Black Widows premiered on 18th December 2020 on Zee5. Directed by Birsa Dasgupta, the Hindi-language series stars Mona Singh, Shamita Shetty, Swastika Mukherjee, Raima Sen, Sharad Kelkar, and Parambrata Chattopadhyay alongside other cast members.
Murderous Dark Humour
Abusive and toxic marriages are hard to get out of and we have seen that on-screen too many times. Black Widows takes us into the world of wives who are suffering and are ready to get rid of what pains them no matter what. The series is a remake of the popular Finnish show Mustat Lesket, which in turn inspired the Swedish remake Black Widows. It’s a long journey. The Indian version is the eighth remake of the drama, after Ukraine, Estonia, Lithuania, the Middle East, Mexico, Scandinavia, and the Czech Republic.
There is no perfect murder and we know that. So, some or the other mess and danger follows these wives too as one of the husbands somehow escapes the boat blast but has no idea about the plan. The series is intriguing, yes, and will oftentimes make you want to see more of it as the director here tries to balance the murderous plot with dark humour. But sometimes, the strained comic timing makes it slip and almost fall. It showcases how each of the married couples is miserable in their wedlocks and the murder conspiracy is a celebration of the end of the misery and a new start.
We see both Mona Singh and Swastika Mukherjee carrying mature and contained characters but on the contrary, Shamita Shetty is the annoying dimwit here and no doubt her character could have been better. The makers, in some way, find a way to add a dimwit in the storyline which pulls the character’s plan of action down and here it’s Shamita Shetty as Kavita. However, in a scene of self-introspection, she says – “She tried adulting and it doesn’t work!”
This dark drama has a string of suspense running through the season, embedded in the interest of viewers right up to the very last episode of the 12-episode long series. It keeps you hooked to your screens. Furthermore, the plot is engaging and cinematography further adds visual impact to the story of retribution. The widows try to put up a strong face in front of suspicious cops and society at large but it is doesn’t come that easy.
By and large, Black Widows carries the idea of women seeking revenge from people who bring darkness and misery in their lives. Our lead trio – Mona Singh, Swastika Mukherjee, and Shamita Shetty are shown in strong character light and have well-built character arcs. Here, the murder planning and misery bring these women together to a place where they would go to any extent to free themselves from the shackles and it’s worth it.
Sharad Kelkar and Shruti Vyas bring silliness masquerading as iniquitous. Additionally, Raima Sen, Aamir Ali, and Parambrata bring power-packed performance and plot development on-screen making Black Widows one watch-worthy experience!
Stream It or Skip It
STREAM IT! Black Widows is intriguing and well-crafted. Though there are some moments that pull the series down, overall, it makes up for one intriguing and engaging journey. Considering the source material from which the series is adapted it makes it even better to watch. Dodgy vaccines, dead husbands, an uncalled-for survivor, a trio, and a police pair, Black Widows has everything. Lastly, there will be a season 2 of the series soon!
Black Widows is now streaming on Zee5.
Read our other reviews here.
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