Paatal Lok - A Spoiler Free Review

Hey Guys!

I'm sorry for the delay in posing, there's really no excuse, just my laziness. Fear not though, for I have returned and now promise to regularly update the blog! Today, I want to talk to you about a new Hindi web-series, Amazon Prime's Paatal Lok.

PLOT:
A high profile case regarding an assassination attempt on a journalist is handed over to cynical police officer, Hathi Ram Chaudhary. As he delves deeper into the case, nothing is as it seemed at first.

CAST:


Hathi Ram Chaudhary : Jaideep Ahlawat
Sanjeev Mehra : Neeraj Kabi
Vishal "Hathoda" Tyagi : Abhishek Banerjee

REVIEW:
Paatal Lok is the latest in the Hindi television "Renaissance", that started with streaming services producing Hindi shows that are not regulated by stringent television laws. These shows are different from your average Hindi soap operas, which tend to focus on in-house dramas and romance stories dealt with in a PG-13 manner. These new wave of shows, like Mirzapur and Sacred Games, are raw, brutal and unflinching programs that do not shy away from matters of violence and sex, subjects considered taboo on regular Indian television. So how does Paatal Lok hold up in this?

While Paatal Lok comes nowhere near the storytelling high of Mirzapur (which, in my opinion, is the absolute best in the new age of Indian TV), manages to be a nerve-racking thrill ride. With just 9 episodes, that are not more than 45 minutes each, it is incredibly binge-able. It's a slow burn thriller mystery that slowly unfolds across each episode. It captivates the viewers from the very first moment and doesn't let go till the last minute of the series.

Another brilliant aspect of the Hindi television Renaissance is that it gives lesser-known actors in Hindi cinema a chance to truly shine. A brilliant example of this is Manoj Bajpayee in The Family Man, Kay Kay Menon in Special Ops, and Divyendu and Ali Fazal in Mirzapur. Similarly, this show lets Jaideep Ahlawat put on display the finest performance of his career. His dialogue delivery and facial expressions are spot on. He absolutely steals the show in every scene he is in. Besides that, a special mention goes to Neeraj Kabi, who plays self-obsessed journalist, Sanjeev Mehra. Abhishek Banerjee's role, though quite less, is very impactful.

The show is beautifully written, with memorable dialogues and socially relevant stories, it will leave a mark on you. Another thing I loved about it is that all the characters are complex human beings, with flaws and drawbacks, nothing is black and white as it usually is in some shows. The show also deals with issues of social discrimination, caste issues, gender-based violence, trans rights, and many other socially relevant topics. Though I have to admit, when the show is being violent, it leaves nothing to the imagination, which can be quite jarring. Therefore, some scenes came off needlessly violent, using gore only for shock value.

Overall, it is an interesting show to watch. It will give you enough content to spend your weekend comfortably. However, viewer discretion is advised.

Thank you for reading! What did you think of Paatal Lok? Will you be watching it? And for more content follow me on Instagram on @blogofbooksandmovies. Do share, and I hope you have a great day!