‘Tandav’ – Public Review – As a viewer you feel cheated

[Written by Suddhasattwa Bose]

Wait !! It start with farmers’ protest and you are like – was that an after thought just to lend some credibility !

According to reports, the show was done much earlier and got an even delayed streaming. A little later, it’s revealed the context is different and the drama gets going. Or does it really take off?

Unfortunately NOT!

Instead of dynasty politics, the show successfully blends in students’ movement in the narrative, yet there’s a sense of déjà vu throughout.

Familiar characters, flat narration, total lack of punch that elevates a theme like this and a climax that’s less of a cliffhanger and more of a damp squib – Tandav remains half hearted throughout.

The show did have its moments though.

Initial few episodes have one particular scene in each that’s meticulously done and makes you root for the show. Unfortunately, the thread doesn’t continue till the end.

The edit, with juxtaposition of different scenes with varying moods was quite good. But when your narration is so flat, it hardly helps. Even the dialogues, fresh and laced with some punch, sounds too dated.

Priya Prakash Varier and her epic wink is a thing of the distant past and you hardly get that kick you’ve been waiting for.

The entire cast is excellent though with special mention for Kritika Kamra (Sana), Mohd. Zeeshan Ayub (Shiva Shekhar), Rajeev Gupta (Inspector Narandra Jhakar) and Sunil Grover (Gurpal).

In isolation, it might pass off as a one time watch, but with shows like Sacred Games, Paatal Lok, Scam 1992 that have set the benchmark so very high, as a viewer you feel cheated.

Tandav is streaming on Amazon Prime.

NOTE: THE VIEWS AND OPINION EXPRESSED IN THIS ARTICLE ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHOR.