Guns & Gulaabs(Season 1)
Introduction
Onto the next release of the weekend and with that I finished watching the new Hindi series, the first season of Guns & Gulaabs which is now streaming on Netflix. It won’t be wrong to say that this is perhaps one of the marquee shows of the year given that it is directed by the astounding duo of Raj and DK. If you have been following their filmography, then they have always tried to attempt a different concept with a twang of humour which is unique to them. But like Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti, I honestly do believe that the OTT space is where Raj and DK would flourish the most. And there are several reasons for the same!
Raj and DK have always been inclined towards character development and setting up character traits which would make for an indulging watch. This aspect has its limitations with the film medium wherein every minute is crucial for a crisper runtime. Secondly, the brand of humour that the duo cater to is slightly niche with respect to the masses and therefore the OTT space would result in a wider appreciation. And thirdly, trust Raj and DK to pull off a casting coup every single time. Be it Manoj Bajpayee and Samantha in The Family Man 2 or Shahid Kapoor, Kay Kay Menon and Vijay Sethupathi in Farzi, the casting has always been interesting and most definitely flourished in the OTT space.
There was a lot of excitement with the announcement of Guns & Gulaabs, which seemed to be a quirky and retro take while having a clever wordplay with the original title of Guns & Roses. With super talented actors like Rajkummar Rao, Gulshan Devaiah, Adarsh Gourav and Dulquer Salmaan on the forefront, the drama did promise to be another casting coup for the ages! Its trailer was pulpy with loads of quirkiness sprinkled in its narrative and it looked super promising in what was the fourth outing for Raj and DK in the crime comedy space. I was quite warmed up at the idea of watching Guns & Gulaabs on Netflix(which is having a stellar 2023 in terms of its Indian content), does it manage to impress….lets find out.
Story & Screenplay
The first season of Guns and Gulaabs follows the story of an opium deal which brings together a bunch of interesting characters in the mix. The story here is essential a pulpy crime thriller told with bouts of dark humour which is now a Raj and DK trademark. It is exciting, engaging and almost like Mirzapur in a totally wild and whacky universe. The concept of a drugs cartel may not be very different but the treatment of it here, infusing it with pulp fiction was a genius idea! The screenplay standing at 7 episodes ranging from 40 odd to 80 odd minutes does have a fairly elaborate runtime but it is the situations created with its interesting set of characters in the mix that truly sets the screen on fire. The theme of the drama having dollops of pulp and humour is consistent throughout, thus amounting to a splendid watch.
The drama opens with a murder taking place while a group of school boys are deliberating on tatooing their crushes’ name on their arm. This opening sequence was designed to give an idea to the viewers about the theme of the show. So there is a bout of comedy integrated in an otherwise crime world(represented by a murder) that sets the tone of the drama to follow. Soon, you are introduced to the principal characters, one by one with an intention on where they fit in this world. This was once again typical of the makers(in a good way) to have a sense of world building with some whacky character development that results in a compelling watch wherein I found myself laughing hysterically. The pop cultural references are quite nostalgic and amazing as well.
The proceedings are engaging and engrossing particularly with respect to the situations which are created. So you have a revenge seeking but lovestruck mechanic, an indifferent cop, a dreaded henchman who kills more than he speaks, and a couple of local gangs all thrown in the mix of this exciting universe. I liked the pulpy humour which was tapped into while setting up the proceedings which are often fuelled by exciting character dynamics that constantly keeps the drama afloat. The screenplay is designed in a way wherein there are as many as four parallel tracks unfolding at the same time, with occasionally further branching out into minor subplots. And so the challenge was to maintain the balance between crime and humour seamlessly, especially when both these aspects weren’t exactly alternating but playing out together in every scene. And that is done astonishingly well here! Along the way, certain issues related to gender bias or even eve-teasing are nicely touched upon(although the slight preachy pretext could have been avoided).
