Khakee: The Bengal Chapter Review: Jeet, Prosenjit Chatterjee and Ritwik Bhowmik Form the Perfect Trio in Neeraj Pandey Series

In this Netflix crime-thriller series which acts as a standalone sequel to 2022’s Khakee: The Bihar Chapter, we follow IPS Arjun Maitra who, after the death of a respected officer, takes the reigns of 2002’s Bengal to free it from the grip of terror and lawlessness brought about by local corrupt politicians and gangsters.

The series has 7 episodes, each with a runtime of around 45 minutes.

Khakee: The Bengal Chapter Review

Khakee comes back with its second, standalone season that shines bright thanks to its commendable performances. From the police, to politicians to the goons, everyone in Khakee: The Bengal Chapter is not just believable but extremely hard-hitting, so much so that it’s difficult to not take them seriously. Much like the first season, this one showcases the darker side to the city that it is based in, taking us on a dangerous ride through the murky waters of politics.

The story follows IPS Arjun Maitra’s efforts to rid Kolkata of some of the most brutal crimes that the city has seen and brings forth 7 episodes full of thrill and anticipation. Maitra, getting a whiff of something larger afoot after Saptarshi’s bloody murder, uses politician Barun Roy’s words against him to stop his transfer in a thrilling turn of tables and his no-nonsense approach to solving crimes becomes one of the driving forces of the show.

It’s not like we haven’t seen this storyline before but Jeet, as Arjun Maitra, brings out a charm in the character that is hard to not find arresting. He makes his character feel aspirational and relatable, and you can’t help but hold a deep reverence for him. In his opposition is Prosenjit Chatterjee’s Barun Roy and Chatterjee is fantastic, as per usual. As a seedy politician, he makes you fear the storm beneath his calm and collected exterior. These two are heavyweights of Bengali cinema, with millions of adoring fans and they prove their mettle in their respective roles once again. Lastly, the biggest kudos to Ritwik Bhowmik, who plays a memorable Sagor Talukdar — he’s a memorable part of the series through and through.

Coming to the story, as mentioned previously, it’s not particularly new but presented well enough to be arresting. I will never understand the point of the most ভেতো Bengali speaking in Hindi but at least most of the characters are played by actual Bengalis who speak whatever amount of the language that has been included well. It adds some amount of genuineness to the story and doesn’t make it feel like a forced cash grab. Bhowmick, who has been stealing headlines for his performances over the past few years (and for good reason), is also fantastic with his vocabulary, although let’s face it, the common neighbourhood crook doesn’t speak fluent Hindi in Kolkata.

Also Read: Khakee: The Bihar Chapter Review: These Cops Make For a Gripping Watch

With my tangent about Bengali out of the way, I think the series weaves the stronghold that politics has on Bengal criminality well. With the current climate of lawlessness that has every common man in Bengal scared, the plot will ring true for most. The series takes a sharp upward trajectory with its rivalries and politics after the commotion of the first few episodes, taking us deeper into the fabric of the corrupt and taking it apart one by one. I found the relationship between Ranjit and Sagor to be absolutely arresting and Arjun’s clever and sadistic tactics to take down the entire operation. It leaves you on the edge of your seat and takes you on a thrill ride that is hard to get off of.

In the end, Khakee: The Bengal Chapter ends on a thrilling, albeit overdramatic, high. I think it does a great job of keeping the momentum alive for most of its runtime, so much so that you are compelled to run to the next episode after one is over. I found Chitrangada Singh to be the only loose wire, she was quite stiff and forgettable. But otherwise, this one is a winner in my book.

Final Thoughts

Neeraj Pandey brings another entertainer and this time he brings us a complicated and thrilling story surrounding Bengal politics that we know and hate. It’s an arresting and fast-paced story that might feel familiar but is presented super well and with fantastic performances from across the board, it’s definitely worth the watch.

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