- Date of Release: 9 August 2024
- Genre: Crime, Thriller, Drama, Mystery
- Language: Hindi
- Watch On: Zee5 Premium
Gyaarah Gyaarah (Season 1)
Introduction
The concept of multiple investigative cases rolled out in a single film/show is an exciting proposition wherein the viewers are always at the edge of their seats. Not only do the viewers get an opportunity to invest in the journey of the central characters who reveal parts of their personality during the ongoing investigation, there is never a chance of discreetly digressing and introducing a subplot that may or may not have an impact on the overall story. As a result, the thrill quotient is automatically increased, and with that the interest levels of the viewers. The Malayalam film Operation Java was a masterclass in this genre that seamlessly integrated three cases within the stipulated time of 150 minutes while managing to serve a thrilling drama to its viewers. The new Hindi show on Zee5, Gyaarah Gyaarah(an official adaptation of the 2016 Korean show Signal) does exactly this but with the introduction of a time travel element that may seem slightly odd to begin with, but it adds layers to the drama. The idea of two cops being interconnected on different timelines while helping each other to solve cases from the cold storage was an exciting proposition that had me all ears. So then does the first season of Gyaarah Gyaarah manage to impress, let’s find out.
Story & Screenplay
An official adaptation of the 2016 Korean show Signal, The first season of Gyaarah Gyaarah follows the story of multiple investigative cases being carried out in events from the 1990s, 2001 and 2016 with the common link being two cops connected with each other through a microphone. The story here is engaging and always keep you on your toes as a viewer. What starts off like a single investigation of a crime being committed, soon blossoms into multiple cases while maintaining a small but important thread with respect to the characters on show. The events are fast paced and definitely impressive with the paybacks despite the cases following a standard routine procedural to their conclusion. The thing that stands out though is the thrill element featuring multiple twists and turns throughout the course of its screenplay standing at 8 episodes of 40 odd minutes each, that will entice you and invariably make you a part of the squad that carries out the investigation. And the sci-fi element in the script might seem simplistic but it adds a nice little layer of investigation to the drama.
The drama begins in the year 2001 with the setting being that of a fun fair wherein a little boy is witness to a crime being committed. The drama jumps to a future timeline of 2016 wherein the 15 year old case of a little girl being kidnapped for a ransom still remains unsolved, whereas the little boy on the other hand has grown up to be a cop who is hellbent on investigating the case. As the investigation unfolds, you are familiarized to the principal characters along the way before introducing the plot point of time travel through the medium of a microphone that connects two worlds across two timelines. This principal plot point is crucial given how the two protagonists invariably work in tandem to resolve the open cases, with both having the ability to change the course of the crimes, and along with it the events around them.
One thing that the drama gets spot on is the thrill quotient. And while the world building is quick but adequate, the unwavering thrills do not allow you to distract or distance yourself from the drama. Every time you feel that a certain sense of slack might be round the corner, the writing springs another surprise along the way, thereby keeping you invested in the drama throughout. If there was one little criticism, then it would be around the conclusion of the cases that did feel simplistic as opposed to being layered. But the urgency shown by the writers was quite commendable in keeping you invested. Another positive for me was the characterization of a few characters, particularly the two protagonists who drive the narrative. Both Yug and Shaurya seem to be characters cut out of the same plot, with both of them being sincere and earnest. These similar traits almost felt like a bro-movie filled with bromance, set against the backdrop of an investigative thriller. I also liked how the transition between the cases was seamless that didn’t paint a fragmented picture with respect to the proceedings.
