'Paatal Lok' Review: Jaideep Ahlawat's stellar leading act is a cherry on top of this complex investigative thriller

'Paatal Lok'

Cast: Neeraj Kabi, Jaideep Ahlawat, Abhishek Banerjee, Gul Panag, Swastika Mukherjee, Jagjeet Sandhu, Asif Khan and others

Director: Avinash Arun and Prosit Roy

Duration: 9 episodes

Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video

Critics Rating: 4/5

'Paatal Lok' Story:

A down and out cop lands the case of a lifetime when four suspects are nabbed in the assassination attempt of a prime time journalist. The case turns out to be a devious maze where nothing is what it looks like. The pursuit of it leads him to the dark netherworld - the 'Paatal Lok', and to shocking discoveries in the past of the four suspects.

'Paatal Lok' Review:

Everyone has been talking about Paatal Lok being Amazon Prime Video's answer to Netflix original's Sacred Games. Going by trailer, it might look the same too as it showed underbelly areas of North India just how Saif Ali Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui's show showed Mumbai's dark areas. The premise is however different as an assassination attempt is made on a journalist (Neeraj Kabi). The first episode seems to go haywire as everything happens in a jiffy. One bridge where assassins, victim and cops are together at the same time, making the mission go wrong.

The first episode hints like an open and shut case with criminals being nabbed by the police just before they are about to commit the crime. But of course, there's a lot to it. Then comes the investigating officer (Jaideep Ahlawat), who has been waiting for a case like this to boost his career. Finally, the day comes but with many consequences. The Delhi setting makes it perfect with crime journalism, politics, gangsters from underbelly areas all coming together. 

The four-member group of criminals are led by Hathoda Tyagi (Abhishek Banerjee), who hardly speaks on the show but his maniac antics make him one of the most fearful characters ever. His way of killing people with a hammer is shown and it is an eye-shutting moment in several instances. Many times the show creates shock value which can make one at the edge of the seat, skip a beat or even scream. He has a minimal screen space too but is mentioned now and then throughout the show. The fear of Tyagi is instilled in the minds of viewers for sure as you don't know who will be his next target and will face the wrath of a hammer.

However, you wish to see more of him on the screen than just being a part of the narrative.

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Going forward, it seems like Neeraj's character is just a pawn, but he doesn't wish it to be. There's an amalgamation of several journalists in that character, where there are self-victimisation, sensationalism and some true journalism too. He lives with his wife Dolly (Swastika Mukherjee), who is a dog lover and that is shown in every episode.

Ahlawat's character shows the vulnerable side of a tough cop and that gives more depth to his character and the show. With having a family life with a son, who looks down upon his dad and Ahlawat just wants that image to change but not at the cost of his job. He is there for his son always and doesn't want to be a father his dad was to him. Gul Panag as his wife seems to be unfit and we wish there was more written about her character too. 

The viewers can shuffle from these two characters - Sanjeev Mehra (Kabi) and Hathi Ram Chaudhary (Ahlawat)'s point of view with what's happening and why is this happening. 

But like mentioned, dogs play an important role in the show and it has to be as it's produced by Anushka Sharma too, who is an avid dog lover. The show defines a dog's loyalty and human's love for it to another level. Something which is not witnessed much in movies or shows. 

We also have an unknown face of a dacoit who is based out of Chitrakoot and root of all causes. This is a sense of deja vu with Sacred Games' Guruji played by Pankaj Tripathi. 

Every episode starts with a past of the principal characters and ends with a cliffhanger urging the viewers to binge-watch all nine episodes. There are several surprising new characters making appearances in every episode and one will surprise you! As the 'Trilok' is referred from mythological aspects, there are several references derived from Mahabharata which shows the time changes, but people and situation remain the same.

Kudos to Anushka Sharma to back this incredible subject and making it to the global level. Showrunner Sudip Sharma proved his mettle by writing NH10 and Udta Punjab, thus this complex investigative thriller seemed to be a cakewalk for him along with the execution. 

Paatal Lok is not right to watch during the lockdown as you have no escapism to breathe fresh air. But once you hit 'play' button, there's no turning back, owing to cliffhangers in every episode. The end won't show the possibility of the second season, but it should happen as Hathi Ram deserves more adventures in his cop career which brings Swarg Lok, Dharti Lok and Paatal Lok together in an unexpected way.

'Paatal Lok' Verdict:

Watch it for Jaideep Ahlawat, he deserves all applause and how!