Story:
Khakee: The Bengal Chapter marks the standalone sequel to the Neeraj Pandey-created Khakee: The Bihar Chapter from 2022. The latest series follows the tale of an honest and fearless IPS officer, who suddenly gets transferred to a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to nab and break down the most notorious gangster and his disciples. Set against the backdrop of early 2000s Kolkata, the crime thriller series also sheds light on the dirty politics of West Bengal and the crimes driven by power.
Review:
The show begins with the introduction of Saswata Chatterjee, who is the most dangerous gangster in Kolkata. Soon, Parambrata Chatterjee comes into the picture as a police officer who is tasked with nabbing the notorious goon and putting an end to all the nuisance in the city. Parallelly, the series also touches upon the political issues going around and how politicians are closely connected to illegal activities. At first, Saswata appears to have the most loyal group of people working for him. However, in no time his two disciples turn against him, and conspire to replace him and eventually join politics. Khakee: The Bengal Chapter further dabbles in multiple sentiments and ethos adding to the narrative including greed, deception, and revenge.
While the premise sounds quite clever and promising, the writing of the show doesn’t match the expectations as far as storytelling is concerned. In a bid to inculcate every aspect of a crime thriller drama, writers Neeraj Pandey, Debatma Mandal, and Samrat Chakroborty fall short of establishing a focal point in the narrative that could’ve kept the audience’s intrigue intact. Instead, the show witnesses multiple instances going haywire. For instance, initially, Parambrata appears close to cracking a huge case with the help of a whistle-blower. But a sudden death changes everything and the story takes a different turn. Jeet enters the scenario as a new investigating officer and aims to finish all illegal activities in the city.
When Khakee: The Bihar Chapter was released in 2022, it created havoc among cinephiles and garnered huge praise. Also, being based on the life of an IPS officer and inspired by real events helped the creators make an impact on the viewers. In Khakee: The Bengal Chapter, director Debatma tries too hard to keep multiple storylines connected. From political turmoil, and organ trafficking to a needless gang war and several killings, the concept of ‘everything everywhere all at once’ just doesn’t work here and makes it a taxing watch.
While storytelling fails to impress, talented actors come to the rescue and elevate the show with their performances. Jeet is quite a famous actor, producer, and performer in Bengali cinema. Khakee: The Bengal Chapter marks his web series debut as well as his first Hindi language project. The steller actor effortlessly plays the pivotal role of a police officer and stands out with his captivating act. Meanwhile, even just as extended cameos, Saswata and Parambrata come across as the two crucial characters who keep the show going. Prosenjit Chatterjee as a corrupt politician dons the antagonist’s hat flawlessly.
Chitrangada Singh as an activist and politician seems like a breath of fresh air, while Ritwik Bhowmik surprises the most. His role as a gangster completely sets him apart from his last performance as a singer in Bandish Bandits S2. In the latest series, the actor can be seen sharing sweet relationships with his sister, wife, and friend, but an unfortunate event turns him into a vengeful person who goes on a killing spree. He can be seen showcasing all the facetsof his character with full conviction that not only cements him as a versatile artist but also as one of the most talented in the lot.
Mahaakshay Chakraborty, Pooja Chopra, Subhasish Mukherjee, Nyra Banerjee, Shraddha Das, Joy Sengupta, and Sweta Mishra play their parts well. Meanwhile, the definitive character arcs help Aakanksha Singh and Aadil Zafar Khan emerge as the two most important supporting cast members in the series. Amika Shail and Nyra Banerjee comparatively get less screen presence, but a few sequences featuring the two actresses make the vital narrative shift.
Verdict:
Neeraj is widely known and liked as a filmmaker for his projects like A Wednesday and Special 26. They stand out as they reflect his unique mind and make him appear as one of the most creative storytellers. Sadly Khakee: The Bengal Chapter doesn’t count among his finest, but a talented bunch of cast manages to keep the show afloat and make it a decent watch
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