Rangbaaz: Darr Ki Rajneeti
Introduction
Onto the next release of the weekend and I finished watching the new Hindi series Rangbaaz – Darr Ki Rajneeti which is third in the Rangbaaz series. It was more than a couple of years ago that I had watched the first season of Rangbaaz starring Saqib Saleem. While I had my doubts on the commercial aspect of the series, I was pleasantly surprised by the compelling drama which did hold my attention right throughout. Amongst the many releases which came my way then, I had missed out on watching the second season of Rangbaaz starring Jimmy Sheirgill. But with Vineet Kumar Singh at the helm of the third season, I was really excited for it. A prolific actor who was first noticed in Gangs Of Wasseypur, I have since then actively followed his filmography in what has been a brilliant journey. That said, does Rangbaaz Darr Ki Rajneeti manage to impress, lets find out.
Story & Screenplay
Loosely based on true events, Rangbaaz Darr Ki Rajneeti follows the life of Harun Shah Ali Baig from his childhood to becoming a dreaded gangster and later a politician. If you are into political dramas and thrillers, this story will have nothing new to offer. But it is the screenplay here which is quite compelling. Standing at 6 episodes of 30 odd minutes, the series can be wrapped up very quickly.
The screenplay here unfolds in a non linear pattern. So after a quick round of introduction to the protagonist and the world around him, you suddenly are transported to his childhood and his equation with a friend. This style of narration is the show’s strength as well as its slight weakness. The strength being that the writers are always a step ahead of you. You get to compare the current situation of the characters and often wonder how did they land up there especially when all was hunky dorey at the beginning.
The drama unfolds like any other political thriller. By now I have got used to watching many shows and so somewhere the twists and turns did not shock me at a level which would make my jaw drop. But still one odd twist here and there did add that shock element. The politics shown in the drama is really engrossing and entertaining. But this brings me to the weakness(only relatively speaking). The timelines are jumped just so often that you as a viewer find it slightly hard to keep pace with it. But this is just a minor flaw.
The pace of the drama is brisk and you are transported from one event to the other in no time. But even in this limited duration, the characters are well etched out which is a huge positive. Having said that, the final act could have had a little more buildup especially because the drama did meet with a predictable end. So maybe slowing things a bit would have added to the thrill elements. But overall, the screenplay is quite well written.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are really well written and it also contributes very well to the atmosphere of the drama and adds to the authencity of the area where the drama is set in. The music is quite good, the BGM is outstanding and it really heightens the tensions in a few scenes. The cinematography is good, the editing could have been crisper. Director Sachin Pathak, best known for thrillers like A Simple Murder and Kathmandu Connection, has done a phenomenal job here. He is able to hold your attention throughout and keep the drama consistentky watchable without much lags which was really good to witness.
Performances
The performances are really good here. Manasi Rachh does a good job here despite a limited screentime, as does Saharsh Kumar Shukla as Manoj. Ashok Pathak(from yehi hugenge hum fame of Panchayat 2) as Brijesh is outstanding and it is heartening for me to see him get such good roles. Soham Majumdar as Dipu is brilliant and natural to the core. I really wish to watch more of him going forward. Sudhanva Deshpande as Chhote Babu has his moments to shine. Rajesh Tailang as Mukul Kumar is at his usual best. Geetanjali Kulkarni is such a brilliant actor and as Aahilya she is just an absolute pleasure to watch onscreen here. She is just brilliant and so well restrained. Prashant Narayanan as SP Raghav is phenomenal and I even liked his characterization which gave the audience a sense of his vulnerabilities. Vijay Maurya as Lakhan delivers a towering performance as the conniving politician hungry for power. She just owns every scene which he features in. Aakanksha Singh as Sana looks pretty and is wonderfully restrained in a dignified performance. Vineet Kumar Singh as Shah Ali is the star of the show. He has a tremendous screen presence and a certain charm which he beautifully translates onscreen. His performance is brilliant and something to be cherished and savoured.
Conclusion
The third season of Rangbaaz is a compelling drama with strong performances which makes it a worthy watch. Available on Zee5.