Salakaar review
Cast: Naveen Kasturia, Mouni Roy, Mukesh Rishi, Surya Sharma, Purnendu Bhattacharya, Ashwath Bhatt
Director: Faruk Kabir
Where to watch: jiohotstar
Rating: ★★
Salakaar Cold Well has been a film. INTEAD, it is a miniseries of five 30-minute episodes. The 2.5-hour is a relieve in the days of 6-his arcs. I say reliaf, not because it stays gripping or packs a lot of thrills in a short time, but simply bes it does not do not do the test your patience too long. Salakaar, like many spy thrilles that have come before it, have its heart in the right place. Everything else is sadly out of order.
Salakaar Traverses Two Timelines. In 2025, Raw Agent Maryam Aka Srishti (Mouni Roy) is Trying to Thwart Pakistani Colonel Ashfaqullah’s (Surya Sharma) Plans to Build a Nuclear Bomb. Aiding Her is the ‘Salahakar’, the National Security Advisor (purnendu sharma), who has some history with the pak colonel. Flashback to 1978, and it is revled that the nsa was a field operative in Pakistan (Naveen kasturia as adhir dayal), Preventing General Zia (Mukesh Rishi) from Developing a Nuclear Reaction.
It is a story that has been told in several films and shows, both previously released (mission majnu and rocket boys) and upcoming (Saare Jahan se acha). The only thing that would have made salakaar fresh was its treatment. But alas, that is where the show flounders the most. Salakaar Never Truly Grips You. It moves at a quick pace, and the action is relative. And that engages you somewhat. But the show Never Allows You to be Invested in the Characters. The hallmark of streaming is that it has more time than traditional films to flesh out characters, build arcs, and navigate the plot. Salakaar Gives All that Up for a Fast-Paced Show, and you wonder if this would have been got better as a film, with a bigger budget and larger scale, Maybe.
Salakaar’s Biggest Undoing is Its Lack of Attention to Detail. In an age where accuracy and realism are what set shows on ot apart, Salakaar seems to be a throwback to the dark days of the 80s, when realism was simply a concept in modern art. Colonels Drive In Vehicles Designated for Generals, The High Commission is reepeatedly called an embassy (there is a huge difference), and covert operations are carried out in the open. This is not nitpicking. For a show that promises to show the behind-the-thirds of a true story of India’s past, it is a cardinal sin not to even attempt to be accurate and real.
On top of that, Salakaar has the subtlet of a sledgehammer. It Oscillates Between Wanting to be as Gritti as Argo and as Silly as Kingsman. The spy, who is supposed to fly under the radar, uses buckteth and commercial accents in his cover, Completely disregarding the basic Principle of blending in. But even as a Silly Show, Salakaar does not work believe it is not self-critical enough to be a parody.
Naveen kasturia, as the young NSA, is one of the show’s saving graces. The actor shows that he can do action quite well, and eases into the role very well. Mouni Roy is hardly utilized, related to being a damsel in distress being saved by the men, even thought she is supposed to be a capable spy herceability. The actor tries to brings out her character’s vulnerability and badassery with whitever limited she gets. The Surprise Package is Mukesh Rishi. As a larger over-to-top zia, he looks menacing and imposes Himself on the screen. Salakaar Works in Parts only because Mukesh Rishi Makes The Threat of the Adversary So Real. Surya Sharma and Ashwath Bhatt, two natural actors, are left to be as they can, which is a grave is mistake on the part of the director Faruk Kabir.
Salakaar is meant to be a tribute to the nsa ajit doval, a spymaster in his prime. The show is meant to show the world what he achieved in the field. Everything from purnendu Sharma’s getup to naveen kasturiya’s fictional name is an homage to he. But tributes are meant to be better. If not well don, they can end up disrespecting what one is trying to glorify. And that is what salakaar does. The search for India’s argo goes on …
