“Paatal Lok” Review: Jaideep Ahlawat Deserves All Awards For His Powerful Leading Performance

Paatal Lok (2020), a 9-episode webseries produced by Anushka Sharma under the banner of Clean Slate Films, premiered peacefully on Amazon Prime Video. But ever since its premiere on 15^th May, the series has been creating a lot of noise on social media and among viewers. So, what is so special about Anushka Sharma’s digital production? Let’s find out.

Story

Set in Delhi, Paatal Lok revolves around Inspector Hathi Ram Chaudhary (Jaideep Ahlawat) who never got the opportunity to investigate any high-profile case in his 20-year-long career. However, things take a turn, and he lands his first prominent case.

In a special operation of the Delhi Police, four criminals, Hammer Tyagi, Tope Singh, Chini and Kabir M, are arrested. They are accused of hatching a conspiracy to murder renowned journalist Sanjeev Mehra (Neeraj Kabi).

Hathi Ram starts investigating the case with the help of his subordinate Ansari (Ishwak Singh). As he digs deeper into the case, some chilling truths about the gang leader Vishal Tyagi alias 'Hathoda' Tyagi (Abhishek Banerjee) emerge. Can Hathi Ram settle the case? To know this, you will have to watch the webseries on Amazon Prime Video.

Screenplay & Dialogues

Paatal Lok is a series which cries out for attention and for all the right reasons. It has everything to become the next brilliant work of art on OTT platforms. From the edge-of-the-seat suspense to the engrossing storyline to impeccable performances from the entire cast, you just name it.

The series boasts of taut screenplay, with fewer moments of boredom. Writer Sudip Sharma and his team have done a brilliant job. The story deals with several issues at the same time, including unfounded hatred towards Indian Muslims, the plight of Indian Dalits, deteriorating ethics in the media, rising corruption in bureaucracy, etc. So, besides the main plot, it sheds light on various issues plaguing the Indian society and delivers an emphatic message without sounding preachy.

Performances & Direction

The biggest attraction of Paatal Lok is Jaideep Ahlawat, who plays the lead character of Inspector Hathi Ram Chaudhary. It is a brilliantly written character and Ahlawat gives it his all to make it engaging and memorable. The actor delivers his career’s best performance as Hathi Ram Chaudhary.

Hathoda Tyagi is another character that stays with you long after you have finished watching the series. Abhishek Banerjee in the said role is a delight to watch. In the first few episodes, you do not get to see much of him, but once his character sets in motion, one cannot get enough of it. Other actors have also performed well.

Technical Aspects

The show boasts of great production value. It has been shot on a lavish scale. Cinematography of the series is brilliant. Editing could have been crispier, especially in the first few episodes.

Highlights

Performances
Screenplay
Dialogues
Direction

Drawbacks

Excessive use of Hindi slang
Underwhelming climax

Did I Enjoy It?

Yes, Absolutely

Final Verdict

Paatal Lok, without an ounce of doubt, is a mind-boggling crime thriller, provided you have stomach for it. This is not an easy watch. But one thing that I can assure you is that you will not be able to get the series out of your head for a really long time. I am going with 4.5 stars.

Webseries Credits

Banner: Clean Slate Films
Director: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Writer: Sudip Sharma
Cast: Jaideep Ahlawat, Gul Panag, Neeraj Kabi, Swastika Mukherjee, Ishwak Singh, Abhishek Banerjee
Episodes: 9
STARBIZ Rating: 4.5*

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