Dahaad Review: Prime Video India’s latest Hindi crime web series stars Sonakshi Sinha as SI Anjali Bhaati, Gulshan Devaiah as Officer Devi Lal Singh, Sohum Shah as cop Kailash Parghi, Vijay Varma as Anand Swarnakar, Zoa Morani as Vandana, and several others. Created by Reema Kagti and Zoya Akhtar, it is directed by Reema and Ruchika Oberoi. There are a total of 8 episodes of 50-55 minutes, approximately. The series is produced by Excel Entertainment and Tiger Baby Films.
Dahaad writers’ team includes Sumit Arora, Chaitanya Chopra, Mansi Jain, Sunayana Kumari, Karan Shah, Zoya Akhtar, Reema Kagti and Ritesh Shah. Sumit has also worked as the dialogue writer for the show. Yogi Sankotra and Tanay Satam have worked as cinematographers. The music is by Tarana Marwah and Gaurav Raina.
Prime Video India’s Dahaad Review Contains No Spoilers
Dahaad Review: Plot Summary
The story is set in Rajasthan’s Mandawa town. Initially, the cops have to work on a case where a Muslim guy falls in love with Thakur’s daughter. The duo decides to elope and get married. However, the guy is blamed for pressuring the girl because of his religion, and it takes a political angle with protests and violence. Cops Anjali Bhaati, Devilal Singh and Kailash Parghi are investigating the truth.
However, the police are soon challenged with a major case involving the disappearance of women from many towns and villages. As seen in the trailer, the police discovered that 27 girls had disappeared, and some died by suicide. The cops discover a pattern when investigating these cases and determine they are dealing with a serial killer. The man behind this is Anand Swarnakar, as the trailer has made obvious.
Why does Anand murder these girls? Is the number just 27, or are there more women? How does he make the killings appear to be suicide? Will the police uncover the truth? We find out everything in the end.
Dahaad Review: Discussion and Performances
Usually, in murder series, the suspense is about who the killer is. But Prime Video’s Dahaad trailer has already given away that it is Anand Swarnakar. As viewers, we are aware of it from the very first episode, but the cops are not. To get to the bottom of it, the police must delve more extensively. Even though it is made clear that he killed these women, it takes a while to understand the mystery surrounding his motivations and actions.
The first two episodes are a build-up, but the religious angle doesn’t take an impactful turn. It appears to be a distraction. But when we see college professor Anand revealing his nasty side, the series hits hard right away.
The series had my complete attention from episodes 3 to 6. The pacing and plot evolve better and become increasingly disturbing in these episodes. Anand’s actions are gradually disclosed while the police continue to look for the truth. Anand has an image of a family man, but Anjali Bhaati has suspicions about his character. But it’s difficult for her to prove that he’s behind everything.
It gets tiresome seeing the plot drag in the last two episodes. Anand’s past is revealed but seems unrelated to the primary plot and his motivation. The cat and mouse chase happens at 0.5 speed. The last episode is still better, but the last few minutes are rushed.
Dahaad on Prime Video, like the majority of crime thrillers in India, doesn’t hold back while making political commentary. Religious prejudice appears in the story and continues through to the end (although it just seems to have been added for the sake of it). But it also highlights how so-called “upper caste” people mistreat those not of their status.
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The series’ central idea is the case of these vanished women. Seeing the truth about these missing women unravel leaves you distressed. Anjali Bhaati, despite being a cop often gets catcalled by men. Yet, she is determined to uncover the truth. It seems like unfair treatment is one of the driving forces for Anjali, especially as she is working hard in a male-dominated place and profession.
Sonakshi Sinha portrays Anjali Bhaati flawlessly. Whether it’s her accent or her body language as a cop, she has nailed it. It’s exciting to Sinha in a series that showcases her superb acting ability.
Gulshan Devaiah, who plays Devilal Singh, lends Sonakshi and her character Anjali tremendous support. Devilal acts rationally and doesn’t let his feelings interfere with his work. Sohum Shah has compelling character development. We have seen crooked cops like Kailash Parghi in many movies and shows. But he leaves you surprised in the end.
Last year, Vijay Varma’s performance in Darlings terrified the hell out of me. As Hamza, he managed to deceive me with his “guilty and innocent” act. I never thought he could scare me anymore because what could be worse than Hamza? Well, the answer is Anand Swarnakar. Anand left me disgusted and made me uncomfortable, angry, and anxious, even though he often talked with poise and respect.
Vijay Varma outdid himself and delivered an outstanding act. He is undoubtedly the one who shines the most. I do not want to appear aggressive, but Anand angered me so much that I wanted to punch him through the screen. I’m wondering how the actor will handle the resentment Anand will receive. But one thing is for sure – Varma will be highly praised for yet another stellar performance.
Dahaad Review: Final Thoughts
Overall, Dahaad presents us with a world that is unsafe for women. The series is very unsettling to watch. Some episodes are riveting, while some are tedious. I wish the last episode were more nuanced, especially with Anand’s motives. The performances are top-notch.
Dahaad is now streaming on Prime Video.
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I watched the series straight through. I thought the acting superb. I was held captive to the end. Truthfully I found the emphasis on caste and poverty an important part of the story. Poor women everywhere are treated with less respect by authorities. Many men still believe a woman who is easily seduced worthless, to avoid a nastier term. I give the series all the stars available.