Web Series: Tandav
Year: 2021
Genre: Political thriller
Cast: Saif Ali Khan, Sunil Grover, Dimple Kapadia, Mohammad Zeeshan Ayyub, Kritika Kamra, Kumud Mishra
Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime
Synopsis: Samar Pratap Singh (Saif) is a savy youth leader of a political party who assumes he is going to be the next prime minister after his father's (Tigamanshu) retirement. The father, Devki Nandan Singh, three-term PM and party president is not ready to hand over the reins. As a next step Samar decides to kill his father by poisoning and does so, but is being blackmailed by Anuradha Kishore (Kapadia), a close associate of his father who is also an PM aspirant. Pushed into the wall Samar decides to play king maker and makes way for Anuradha to be the PM. Another leader Gopal Das (Mishra) is unhappy with the decision as he feels he deserve the chair better because of his seniority and experience in the field.
In the parallel world a student activist, Shiva Shekar (Ayyub) is embroiled in a farmers' protest and becomes an overnight media sensation. He is an idealistic who wants to bring in the much needed change in the otherwise corrupt politics. He and his equally enthusiastic friends get ensnared in a shady mystery of betrayal.
Assuming the self-assigned role of wire-puller Samar envisions to use Shiva as a pawn in his ambitious game with the help of his henchman Gurpal (Grover). The season ends in a cliffhanger giving us the hint of next season.
WeReflect: Currently in news for multiple criminal cases lodged against the makers and actors in several states for hurting religious sentiments. And court denying relief to the team stating "right to freedom of speech is not absolute"
Definitely our religious sentiments weren't hurt. Our grouch is Tandav is an average show that mixed up various current affaris like farmers' protest, student agitation, dynastic politics, religious intolerance and others without a gripping narration.
We expected something like "House of Cards" and it falls flat. The only character we liked was of Grover. The transformation from Dr. Mashoor Gulati to Gurpal is amazing. Never imagined he could pull off something like this. No doubt the show is stylish and moving, but quite predictable.
Tandav due to the controversy may get good viewership because you know the 'forbidden fruit' and all. Or it may be taken off the air pretty soon. Watch it if you like political drama.
