Khakee: The Bengal Chapter Review– Neeraj Pandey’s Cop Drama Falls Flat Despite Strong Performances

Neeraj Pandey’s Khakee: The Bengal Chapter takes audiences on a familiar yet intense journey through the murky waters of politics, crime, and law enforcement in Bengal. While the show offers some strong performances, particularly from Prosenjit Chatterjee and Saswata Chatterjee, the series fails to bring anything fresh to the table, falling into the trap of predictable storytelling and clichéd tropes. Set against the backdrop of Bengal's turbulent political landscape, the series explores the symbiotic relationship between politicians and criminals, a theme that's been explored before but is still captivating due to its inherent drama.

Neeraj Pandey’s Khakee: The Bengal Chapter Cast & more

• Streaming on: Netflix
• Cast: Prosenjit Chatterjee, Jeet, Ritwik Bhowmik, Saswata Chatterjee, Chitrangada Singh, Parambrata Chattopadhyay
• Director: Debatma Mandal
• Episodes: 7
• Run-time: 37-62 minutes per episode
• Rating: 2/5

Plot of the show

The series is set in an era when the Communist Party dominated the Bengal political scene, with Mamata Banerjee emerging as a significant challenger. It revolves around Barun Roy (Prosenjit Chatterjee), a powerful politician, and Shankar Barua (Saswata Chatterjee), a ganglord who rises from poverty to command influence. Their alliance is tested when Barua’s henchmen, Sagar (Ritwik Bhowmik) and Ranjit (Adil Khan), kill two police officers, sparking a chain of events that calls for intervention by an honest but ambitious cop, Ajay Mitra (Jeet). Mitra's mission is to restore order to a city ruled by fear, but as expected, the plan quickly backfires.

Performance and Casting

Khakee: The Bengal Chapter boasts an impressive ensemble cast, with Prosenjit Chatterjee shining in his role as the manipulative politician Barun Roy. His performance is nuanced and layered, bringing a sense of authenticity to his character. Saswata Chatterjee, known for his memorable turn as Bob Biswas in Kahaani, brings his formidable presence to his portrayal of the ruthless ganglord, Shankar Barua.

Jeet, who plays the lead role of Ajay Mitra, is competent but struggles to leave a lasting impact in the company of such seasoned actors. His portrayal of an honest officer fighting corruption and crime is straightforward but lacks the depth required for a character of this magnitude. Ritwik Bhowmik and Adil Khan also do a decent job as the ambitious henchmen, but their performances are overshadowed by the established stars in the show.

Chitrangada Singh plays Nibedita Basak, a politician who presents a challenge to the ruling powers. Though she has a strong presence, her character is underdeveloped, and she doesn’t get the screen time to make a significant impact.

Direction and Storytelling

Directed by Debatma Mandal, Khakee: The Bengal Chapter unfolds with a mix of political drama and crime thriller elements. The series starts strong with a kidnapping gone wrong, setting the tone for the rest of the narrative. However, as the story progresses, it falls into familiar territory, with repetitive tropes and predictable twists. While the series attempts to depict the complex relationship between crime and politics in Bengal, it doesn’t delve deeply enough into the cultural specificity of the region. The show's attempt to blend Hindi and Bengali dialogues does not add to its authenticity, leaving it feeling like a generic pan-Indian thriller.

The writing, at times, becomes too formulaic, relying on shock tactics, violence, and expletives to capture attention rather than creating genuinely compelling characters or a thought-provoking narrative. Some moments are undercut by cliché plot points, such as the revelation of a mole within the police force, which is hardly a new concept in the genre.

Cultural Representation

Despite being set in Kolkata and featuring several Bengali actors, Khakee: The Bengal Chapter doesn’t capture the essence of the city or its culture in a way that adds depth to the narrative. The visuals, like Yellow Cabs and the Howrah Bridge, feel more like superficial symbols rather than integral parts of the story. The show misses an opportunity to explore the rich cultural backdrop of Bengal, instead opting for generic storytelling that could be set anywhere.

Khakee: The Bengal Chapter is a watchable cop drama, but it doesn’t break new ground in terms of storytelling or character development. The strong performances from Prosenjit Chatterjee and Saswata Chatterjee keep it engaging, but the predictable plot and lack of cultural nuance hold it back from being a truly memorable series. If you’re a fan of crime dramas with political undertones, this series will keep you entertained but don’t expect anything revolutionary.

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