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TANDAV REVIEW

RAPID REVIEW: Unoriginal and derivative writing heroically saved by first-rate lead performances and an engaging screenplay.

WHERE TO WATCH: Amazon Prime Video        

GENRE: Thriller, Crime, Drama

REVIEW:

“Absolute power corrupts absolutely”, the words by 19th-Century British politician Lord Acton - it’s the theme around which the show revolves. 

When suave but autocratic politician Samar Pratap Singh is sidelined by his father - the current Prime Minister of India Devki Nandan Singh, to be the next PM, to what extent Samar orchestrates this Chanakya-esque game of thrones and cunningly manipulates every pawn on the board weaves the show’s prime narrative. 

After the 'sudden' death of Devki Nandan Singh and despite his myriad supporters, Samar realizes that he is not alone in the sinful race to become the next Prime Minister of India. And soon, Samar’s plot intertwines with an equally charismatic student activist-leader Shiva Shekhar. 

Will Shiva succumb to become another Chandragupta in Samar’s Chanakya-Neeti? Or will Shiva Shekhar become another version of the diabolical Samar Pratap Singh?

Tandav boasts of a top-notch ensemble cast. Saif Ali Khan underplays the role of a wicked politician with elan. His eye expressions during the funeral ceremony scene (with Dimple Kapadia) deserve a sincere ovation. It's reminiscent of the scene from the movie Omkara when Langda Tyagi was unfairly ignored by Omkara to be appointed as the next Bahubali. 

Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub sleepwalks through his role of an idealist leftist, which is obviously based on a real-life character. Like his earlier sidekick roles in Raanjhana, Shahid, Phantom, he has delivered yet another powerful performance albeit this time in a well-deserved meatier role. 

Dimple Kapadia is immaculate in the role of a power-hungry, ambitious PM contender, which she has brought off with dignified maturity. Tigmanshu Dhulia and Kumud Mishra are aptly cast. Gauhar Khan and Dino Morea too have sincerely performed their parts.

But the actor who stands out from the rest is Sunil Grover (a stand-up comedian discovered by legendary Jaspal Bhatti), who is unbelievably fantastic as the cold-blooded, uber-cool right-hand man of Saif Ali Khan. A seemingly casual but an overwhelmingly impressive performance.

The performances and direction/screenplay of Tandav are its strong-points which compensate for its derivative and needlessly contentious writing by Ali Abbas Zafar and Gaurav Solanki (of Article 15 fame), especially considering the politically and culturally sensitive target viewers. 

I didn’t expect a crash course in political science but the makers could have incorporated a few technical jargons, relating to contemporary politics and an elemental modus operandi of the world’s largest democracy, for the viewers to take the show more seriously. The way Hansal Mehta beautifully did it in SCAM 1992 - a stock-market-based story decoded in layman-friendly parlance. 

Besides, the parallel plot involving Zeeshan Ayyub in the lead could have been trimmed down to make it more impactful and the story crisper. Ideally, I feel there should have been 8 episodes instead of 9 after the proposed editing. 

With more ingenious and painstaking writing, perhaps with inputs from a politically aware inside man (If Ram Gopal Verma can interview an underworld man for his movie Company then why can’t they), Tandav has bright potential to become India’s House of Cards in a possible second season. 

Besides, the climactic reels revealing Samar’s pseudo-intellectual political masterstroke felt a bit silly and rushed (another sign of lazy writing), considering the initial focus on his over-ambitious aspirations. 

The background music given by Julius Packiam (Ek Tha Tiger, Mardaani, Bajrangi Bhaijaan) is somewhat stimulating and enhances the dramatic mood of the scenes. No complaints with cinematography either. The lavish Pataudi Palace has been beautifully shot. However, editing could have been crisper to downright qualify as a taut political thriller show.

PROS: 

Performances by Sunil Grover and Saif Ali Khan 

Gripping Screenplay 

CONS: 

Needlessly contentious and derivative writing

Dragged-out college politics subplot 

Anticlimactic and illogical finale. Required a more satisfying closure.

RECOMMENDED. 

MY VERDICT:  7/10

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