Kafas
Introduction
Thank God It Is Friday and we have lots of work to do in terms of the new releases. So here is me rolling my sleeves up for the challenge and getting straight to the first of the new releases. With that, I finished watching the new Hindi series Kafas which is now streaming on SonyLiv. It was kind of surprising for me that the OTT giant did not promote the series as well(they aren’t known to promote their content anyway). But Kafas was different. The release date of the show was finalized just 2 days before its release which was baffling.
There were seeds revolving around the quality of the show that were sown in my head. But then again the content of SonyLiv has been brilliant over the years and if there is that one OTT platform that I can trust blindly then it is SonyLiv. Kafas is an official adaptation of the British show Dark Money, a drama that I have zero reference about. But with a stellar starcast and a stellar production house, I was quite looking forward to the show. So then does Kafas manage to impress, lets find out!
Story & Screenplay
An official adaptation of the British show Dark Money, I will still be keeping the story of the show Kafas under wraps to avoid any bit of spoiler. This is because if you haven’t seen the original(like me), you are in for a twisted ride that is deeply disturbing in so many ways than one. The story is dark and it brings out the psychological issues in a child following a trauma wonderfully well. The screenplay standing at 6 episodes of 40 minutes each does make for a super brisk watch which is not only taut but thoroughly engrossing and disturbing.
The drama does open on a stunning note in what was one of the most shocking opening sequences that I have watched in recent times. That entire sequence does set the tone for the rest of the drama to follow and it was interesting also that the cliffhanger was revealed right at the beginning(tricky in hindsight). Soon, you are introduced to the family of the young protagonist who is back after his big break in Bollywood. There is false bravado in the air as far as family is concerned. But something about his body language is amiss! I liked how the writers did take the conflict a step further here. A young boy being abused is usually brushed under the carpet(in fact there aren’t strong laws for physical abuse against men and boys) but here the revelation to the parents is not centered around keeping this incident a secret, instead it begins with an early revelation folllwed by the impact that the incident has on the family. The conflict was further layered given the economic situation of the family in what was a very interesting premise.
The proceedings are engrossing and really dark and disturbing which explores the psyche of all the characters in a rather chilling manner. The drama is a slow burn and this does allow the viewers to sink into the drama and invest in the characters and their respective journeys. The characterization is really impressive and something that fuels the narrative further. There is also a social commemtary on the dark underbelly of the film industry(again not all people are the same) that is buried beneath the layer of glamour which is also well explored. But the prime focus is on the after-effects of the heinous act and how it does impact the psyche of the victims and their families. Some of the sub-plots were interesting as well.
The twists and turns in the screenplay are subtle with the flex of power being explored really well. The events are engaging, and also maintaining the tone of the drama very well. Some of the twists though are shocking and quite overwhelming. This leads to an explosive final act that makes for such a powerful end that made for a splendid watch. If anything, the final act could have been a little more fleshed out but the end messaging was superb and on-point. Overall, the screenplay here is extremely well written and makes for a deeply disturbing watch.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are conversational and very well written keeping the tone and pitch of the drama in check. This does create a subtle but lasting impact that does linger on long after the drama has ended. The BGM is subtle and tactfully enhances the viewing experience, wonderfully well. The cinematography is excellent with some nice frames, as is the art design with the use of slightly pale and darker shades that creates a wonderful ambience for the drama to unfold. The editing is crisp and taut. Director Sahil Sangha does an incredibly good job by treating this sensitive subject with utmost care without compromising on the disturbing factor of the tale. I was invested in the drama right throughout and that means that the direction deserved distinction marks!
Performances
The performances are wonderful by the ensemble cast. Aakanksha Kadre as Fatima, Zarina Wahab as Neelima, Geetanjali Mishra as Priya and Araham Sawant as Yash all have their moments to shine. Mona Wasu as Meghna is wonderfully restrained in a job well done. Mukesh Chhabra as Irfan is assertive and does quite an impressive job as the reporter. It was a pleasure watching Preeti Jhangiani as Tanya after such a long hiatus, and she does a good job as well. Tejasvi Singh Ahlawat as Shreya does an absolutely splendid job as a child being treated as a second fiddle to her own brother, thus showcasing her vulnerabilities really well.
Jyoti Gauba as Deepali is excellent as the sly associate producer, showcasing a level of calmness in her argument that would infuriate you to no bounds. Vivan Bathena as Vikram is outstanding in the role of a superstar with a dark streak. He will make your blood boil wherein you would wish the worst for his character, and this basically means that he was absolutely brilliant. Mikhail Gandhi as Sunny is tremendous with his performance which is haunting in many ways. His body language and mannerisms are spot on and it was deeply disturbing to witness and study the character in many ways. Sharman Joshi as Raghav is extremely well restrained, exposing himself to a few bouts of emotional outbursts in what was such a towering act as the helpless father. Mona Singh as Seema speaks a thousand words through her eyes that do carry mountains of pain. She is brilliant and particularly impressive in scenes where she does break down. It was indeed a terrific act of the highest order!
Conclusion
Kafas is a disturbingly dark drama with outstanding performances that comes with my highest recommendation. Available on SonyLiv and Highly Recommended!