So far, surviving in the lockdown was mostly about binging tv shows, and watching films on various streaming platforms (for millenials at least), but if you already think you might have found a good show to stream, you’ve definitely not come across Paatal Lok, an Amazon Prime original that will change the definition of brilliance two-fold.
This production venture by Anushka Sharma’s Clean Slate Films, is like a breath of fresh air in the indian world of web series that almost every time bases itself either on a good story line or the use of violence or exposing society’s reality, but never on all of three of them together, in measured and well-researched quantities.
Based on Tarun Tejpal’s book, The Story of my Assasins, Pataal Lok is the story of an underachiever cop posted in Delhi’s Jamuna Paar Station, Hathi Ram Chaudhary (Jaideep Ahlawat), who wants to make it big by cracking a proper case for once and is served with the opportunity post the capturing of four suspects accused of plotting the potential murder of a liberal left journalist Sanjeev Mehra (Neeraj Kabi).
Why was it necessary for me to mention the journalist’s political inclination here, will be disclosed once one delves deeper into the series.
Hathi Ram clearly bifurcates the city and it’s jurisdictions into Swarg (heaven), Dharti (earth) and Pataal (hell) Lok, and explains how grave criminal cases cease to solve as they always fall in the Pataal Lok, that always essentially gets overlooked. The show begins with this little monologue quite like the evident distribution of characters belonging to either of these three at all times.
The show has written “POLITICS” all over it, with inclusion of primary elements like the media, a political party, regular revelations of the discriminatory side of the society, mention of major political movements from India, and a police constable stuck among it all, hoping to make it big! But even as the show ends, you realise that it never took any one political stand as it’s key narrative. For every point spoken in one direction, there was a counter argument later into the show.
Director Avinash Arun has earlier directed the critically acclaimed Marathi film, Killa and along with co-director Prosit Roy has managed to pour beautiful narratives and work meticulously with writer Sudip Sharma.
After NH10, it wasn’t a surprise to see another vivid project drop out of Anushka Sharma’s production house.
You wouldn’t fail to notice the amazing cast of the show from the likes of Jaideep Ahlawat, Neeraj Kabi, Anindita Bannerjee, Ishwak Singh and Akash Bannerjee.
The ending might or might not disappoint depending on what character were your bets placed on. Either way, the ending isn’t predictable or stupid, so be ready for a refreshing ride, that will promise engagement and bundles of intriguing subplots all the way!
The F Word 