with the least predictable demeanour!

Thus, Mirzapur continues to entertain, starting as early as the haunting notes of the opening score (John Stewart Eduri) appeal to the senses, but will require improvement in the narrative for retaining the madness!

Karmma Calling: destined to avenge!

The celebrity from the yesteryear Bollywood circle and now a giant among the corporate leaders, Indrani Kothari is nicnamed the Queen of the Billionaires by the wealthy elite. Reigning over the business world with her husband, Kaushal Kothari, from the beaches of Alibaug, she manages to instill a mixed sense of awe and severity for the Kothari clan among the minds of their acquaintances. Keeping a strict vigil over the richer sect of the social strata, she tries to keep a tight grip on her children as well. Thus, when a mysterious stranger entered her life, ripples in her balanced life was all but natural!

Little did she realise that the stranger who called herself Karma Talwar was actually Ambika Mehera, daughter of Satyajit Mehera, determined to avenge her father, wronged by the conniving Kotharis, that cost his life and respect and paved a sudden uncertain and apparently insecured future for the daughter. Targeting all who orchestrated the downfall of her father, Ambika starts to take down the culprits in her well laid traps. But danger lurks in every corner as domino effect causes unplanned accidents and threatens collateral damage.

With Ambika and Indrani fighting a psychological battle, the series actually blends drama with thrill.

Starting on a cliffhanger and winding up with a twist, the series promises a following season that should reveal what lay hidden behind the questions unanswered!

Adapting the theme with required yet simple acknowledgement from Revenge by Mike Kelley, the drama is directed by Ruchi Narain.

The pace is steady with quick resolutions but coincidences galore to keep it quite occassionally unrealistic.

Raveena Tandon is superb in her classy demeneour and Varoon Sood with his naively brawny features displays a perfect contrast. Special mention is due to Viraf Patel for his comic reliefs during his increasingly frequent significant appearances!

Bambai Meri Jaan: blood in thy hands!

There is very little to be said for a series where the particulars are so carefully designed.

Brilliant direction (Shujaat Saudagar), outstanding acting (Kay Kay Menon, Kritika Kamra, Nivedita Bhattacharya, Jitin Gulati, Nihar Gite, Sumeet Vyas), fitting costume design that matches the decades depicted (Bibi Zeeba Miraie), crisp storyline (S Hussain Zaidi), impeccable cinematography (John Schmidt)!

Spanning several decades from the sixties through the seventies, the series traces the shift of power in the Mumbai underworld when a rookie, the son of a policeman, challenged the clout established by the brain of Haji, the intelligence of Mudaliar and the muscle of the Pathans. Beginning his career in the black market with occasional cons and duping customers with his sleight of hand techniques, Dara Ismail Qadri soon rose to infamy in the smuggling business, thanks to his industrious efforts, his daring gang of friends as well as dedicated siblings, a few twists of fate and his ever increasing ambition for power that ushers wealth. But, alas, the rise to glory was not without pain! Not only did he breed enemies, but he also lost the dear ones in the process! Battling all the odds as they came, the steadily rising don had, however, his own fierce ways of dealing with the crises. To the utter dismay of his father, Ismail Qadri - once an honest cop whom fate forced to serve the corrupts - the Qadri clan seemed to be devoured by the Devil. The authorities also tried to take advantage but was miserably trapped in their own game. Terror was redefined while mercy seemed to vanish. Massacres followed revenge as the D gang challenged the mafia veterans.

