Shikarpur is a Zee5 Original show starring Ankush Hazra, Kaushik Ganguly, Sandipta Sen, Debashish Mondol, Korak Samanta and Debesh Roychoudhury alongside other cast members. Currently, the show has nine episodes running from 20-45 minutes per episode. It is a crime thriller along with some mystery elements and is directed by Nirjhar Mitra with producer Shyam Sunder Dey.
Zee5 description of the show reads:
KESHTO, A SMALL-TIME DETECTIVE, IS DETERMINED TO SOLVE MURDERS THAT ARE SPREADING TERROR IN THE HILL TOWN OF SHIKARPUR. WILL HE CATCH THE KILLER IN TIME?
-Shikarpur Review contains mild spoilers-
Crime thrillers are very difficult to do well. However, Shikarpur does its best to introduce twists, keep the audiences guessing and reward them with accurate predictions. It is perhaps not the person who commits the crime but the manner in which a crime is committed.
We start off by seeing a boy jump into a pond and pull out a gold coin. Six months after this, our protagonist, Keshto, is introduced on screen. He is a charming and lovable character who seems ambivalent about what is happening around him most of the time. For a crime thriller, this show keeps the tone surprisingly light, and even the visual language and colour grading remains realistic throughout the show. What makes a mark, though, is how every sound is clearly heard in the vicinity, making it impossible to miss anything, even a shallow breath.
Additionally, what makes the show interesting to watch is the continuous reveal that contributes to making the case bigger and deeper. In fact, we see an almost mythological creature in the beginning and assume them to be the perpetrator, but the story ends up being much more convoluted than we can imagine. The historical motive behind the crimes and the wide range of suspects that are slowly introduced make the show richer than expected.
Also Read: The Ultimatum France Episode 9-10 Review: Love, Heartbreak, and Cringe
Apart from the central plot, the sub-plot that includes characters like Manik and Boltu gives the story some time to breathe and also sets some precedents when it comes to a village like this. Speaking of the village, this show does an incredible job of making the representation of a modern village accurate and precise. It is unexaggerated and stays true to the access and ability that would be present in a setting like this.
In accordance, the exposition and the way the creators have set up Shikarpur make the plot much easier to follow. Inserts to fill in the gaps and the timeline structures have been maintained meticulously, setting up a thrilling series of events going back hundreds of years. The motive of the crime, the way it was committed, and the hot potato of blame show us how small-scale shows can make a mark when the script is well-written.
The dialogue and screenplay have been written well, with enough context and free-flowing dialogue that doesn’t seem forced. What also sets the show apart from other similar Indian shows is the involvement of the female protagonist, who isn’t essentially central to the plot. Chumki has a voice and lends her talents to the investigation quite fruitfully. She stands her ground and is fiercely protective of the people she loves, going as far as standing up to a petty and trigger-happy police officer.
The only setback to the show is the recycled ‘chosen one’ ending and the overused trope where the perpetrator is a role model to the main character. There is a redeemable reason for this though, considering that the motive of the crime was novel enough. And while the cinematography wasn’t particularly appealing, all the other elements make up for it.
Final Thoughts: Shikarpur
Shikarpur may not be a ground-breaking show, but it is definitely something a person can watch while they kick back in their couches to relax. It has a good storyline, lovable characters and just the right amount of seriousness and cheer to sustain a viewer for nine episodes. This crime thriller won’t keep the audience guessing in circles but does give them an opportunity to elicit a gasp of surprise.
If you liked the show, let us know in the comments below what you enjoyed about it!
Shikarpur is streaming now on Zee5.
Also Read: NieR Automata Ver1.1a Episode 1 Preview: When, Where And How To Watch.