There is not even a single person who hasn't performed well in this series, irrespective of how small their role was, that in itself is a tremendous achievement for the latest show from the creators Reema Kagti and Zoya Akhtar. I dont know whom to praise in this. Without a doubt the first choice would be the Antagonist Vijay Varma, followed by Sonakshi. Vijay's demeanor and his versatility stands out in a limited edition of cat and mouse thriller with a whodunit part revelaed upfront. Now you many think oh man thats a bummer but hold on to your thoughts. I would have gone for a binge watch if not for the jet-lagged week.
The series takes a very sensible and rooted story telling format and they nailed quite a lot of things in this. The sensitive topic of dowry, marriage pressure and caste politics is treated with caution and with dignity. And all of this is beautifully packaged in a serial killer format.
Typically the serial killer shows are associated with gore, extreme violence and some gruesome murders which puts away many people to even attempt it. But here its treated in a very different way without offence. It's smartly written and narrated in an unconventional way. It brims with excellence and filled with sublime touches. The world building and character development scores big on this show. The primary layer is a very detailed police procedural and it has a equally important layer of a no non-sense social commentary. The title music is something special.
For the kind of start and tempo it maintained, i felt the last episode to be very underwhelming. The slow burning narrative and some repetitions takes away a bit of sheen from an otherwise immersive story telling. After a long time i did root for the entire police force. This is my second favorite hindi show of this year along with Motwane special Jubilee.
Verdict - 3.5/5(The Evil Lives on)