Based on true events of the underworld, Shujaat Saudagar directs this fast paced crime drama that unfolds a dark history of power struggle, soaked in blood, while reeking of betrayals. Fictionalizing several true incidents with alterations wherever necessary, the series rides on the thorough research of Hussain Zaidi to depict the mob bosses that ruled Bombay for decades. As to the acting, all played their characters precisely but Kay Kay Menon is superb. His portraiture of the principled policeman and when fate chose, the unwilling accomplice to crime deserves applause. The agony of the despairing father, the plight of the helpless, the desperation for the family he headed, the courage of the honest heart and the uncompromising hate towards evil - could never have been better depicted than what he did with a masterful act that deserves nothing short of a countless applause. Kritika Kamra acts as his stubborn daughter with a deceptive trait to surprise when needed. Nivedita Bhattacharya compliments him well with the demeneour of the lady torn between the the choice of standing by the person she respects and the others she loves. Jitin Gulati as the older Saadiq Qadri and Nihar Gite as his younger version, both deserves no less praise in depicting the sibling, elder to Dara but being less astute, standing tall when situation demanded, respecting the leadership of the deserving while quietly grieving at being the apparently lesser favoured individual right from his very tender age. Sumeet Vyas also highlights his short appearance as the ruthlessly calculative assassin with a contrasting sense of black humour. The bell botts generation is aptly sketched by the costume design of Bibi Zeeba while the feature of the sixties is agreeably captured in sepia tones by John Schmidt.

This gripping series is a thrilling watch that showcases, albeit fictitiously, the rise of a new generation of mafia in the city of India that the world is destined to bear for several decades to come.

Aakhri Sach: the ultimate terror!

Based on true events, the series tries to search for the terrifying truth behind the apparently eerie deaths of all the members of a humble household. With thorough research, the season searches for the ultimate truth behind the apparently bizarre tragedy. Spanning for a gripping length of six episodes, the series delves into the psychology of the individuals to find the rationale behind the incomparably horrific incident.

The neighbourhood of Rajawat family in Delhi suddenly turned to be the focus of the entire country on the fateful morning when the inhabitants were all discovered dead, the only individual living being their chained pet dog. Of the eleven member household, ten were found hanging to death in the courtyard, while the lone eleventh, the eldest, was located strewn dead in her bedroom.

A family, who was reported to have no significant problem with the neighbours, with a business that was gradually prospering and one of their younger members being recently engaged to be married, seemed to be the most improbable candidate for such a catastrophic fate. Police investigations to gather evidence against the primary suspects of the fiancé and the local crime syndicates were drawing blanks till a startling find turned the tides with curiously grim facts. A visit to the ancestral home in the village from where the Rajawats hailed and the discovery of a bundle of regularly maintained logbooks completely changed the course of enquiry. A psychological autopsy seemed to be the demand of the case that required a critical probe to the psyche of the family. The dreadful mystery was not only to be solved but the answers to several baffling questions needed to be firmly established!

Written by Saurav Dey and Ritu Shri and directed by Robbie Grewal, the chillingly compact drama patiently crafts a fiction that retains a true theme. Abhishek Banerjee is not only fascinating as always, but he surely played one of his remarkably critical roles to date with his politely dominating countenance to portray a central character, which remained central to the theme as well. Tamanna Bhatia, with her measured gaits, added the right amount of seriousness to the series while Rahul Bagga supporting the act ably with the added appeal of his signature baritone.

The thrilling drama is worth watching that probes, albeit through fictitiously reconstructed events, a frightening mystery with twists, which had challenged the regular intellect!

Haddi: a performance that matters!

A piece of outstanding standalone acting (Nawazuddin Siddiqui), courageous plot with novel theme (Adamya Bhalla, Akshat Ajay Sharma), superbly blended with reverberating tunes (Rohan Pradhan, Rohan Gokhale) but marred by poor overall cast selection (Mohammad Talib) and direction (Akshat Ajay Sharma) that did injustice to the theme. The tale of revenge is an old one but when that centres the transgender, the tale takes a startling turn. A society that outcasts and abhors a community will be very likely to be indifferent to their state of being. But when their wrath is challenged, there strength is felt like never before.

