Daldal Review: Interesting Premise Without the Thrills

Daldal Review: When newly-appointed DCP Rita Ferreira stumbles upon a serial killing case that hits close to home, she puts out all the stops to get to the bottom of the situation while struggling to come to terms with her past.

The series has 7 episodes, each with a runtime of around 40 minutes. It’s the official adaptation of Vish Dhamija’s 2019 crime novel Bhendi Bazaar.

Daldal Review

In the Prime Video series Daldal, we are mostly tasked with figuring out why a string of crimes is taking place, rather than getting to the bottom of who is committing them, sparking a watch experience that is both somewhat engaging and equally confusing at the same time. When you watch a crime-thriller show, I think the most interesting part is figuring out who could be behind it, and then you get to the why of it all. However, in Bhumi Satish Pednekkar’s show, the who has been provided to us on a silver platter – we just have to follow Rita Ferreira’s investigation and wait for her to catch up.

I think this format of storytelling, especially for a thriller, can get boring at times. Waiting for the protagonist to catch up to the viewers makes it an impatient affair. I find it more exhilarating when I am right along for the ride with the protagonist as they uncover one shocking clue after another; it makes the ride that much more thrilling. Regardless, Daldal tries its best to keep the killer’s motive well-hidden and somewhat emotional, leaving us to be oddly sympathetic (to a point) towards the antagonist and delivering a confusing experience.

Another significant part of the series is Rita’s backstory and her struggles as she moves to become a DCP. Her imposter syndrome is an interesting addition, although nothing extraordinary, and leaves us to root for her and hope for her to come to terms with whatever is bothering her. Both the antagonist and the protagonist have very emotionally heightened backstories that add to the tension and point towards bigger societal issues that will surely stir up some emotions in viewers.

However, I can’t help but mention that I found the series to lack consistent tension building, and, despite its short runtime, it sometimes fails to hold on to the thrill and anticipation of Rita’s journey. Even the antagonist doesn’t make you feel tense, since most of the series is about getting to the emotional core rather than unearthing shocking secrets. I never found myself on the edge of my seat while watching the show, which is a shame because it had the potential to be both arresting and emotional.

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Pednekkar, as Rita Ferreira, is fine, although I will say that it’s hard to find emotions on her face these days. Most of the time, actors have frozen faces that don’t bring the deep, unsettling emotions to the screen, which is also a problem in this Prime Video show. Her performance doesn’t touch our hearts because, most of the time, her face looks blank, although you see the emotions bubbling under the surface. It’s a shame. Other than her, I enjoyed watching Samara Tijori and Geeta Agrawal Sharma. Both fulfilled their roles well.

Final Thoughts

In the end, Daldal doesn’t reach the crescendo that you expect at any point. It’s also a bit too dramatic sometimes, although the social messaging has its heart in the right place. The series required more thrills and anticipation instead of simply trying to understand the psychology and emotions behind crimes… but that’s just my opinion.

What are your thoughts on Daldal? Let us know in the comments below!

Also Read: Daldal Ending Explained: Who is the Serial Killer? Does Rita Stop the Perpetrator?