On the slight downside, not all the subplots manage to hold your attention. The one involving the extra-marital affair of the character of Arjun wasn’t quite seamlessly integrated in the main plot and so the emotional connect for me was clearly missing. Yet, it is the genius of the filmmakers to meticulously tie all the loose ends together while flaunting their trademark humour which is black and often borders on being frivolous. I liked how the multiple worlds met in a Vishal Bhardwaj-esque ‘Kaminey’ final act which was an absolute pleasure to watch. There may have been a capping limit on the number of episodes and so the makers smartly integrated an ‘Intermission’ in a finale act that mostly unfolds in a non-linear fashion. The mayhem at the end is fun and wild while satisfying your quench for a fitting finale act. A little twist at the end sets up things perfectly for its next season. Also, can we please get Rajkummar in it too(please Raj and DK). Overall, the screenplay is wild, whacky and pulpy resulting in a fun watch!
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are quirky wherein I found myself laughing hysterically. The ‘Shaolin ka Chhatiswa Kamra'(The 36th Chamber of Shaolin) line just hit home and how! The music is pulpy and goes perfectly with the vibe of the drama! The BGM is playful and blends itself perfectly with the surroundings and the multiple character traits. The cinematography is outstanding, capturing multiple frames with an unabashed flair while also making the murders indulgent and funny. The colour grading often alternating with its loud pulpy shades was a great creative decision and accentuated the vibe of the drama at multiple instances. The editing is sharp and crisp too. The phenomenal director duo of Raj and DK are the masters of absurdist comedy and they manage to hit the ball out of the park yet again. Their ability to create situations which are quirky and hilarious is symbolic of their wonderful skills which they possess. The direction is playful and engaging throughout while not allowing things to slip! Outstanding is the word!
Performances
The performances are simply mindblowing by the talented ensemble cast. Varun Badola as Pratap is an absolute joy to watch despite a limited screentime. Kumaar Saurabh as the magician has an emaculate presence while also managing to tickle your funny bone. Sanchay Goswami as Nirmal is dependable and well restrained in his character. Jogi Mallang as SP Mishra has his moments to shine. Pooja Gor as Madhu looks pretty and does a commendable job. Shreya Dhanwanthary as Yamini is nicely understated but I wish she had a little more meat to her character. Ayushi Nema as Malini(Nirmal’s wife) has a good screen presence in a nice little job done.
Nilesh Divekar as Nabeed is excellent as the dreaded gangster with a twang of humour. Satish Kaushik in one of his final appearances is simply brilliant as Ganchi right from his mannerisms and body language. Rajatabha Dutta as Sujanto is spot on as well in a brilliantly portrayed character of the druglord. Adrija Sinha as Mamta has her moments to shine as does Araham Sawant as Ikhlaq. Suhani Sethi as Jo has a charming presence onscreen and she does a fine job. Krish Rao as Nannu is superb in his character, and his little love story was quite sweet to witness. Tanishq Chaudhary as Gangaram has a nice little character arc and he pulls it off quite well. Goutam and Gourav Sharma as Suneel and Aneel are hilarious and they contribute to the humour of the series just so well.
Vipin Sharma as Mahendra has a mildly intimidating presence and he carries off his character with aplomb. Manuj Sharma as Bunty is such a fine actor with a great sense of comic timing and his comedy just hits home wonderfully well. TJ Bhanu as Lekha(aka Chandralekha) is assertive and confident while also being heartfelt and tender in a certain scene. I really wish to watch her work more often in future.
Gulshan Devaiah as Chaarcut Aatmaram is clearly having a ball here. As they say, actions speak louder than words, this perfectly applies to his wild and whacky character that often left me in splits. He was simply brilliant. Adarsh Gourav as Jugnu was a treat to watch in a character that had a tough exterior yet going through a host of emotions within him. He did bring forth a sinister presence while showcasing his vulnerability really well. Another step up for this very talented performer!
Dulquer Salmaan was an interesting choice to essay the role of Arjun. And his iconic screen presence is on full display here in a character which is dealing with his past mistakes while trying to bring about a change in Gulaabganj. There was a sense of dignity to his character in a job well done. Rajkummar Rao is one of the finest actors in our country at the moment and if there was a doubt then you need to see him perform here as Tipu. He has a host of emotions to play with ranging from being goofy to funny to serious in dramatic scenes. But the flair with which he performs is simply outstanding to the core! He is phenomenal in the series and it is upwards and onwards for him from here on!
Conclusion
The first season of Guns And Gulaabs is a pulpy tale of crime with delicious dark humour and splendid performances that makes for a brilliant watch. Available on Netflix and Highly Recommended!