The plot centres on the evil political leader utilizing the transgenders to promote his illegal trade while, at the same time, systematically trying to usurp the homes owned by the apparently weaker of the community to further his real estate business. To achieve his selfish aims of increasing wealth, he stoops to lowest measures, including mass murders, caring less for the people who stands in his way. But challenge comes from unsuspecting quarters, a transgender plotting a careful revenge to avenge the only family he knew, a home that once provided him shelter when ostracized by the society but now, the establishment being decapitated by the mafia greed.

There is quite a bit of novelty in portraying the vengeance of the transgender, but the way the central character is played by Nawazuddin Siddiqui, deserves special applaud. The wails of the devastated, the wrath of the desperate, the softness of the delicate heart within being the handful of the varied sentiments displayed by Nawazuddin that will keep you spellbound as you watch the classic manifestation of human sentiments that range from graceful elegance to utter arrogance! The theme is magnificently complimented by the soulful melody of Beparda with the voice of Rekha Bhardwaj, accompanied by Rohan Pradhan and Rohan Gokhale that amplifies the passion even further. But having said all these, I must say that the film will surely fall short of high ranks, thanks primarily to a horrid casting of Anuraag Kashyap as a central character. Who considers him to be a serious villain? Meaning no disrespect, he apparently just lacks that strain. Lowering the scales a notch further, is the abrupt direction that does injustice to the presentation that basically banks on individual performances. However, a casual watch will do no harm as the skilled acting of the professional, the unique storyline and the music that thrills, might be just the right ingredient for entertainment!

City of Dreams.... and trials!

The Gaikwads are back in business. But with hearts grieving for their irreparable losses, the beginning had not been so easy! Rumours prevailed, scandals reigned and the oppositions exploited while media played their own trial games. Recuperating from her severest of losses, as Poornima Gaikwad tries taking the responsibilities of the state she was elected to minister, she also patches up with her father, the bitterest enemy that she had ever needed to fight. But threats were lurking both near and outside her locale. A political party set to destroy her father, a rich media to do the evil reckoning, a dangerous enemy of old set to avenge their loss with the life of Poornima, can she hold the leashes and save her state and her self? With Wasim Khan as her ever trusted friend, Poornima must keep her wits at bay as even though the enemies strike from outside, the internal ills too seek justice. Alliances are negotiated and trusts seem fragile as comrades fall apart while scheming opportunists unite. While the oppositions play the scandal game and arranged for coup, can the disgraced Gaikwads regain their glory and might or is there bigger challenge ahead?

Interesting revelations await for those who see as terrifying surprises will be there in store to shake the faith. Gaining momentum gradually from the rather gloomy start, the sensationally climactic 30 minutes will be a thematic reminder of The Godfather awakenings where desperation plays the pivot and revenge hammers in the needed justice.

Nagesh Kukunoor directs the enigmatic political drama, which is compelling to watch, not only due to its necessarily inherent guilty pleasure, but instead for its contrasting attempt to shift focus partly towards the risky maneuvers of honest politics. Priya Bapat effortlessly continues playing her part as the unwavering and strategic Poornima Gaikwad with superb elegance, humbly supported by Eijaz Khan and Atul Kulkarni, reprising their roles with their fascinatingly deceptive simplicity that augments their characteristically natural smartness. As each season closes and a new one begins, the only thing that remains constant is the signature opening score by Tapas Relia, a melody that is pleasing to the ears yet haunting to the soil, one of my favourites in the series, composed as if to align the mind for the thrill to behold!

Cracking mysteries with The Mentalist

The acute interpreter of human behaviour and gestures will keep you engrossed in this thrilling drama by the risks he takes, the traps he sets and the antics he plays. Just completed watching the thrill laced adventure, which, on the one hand, has mystery as the central element, while on the other, has a fair share of drama as well. Essentially a police procedural, but as the name suggests, the theme is focussed on the single investigator. Once, a con artist, the alleged psychic with a keen insight into behaviours, turned into a consultant to the authorities in nabbing the scariest of criminals, solving the strangest of crimes, while secretly harbouring his chief agenda of avenging the murder of his wife and daughter.