The whodunnit trait in each of the three cases is an exciting proposition even though it wasn’t brought to a point where the viewers would play a guessing game. But it was the police procedural that made me want to invest in the journeys of the characters as they went about solving the cases. One thing that I would have ideally liked was a little explanation on how the frequency of the microphone was connecting the two worlds(probably that was the Science student in me talking). The part where the show slightly fumbles is in its third act which itself was very exciting and even satisfactory with the shocking conclusion that it had to offer. But the setup for events of the second season gave me an impression that this season was slightly incomplete and didn’t quite tie the loose ends that were open here. One look at the original show that had 16 episodes, made me believe that this was actually the halfway mark, with one long season bifurcated into two. And at the end of the day, it boils down to how you look at things too! For me personally, it felt a touch incomplete. But that said, taking nothing away from the screenplay that was riveting and made for a compelling watch.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are conversational but a common feature that is also prevalent in the lines is the urgency. And the same adds to the ambience of the drama and makes for an exciting watch. The music and the BGM are good and they blend rather well with the drama. This is particularly true for the BGM which is riveting and adds to the palpable tension that the drama creates through its staging. The cinematography captures frames that might seem simplistic but they manage to do the job in conveying the undering layer of tension to the viewers. The editing is crisp and sharp while never pausing the events of the drama abruptly. As a result, the tension in the drama is maintained through and through that manages to elevate the events at regular junctures in the screenplay. Director Umesh Bist manages to impress with his ability to create a tense world of investigation while adding a layer of sci-fi to the proceedings. Now as much as I would have liked an explanation behind the happenings, the conviction of the direction is on full display here, so much so that the few flaws did not bother me to the point of distraction. As a result, I was always invested in the drama that kept throwing surprises at me throughout its course. And for that, the director deserves a lot of credit for never easing the tension in the drama by never taking his foot off the peddle. The direction was pretty good here.
Performances
The performances are pretty good by the ensemble cast although not all characters are provided with solid character arcs. Samridhi Chandola as Kriti, Sachin Kumar as Birju, Gandhali Jain as Dilshan, Komal Chhabria as Dr Snigdha and Brijendra Kala as Brahmadutt are terrific in their respective roles and all of them manage to shine. Gautami Kapoor as Sanjana is wonderful as the grieving mother and she expresses herself wonderfully well. Samvedna Suwalka as Ritu is bone-chilling and almost oozes of a sinister appearance that would look through you while providing you with a thousand nightmares. Khushi Bhardwaj as Garima is sincere and earnest while being extremely affable with her character, so much so that the fate of her character would leave you numb. Rohit Pathak as Shamshera is excellent and does manage to bring in layers of mystery to his character, such that he will keep you guessing with his intensions. Mukti Mohan as Palak has a glowing screen presence and she does a commendable job here.
Preshah Bharti as Deepali manages to hold her own and she is quite impressive in her character that seamlessly blends with the investigative setting of the drama. Nitesh Pandey in probably one of his final works as Sub Imspector Balwant has a nice little character arc to boast off. And he pulls off this transformation with sincerity in a rather commendable act. Gaurav Sharma as Rajendra and Harsh Chhaya as Sameer are such capable actors, and both of them leave a mark as characters who are heavily tilted towards the prevalent hierarchy in the police force. There is a certain sense of restraint with a simmering layer of anger that accompanies both their characters, and both of them do a fine job here.
Dhairya Karwa as Shaurya has a towering presence, literally and figuratively while adding a layer of nuance and restraint to his character that is assertive yet self-aware of the challenges around him. He is terrific and manages to impress here. Kritika Kamra as Vamika is outstanding here in a character that is aware of the shortcomings of her department yet willing to take a leap of faith with her team. There is a layer of sensitivity to her character that she manages to tap into rather effectively, while putting forth a stellar act along the way. Raghav Juyal fresh off the success of ‘Kill’ as killed it yet again as Yug. In a role diabolically opposite to his role in Kill, he is more grounded yet assertive as a cop(remember he was a thief in Kill). He is blessed with a rhythm as far as his dialogue delivery is concerned that often hits the sweet spot. The cerebral aspect of his character is also tapped into rather effectively but also with a sense of urgency and proactiveness. This is another step forward for a very talented actor that you will keep hearing of in times to come.
Conclusion
The first season of Gyaarah Gyaarah is a riveting edge-of-the-seat thriller with solid performances that scores over a few of its flaws, while accounting for a compelling watch. Available on Zee5(from 9th August’24 onwards).
