We just finished binge-watching Paatal Lok on Amazon Prime Video and here are our 10 reasons why this web series is an absolute must-watch!
1. Paatal Lok is a layered and nuanced cop drama. The basic premise of the show centres around the four hired "killers", who are arrested by the Delhi Police for an assassination attempt case just as they were leaving the city. The case is then handed over to the inexperienced local thana inspector, Hathi Ram Choudhry, who, along with his rookie junior, Imran Ansari, sets about to solve this case and get to the bottom of who these four hired guns are and who hired them to kill a top, honest journalist.
2. So, while Paatal Lok sounds like a thriller or a whodunnit it is so much more! It is a searing reflection of our times- of the harsh reality of caste politics, of religious discrimination, of dirty politics and it shines a light on the privilege of urban, middle-to-upper-middle class Indians, who live in a cocoon, blissfully unaware of the horrifying reality of those living in the urban underbelly.
3. This web series has done an excellent job of building interesting and real characters. Our cop, Hathi Ram Choudhry, played brilliantly by Jaideep Ahlawat, is a jaded, cynical guy, who has been a cop for over 20 years. He is assigned to a thana way out in the boonies that he himself classifies as paatal lok (hell), where the incidence of crime is high, but this is the kind of crime that does not make for interesting headlines because it involves the poor and the marginalised sections of our society. This attempted murder case is the first big, important case that Hathi Ram is in-charge of and he wants to do his very best to prove to himself that he has what it takes to be a good cop. Hathi Ram's honest efforts to get to the bottom of the case makes you want to cheer for him even though he is far from perfect. He is not the best father, he is not a sensitive cop.. he is very much a product of growing up in a paatal lok of his own, but as he goes through the rigour of solving this case, he earns our grudging respect and support.
4. Hathi Ram's deputy, Imran Ansari is an interesting character. He is a young Muslim cop in a country where, especially lately, being Muslim is very othering. He has to grit his teeth when a superior uses a racial slur for a Muslim criminal. He has to be quiet and nod along as people around him refer to Muslims as "those people". We really liked how casual Islamophobia has been depicted in this series, especially, in work environments. Ansari is just such a wonderful character and I am sure everyone was rooting for him!
5. The Mehras- Sanjeev (the intended victim) and his wife Dolly- seemed to live in swarg lok (heaven). Their posh neighbourhood, beautiful house, great lifestyle and even Dolly's anxiety and Buddhist chanting was just so removed from the reality of the other characters on the show. Sanjeev Mehra, especially, has an interesting journey and I don't want to say too much about what that journey entailed because I don't want to spoil the series for you!
6. The four hired guns were so brilliantly etched out and each of their backstories have been pulled out of the very nasty reality of our times across urban and rural India. Some of these stories will break your heart, some will make you so angry and some will just make you feel so helpless at your own privilege. But each of these stories are important and they highlight issues that we simply cannot ignore! For this reason alone, watch this series!
7. The look-and-feel of this series is so real and atmospheric. Each and every frame is so nicely curated and real that it is such a welcome change from what we have to put up with on our TV screens in the form of Hindi (and regional) serials! Whether it is the Mehra's world of posh garden parties or plush media offices or Hathi Ram's middle-class home or Ansari's home in a congested "Muslim area" or the prison- each and every location, setting and frame is so exquisitely crafted and brought to life. None of this feels made up.
8. The performances are top notch! Jaideep Ahlawat as Hathi Ram is brilliant. So is Abhishek Banerjee as Vishal Tyagi and Neeraj Kabi as Sanjeev Mehra. Ishwank Singh as Ansari, Gul Panag as Hathi Ram's wife and the actors playing the hired killers are also very, very good. Watch this series for the team's fantastic performances!
9. While we've read some reviews, who felt that the show was a bit slow paced, but we quite liked the overall flow of the investigation. Everything that was shown in the series was connected to the investigation and we needed to go through those scenes and episodes to better understand the reason why these hired guns were sent after Sanjeev Mehra. There are a few sub-plots apart from the central investigation- Hathi Ram's family drama and the dynamics between Sanjeev and Dolly- but these are a welcome break from the intensity of the case and are also central to the overall narrative.
10. DOGS. If you know, you know ;)
Finally, we can't close this review in all good faith without declaring a MASSIVE TRIGGER WARNING. This show has many different kinds of traumatic situations and a lot of violence and gore. So, if any of these things are triggering for you or if you are not in a good mental health place right now, then don't watch this show.
If you do find yourself in the right frame of mind for an engaging, nuanced thriller, then go watch Paatal Lok right now on Amazon Prime Video.
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