Gripping thriller captures underbelly of a city perfectly

Starring: Jaideep Ahlawat, Gul Panang, Neeraj Kabi, Swastika Mukherjee Director: Avinash Arun & Prosit Roy

THE web serial everyone has been talking about in recent weeks is Amazon Prime’s new nine-episode crime drama set in a seedy world of corrupt cops, contract killers, gangsters, guns and shifty politicians.

The story revolves around a jaded police officer with poor prospects, who is unexpectedly handed a high-profile case involving the failed assassination attempt of an eminent news anchor in Delhi. What starts off as a simple investigation involving four prime suspects, slowly spirals out of control and takes the investigator deep into the underbelly of a big city hiding secrets and a class divide that exposes corruption at every level.

The crime thriller starts off slowly and gradually builds up pace as secrets are revealed with each episode. There are twists along the way and an atmospheric setting, which has been perfectly captured by sharp camerawork. It is that attention to detail and connection to a decidedly dark reality that makes this gripping drama shine. There are great performances from the relatively unknown cast and plenty to hold the viewer’s attention each step of the way. Lead star Jaideep Ahlawat is particularly good and delivers a career best performance with a multi-layered role.

Some may find the ending a little unsatisfactory and there is a portion where the story loses a little momentum, but that doesn’t take away from a series that has a lot to say, including delivering some very harsh truths. Fans of crime dramas will find subtle nods to others serials in the same genre, but it does so without losing its unique identity.

Paatal Lok has been described as Amazon Prime’s answer to Netflix smash Sacred Games, but in many ways it is a lot better and has a more gripping storyline. This crime drama is highly recommended and should be added to your watch list during lockdown.