Directed by: Ali Abbas Zafar
Cast: Mohammad Z Ayub, Saif Ali Khan, Dimple Kapadia, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Kumud Kumar Mishra, Sunil Grover, Kritika Kamra, Hiten Tejwani, Dino Morea, Anup Soni, Sandhya Mridul, Gauahar Khan, Sarah Jane Dias, Amyra Dastur, Shonali Nagrani, Paresh Pahuja and others.
Makes one wonder why a film maker like Prakash Jha shifted gears from his realistic hard hitting cinema to a web-series like Aashram(2020), wish he had helmed a project like Tandav(2021) instead of Ali Abbas Zafar who has messed up a brilliant script with an hackneyed direction. Jha specialises in such socio political thriller based concepts, you just wish only wish!
Set in Delhi, the heart of Indian politics this web-series is entirely based on dirty political system of the nation along with an alternate linked storyline of university student politics. The main focus is on the fight between a political heir and his father’s mistress for the prime ministerial throne. They play dirty games, try to outwit each other, compromise on ethics and integrity and the likes, it just gets dirtier and stinkier by the final episode.
It’s a very good storyline, had the focus been sincerely and creatively outlined then the final result may have been wonderful but the director tries to cash in on a liberal outlook by forcibly squeezing in an kisaan aandolan angle, it looks out of place and typically publicity and controversy hungry on the part of the makers to milk the current political-farmers imbroglio in the country, seriously cheap.
Of the cast only Saif Ali Khan gets a meaty role and performs well, that sardonic smirk, the killer look and a politically Royal personality all of that just adds up to the charisma of the character, perfect casting. Kapadia flaring her nostrils and mouthing her dialogues very uncomfortably just doesn’t make an impact, and why on earth is a 37 year old Mohd Z Ayub cast as a 22 year old college going boy? Agreed we’ve real time cases of middle aged men studying in universities but the role needed a much younger actor, btw the university is named VNU hmm sounds familiar? Rhyme it up then. Gauahar Khan in ethnic attire looks irresistibly gorgeous.
Sunil Grover may impress his fans as a cold blooded aide to Saif, but the comical image he has created on television makes it difficult to place him in such complex roles, that laugh which is meant to sound dangerously scary turns out giggling laughable. Sorry it doesn’t work.
Tandav is a classic case study of how a good story can be misdirected by incapable hands, better supervision from an able and more mature director was much needed. ⭐️⭐️
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