While the streets are devoid of any traffic, it seems the Web and Digital world taken it all. Web entertainment and digital entertainment is on its peak ansbhas very stealthily replaced television. The total revenue of the global entertainment reached by 2.6trillions and by 2023 , digital revenue will be 60% of the total revenue. The OTT viewers have increased magnanimously during the lockdown period. Covid 19 has divested the media industry T.V. and film industry but it has boosted digital platforms.
During this period I watched one of the popular Web Series of 2020, Paatal Lok.
Paatal Lok is an Indian Hindi-language crime thriller web television series which was aired on Amazon Prime video on 15th May, 2020. Produced by Clean Slate Films, it featured Jaideep Ahlawat, Gul Panag, Neeraj Kabi, Swastika Mukherjee, Ishwak Singh, and Abhishek Banerjee based on Tarun Tejpal's 2010 novel, The Story of My Assassins. It is a investigative thriller police- based web series on the concept of Heaven, Earth and Hell, where in hell all types of dangerous crimes take place.
“ Yeh jo dunia hai, yeh ek nahi tin dunia hai. Sabse upar Swarg lok , usme devta rehte hai. Beech main Dharti lok, jisme admi rehte hai aur sabse niche Paatal Lok, jisme keede rehte hai.” This is the opening dylok of Paatal lok by Hathiram Choudhury( Jaideep Ahlawat), who leads the viewers to meet to those keede, the law breakers. The series is all about an inspector Hathiram Choudhury who is out find the mystery behind the failed murder case of top journalist Sanjeev Mehta played by Neeraj Kabi. DCP Bhagat (Vipin Sharma) and his team arrest four criminals related to the case Top Singh ( Jagjeet Sandhu) , a lower caste man from Punjab village; Kabir M (Aasif Khan), a Muslim from Chandni Chowk, Mary Lyngdoh or “Cheeni” (Mairembam Ronaldo Singh), a transwoman; and Vishal Tyagi (Abhishek Banerjee), a serial killer from Bundelkhand. Since they were caught in outer Jamuna Paar; Haathi’s area of work so he is given the case which is also joined by Imran Ansari ( Ishwak Singh), a young cop aspiring to be an IAS Officer, but no matter how good he is, his last name follows him everywhere and profile him as a Muslim. While investigating, Hathiram discovers all the backstories of the four perpetrators. How Top Singh was bullied because of his caste, ended by attempting murders of his harasser or Tyagi who has murdered Forty Five people but never get caught. The Kabir M ,the Muslim thief, whose brothers were killed during Ram Mandir agitation and finely the transgender orphan Chini, who as a child experienced repeated rapes and brutalities. The extra martial affair between Sanjeev and his colleague Saka ( Niharika Lyra Dutt) many years junior to him, due to the discomforting edge she exposed his latent hypocrisies. While introducing to the dark scenario of the underworld, the show is astutely political. In the end Hathiram tells Sanjeev that the only reason Sanjeev is involved in the entire case was because he is a high profile enough to get attention. The real target wasn’t Sanjeev, but Tyagi himself. As the whole story is involved with contesting election between Gwala and Bajpayee. As Gwala cam hire Tyagi to kill Bajpayee, the only way to do this isto have Tyagi framed intob crime.
All the characters have justified their role in Patal Lok. Playing a role of tireless cop; Jaideep Ahlawat finally finds a purpose to prove himself. He is completely fitted in his character. Neeraj Kabi as Sanjeev Mehta; a journalist who is torn between his family life and trying to save his career; also equally impressive. Abhishek Banerjee as Vishal or Hathoda Tyagu, is surprising package. Showing the two sides of a character; who has murdered people is also the same character whose eyes light up whenever he sees a stray dog. Swastika Mukherjee as Sanjeev’s wife Dolly having anxiety attack or Gul Panag is a delight to see on screen as the wife of Hathiram. Also Vipin Sharma, Jagjeet Sandhu, Niharika Lyra Dutt, Asif Khan all play their parts wonderfully.
As the story proceeds from one chapter to another, the audience slowly witness the existing of three worlds. If our life is in swarg lok, we will find a known in Neeraj Kabi and Swastika Mukherjee. If we are a resident of dharti lok, Gul Panag and Jaideep Ahlawat's middle-class home, their tussles with their teenage son and the brother-in-law will appear familiar. In Paatal Lok, we have the dreaded murderer like Vishal Tyagi, Top Singh etc.
“ This system looks completely rotten outside, but once you spend some time in it, you will realize that its a well oiled machinery, every part knows its job well; and the one that doesn’t simply get replaced.” – The line is delivered by DCP Bhagat, to Hathiram Choudhury while making him understand how actually our whole system works. It is one of the best layered series so far , great writing, direction, cinematography, superb performances by all the characters.
Priyanka Deka
2nd Semester.
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