Very early on in Suresh Triveni’s Daldal, we see the murder and the murderer both. It is only the second episode in the seven-episode show, and the thriller reveals who the killer is, and also how they commit their murder. Everything from the modus operandi to dual lives the killer(s) lead is explained in the first hour of the show’s runtime. Yet, it somehow never loses steam. In an age of abundant whodunnits, Daldal is a whydunnit, exploring the reasons behind why ordinary people become bloodthirsty killers, and tells the tale of choices and fate. Partly, it is salvaged by some exemplary performances, which elevate a routine screenplay. But in between those average moments, Daldal surprises with bold choices of narrative.
Daldal review: Bhumi Pednekar stars in this crime thriller.
The premise
Daldal is the story of the newly-appointed DCP Rita Ferreria (Bhumi Pednekar), who must find a serial killer who slits his victims’ wrists. Like most fictional cops, Rita is battling demons from her past and substance abuse as she handles this case. On the other spectrum is Anita (Samara Tijori), a journalist who also has a terrible past of her own, and a life that almost mirrors Rita’s. But her trauma has caused her to spiral. Partnering with her friend and soulmate Sajid (Aditya Rawal), she punishes all those who she feels ‘wrong’ them and exploit people. But as Anita’s past unravels, we see how she and Rita are two sides of the same coin.
What works
Daldal is largely carried by its three lead actors. Bhumi Pednekar anchors the show, doing well to differentiate her Rita from the templated angry cop with no regard for rules. She is loud, erratic, and irresponsible to the point of being unlikable. And despite the character being written like a man (a fault in the writing), she manages to bring sensitivity to it through her portrayal. More importantly, she makes the character relatable, if not someone you’d root for. Aditya Rawal shows once again that he has it in him to make even a killer someone you would feel sorry for. The young actor brings out the pain and anger of Sajid quite beautifully. But the star of the show is Samara Tijori. In a role that could easily have become the regular deranged killer, she shines. She brings an underlying rage to the role that descends into maniacal madness soon, and conveys all that, minus histrionics, merely with her eyes and delivery.
The show also works in how it pits Rita and Anita against each other, as two children with traumatic pasts but completely different relationships with their mothers. One receives love and the other only hate. And yet, how the cards are dealt to them despite that treatment determines how they turn out. Quite often, Daldal ditches subtlety when projecting this mirror, but it still works.
Movie Review
Daldal
3.5/5
Crime thriller
Daldal follows DCP Rita Ferreira on the hunt for a serial killer who is more similar to her than she'd like to have. It explores how ordinary people become killers.
Daldal rests on the performances of Bhumi Pednekar, Aditya Rawal, and Samara Tijori, who elevate some average writing.
Where Daldal falters
But the show is far from perfect. As a ‘whydunnit’, it deals with the motive of the crimes, and how ordinary people turn killers. In exploring the psyche of the killers and the underbelly of the human mind, it forgets that there is a thrilling murder case to present as well. In dealing with matters of the mind, the show lowers the stakes of the actual case, thereby reducing deaths to mere numbers. The violence seems incidental, and the murders numbing after a while.
The show does not lose steam, thanks to its short runtime, but it does lose its way in between. A tone that goes from downtrodden to simply traumatic does not help its case either. It is only a heartwrenching finale that salvages the narrative somewhat.
If not for the faults, Daldal could have been the perfect start to the year for Hindi streaming. It had everything in it to be an excellent show. For now, it is ‘merely’ a good one.
Abhimanyu Mathur is Deputy Editor, Entertainment at Hindustan Times. With almost 15 years of experience in writing about everything from films and TV shows to cricket matches and elections, he inhales and exhales pop culture and news. Currently, he watches movies and TV shows and talks to celebrities for a living, while occasionally writing about them as well.
A journalism graduate of Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, Delhi University, Abhimanyu began his career with Hindustan Times at the age of 20, swapping classrooms for newsrooms at an early age. He began his journey in the early days of digital journalism, later switching to the madness of print journalism.
Work has led him to far off places like Japan and Jordan, as well as to the interiors of Haryana and the Indo-Pak border. He dabbled in city reporting in places like Meerut, Gurgaon, and Delhi, covered the Olympics and Cricket World Cups, before finding his calling in entertainment and lifestyle during the pandemic. A Rotten Tomatoes Certified Film Critic, he is equally at home covering stories on ground as he is interviewing celebrities and studios, and sometimes prefers to shepherd teams in delivering traffic through the day.
Even as his role has evolved from reporter to supervisor over the years, his first love remains writing (and of late, talking on camera). With a good understanding of cinema and its trends, and a keen eye for detail, he continues to spark conversations around showbiz for readers around the world.Read More
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