Created by Bruno Heller, the seven part series is a study of human psychology that reveals the various shades of human emotions in the grimmest of circumstances. Simon Baker plays the sauve protagonist with keen observational power in Patrick Jane who is kind on the one hand, while opportunistic in the other, but alway maintaining a principle of striking the bad while defending his own, though at times, his actions will raise serious doubts as to his courage. Complimenting him with a predictable yet assured stance is Robin Tunney as Teresa Lisbon, introduced very early as the boss of Jane, balancing her colleagues with a smiling face and a professional astuteness. The natural interrogator in Kimbal Cho is trimmed to perfection by the impassive Tim Kang. The cheerful Owain Yeoman as the optimistic Wayne Rigsby and the naive countenance of Amanda Righetti as the sweetly sentimental Grace Van Pelt, who were regular in the initial few seasons but appeared intermittently as the show gradually converged, complimented the serious tone by their spontaneous romance, blended quite happily with the correct measure of humour.

The investigative methods are really thrilling to watch but the protagonist possessing the mental ability that stretches the limits of imagination, keeps reality at bay and though the suspense and mystery are retained but it is intense drama that ultimately entertains.

Dahaad: the stifled cry for justice

Sonakshi Sinha and Vijay Verma locked horns in this nerve wreaking manhunt for the serial killer who is sly as a fox with an obsession like a maniac.

Luring innocent girls into his honeytrap of false hope, Anand Swarnakar picked his preys, choosing mainly those who were emotionally estranged from their families besides being socially compromised. Fulfilling his lustful desires, he kills his unsuspecting victims in ways that forces the authorities to certify these as suicides. This psychopath concocts a plan so cunning that investigator that thinks different is also baffled by the locked-room nature of the suspected murders. Leading a dual life of a respectable teacher and the responsible husband and father, the unchallenged Anand continued his killing spree silently yet regularly.

But one of these cases suddenly got the attention of the stubborn sub-inspector, Anjali of the Mandawa police station, whose determination seemed to equal the murderous obsession of Anand and then began the chase to hunt for suspects with barest of evidences to start with and the fate of many lives hanging at the balance.

The series with the murderer revealed very early was nonetheless gripping, thanks to the fantastic direction of the director duo of Ruchika Oberoi and Reema Kagti who weaved the murder mystery into the peaking tension and kept the audience guessing of the outcome till the most opportune moment. Added to this is the fabulous performance by Sonakshi Sinha in the role of the police officer hailing from the local Rajasthani family, with a grit to bring justice to the deserved, while tirelessly fighting the social ills of class and gender distinctions that is served free in this nation of varied notions. With a dialect perfected to blend in with the role, her entire performance was superbly natural and critically awesome. Equally awesome is Vijay Verma in his role of the crooked psychopath. His composed mannerism hiding the methodical sadist inside will be sure to bring shivers down the spine as with each appearance his demeneaor becomes increasingly chilling. Supporting with another significant performance, Gulshan Devaiah portrays the local police chief with a responsible attitude and a rational sense of justice. Devaiah is perfect and his mannerism is so realistic that scenes of him handling his juniors, his family and kids on various occasions, will bring to fore the true versatility of the actor and the class of officers he represents while earning reverence for the character he plays. Sohum Shah is the other noteworthy supporting cast among others who will stand apart for the accurate act of the insecured individual, demoted in his professional life and left to choose between ambition, camaraderie and responsibilities at every turn of his existence. Pitching in with perfection, the opening score by Tarana Marwah and Gaurav Raina sets the haunting tone of suspense to resonate right from the very beginning.

Thus, the series that starts with mysterious murders and is essentially a psychological thriller is a must watch not only for the deceptive suspense but also for the subtle message that the story reminds of - the horrific plight of women subjected to the deceits of society and the evil curse of irrational norms.