Release Date : November 18, 2023
123telugu.com Rating : 3/5
Starring: Kay Kay Menon, Madhavan, Divyendu, Babil Khan, Sunny Hinduja, Juhi Chawla, Dibyendu Bhattacharya
Director: Shiv Rawali
Producer: YRF Entertainment
Music Director: Sam Slater
Cinematographer: Rubais
Editor: Yasha Jaidev Ramchandani
Related Links : Trailer
Cast : Harsh Chhaya, Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Abhishek Chauhan, Surya Sharma
Directed by : Ashish R. Shukla
Produced by : Jyoti Sagar, Siddharth Sengupta, Abdul Ahad Naushad
Music by : Anuj Danait, Shivam Sengupta
Cinematography by : Murzy Pagdiwala
Editing by : Rajesh Pandey
So, continuing the series of reviewing movies and shows during the lockdown period, our today’s pick is the Hindi web series Undekhi. The series is available on Sony Liv and let’s see how it is.
What’s it about
Daman Atwal (Ankur Rathee) is all set to marry Teji Grewal (Anchal Singh)in a big fat wedding in Manali. Daman’s uncle and cousin run the town with their bad deeds which he is unaware of. A brutal murder is committed in the wedding shocking many. This wedding is captured by one of the photographers Rishi (Abhishek Chauhan)who wants to report this to the media and cops. This starts a new game of chaos. Will the cameraman report the murder going against the big guns of the city. What will Daman do in all this? That forms the rest of the story.
What’s good?
Dibyendu Bhattacharya is getting some solid roles with each passing day. He plays a ruthless DSP in the series and is the biggest highlight. The way he croons songs in his serious investigation and manages to deal with some of the biggest guns in his own way has been showcased superbly the actor. The way the murder happens, and how bigwigs in the crime-filled areas of north India showcase their power has been showcased superbly. The series has a solid set up and gives good engaging moments in every episode. The scenes between Rinku and DSP are solid and give a different perspective to the show. All the characters have been nicely cast and they do a solid job in the show. From the beginning, the makers do not waste much time to establish the story and make it engaging. The story is simple but the narration, BGM, and performances make it gripping.
What’s bad?
Some of the subplots shown in the series were not needed at all. Too much attention is given to Daman and his relationship with his fiance. After the first few episodes, the pace of the show drops down in a big way. The show could have been wrapped up in eight episodes to make things crisper.
Final Word
Overall, Undekhi is a gritty web series that has a superb premise. The small-town crime setup, power game, realistic performances, and gripping narration makes things very interesting for the audience. Barring a few repetitive scenes and slow pace in the 6th and 7th episodes, this series ends up as a good engaging watch during this lockdown. Go for it.
Rating: 3.5/5
Cast : Anirban Chakrabarti, Hrishitaa Bhatt, Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Ronjini Chakraborty, Subrat Dutta, Vijai Singh
Directed by : Sayantan Ghosal
Produced by : Nispal Singh
Cinematography by : Ramya Saha
Editing by : Gourab Dutta
So, continuing the series of reviewing movies and shows during the lockdown period, our today’s pick is the Hindi web series Laal Bazaar which is presented by Ajay Devgan. The series is available on Zee5 and let’s see how it is.
What’s it about
The series is set in Kolkatta and its famous area called Laal Baazar. The Kolkatta police want to bring peace in this area and make special plans. But things get upside down when a sex worker gets suddenly killed in that area. Also, her death is related to Laal Bazaar’s police station and an aggressive cop Suranjan Sen(Kaushik Sen). What is happening in Lalbazaar. How are cops connected? and how is the whole mystery solved forms the story?
What’s good?
Hrishita Bhatt looks good in her role and does well in her character. Kaushik Sen is the main lead and his performance is pretty good. The noted actor holds the show well with his act. The last three episodes are quite engaging. The setup looks quite good and gives an idea of how Kolkatta is deeply rooted in its old city. The dialogues are good but the BGM is very good. The cop set up looks authentic and has some engaging conversations. The murder angle and how it is handled is also neatly done.
What’s bad?
The initial few episodes are boring as the director Sayantal Ghoshal wastes a lot of time in bringing the original story into place. The series has way too many subplots and there was absolutely no need for that and drags the show unnecessarily. The gay episode looks weird in the show. Apart from the main lead Kaushik Sen, the rest of the supporting cast is quite dull and does not carry out the emotions well. The series is like crime investigation happening throughout but the twists that are needed are missing completely.
Final Word
Overall, Lalbazaar is a crime thriller series that has a good setup and a nicely written plot. But it is the execution which plays the spoilsport. Apart from the last two good episodes, the performances, lack of strong emotions and twists make it a dull watch during this lockdown.
Rating: 2.5/5
