What Is the Story About?
36 days after the arrival of an enigmatic woman Farah Riad in Casa De Magnolia, an idyllic estate in Goa, she is found murdered in her house. Multiple men were after Farah during her brief stay – from the womaniser estate owner Tony to the budding author Rishi, though their neighbour Vinod had other ideas. Farah was also spotted with a married man with two kids. Who’s she after all?
Performances?
36 Days has a barrage of capable actors – from Neha Sharma to Chandan Roy Sanyal to Purab Kohli, Sharib Hashmi and Shruti Seth – though they don’t quite get well-fleshed out characters that test their potential. The actors, themselves, for a major part look confused, unaware of the psyche that drives the actions of the characters.
Sushant Divgikar does show some promise as Tara/Tarun, a shrewd character who stands up for her friend while coming to terms with her sexuality. One of the main disappointments is Shernaz Patel’s insensitive, exaggerated portrayal of Binny – a character that just doesn’t land. Amruta Khanvilkar’s performance is too loud, while the likes of Kenneth Desai and Shivam Patil are passable.
Analysis
36 Days, directed by Vishal Furia, unfolds in a creepy estate where every family harbours dark secrets. Post the arrival of a mystery woman Farah, a supposed air hostess, the scenario in the estate takes a turn for the worse. While the women are insecure about her presence, the men are charmed by her persona. There are multiple suspects behind Farah’s murder; the entire show is structured like a flashback to decode the culprit’s intent.
A Hindi adaptation of the British drama 35 Days, the show never gets going primarily due to the poor localisation of the story and understanding of audience tastes, even if Goa seems to be the most appropriate choice for a backdrop. It’s very hard to invest in characters that aren’t rooted in reality and are merely a figment of the writer’s imagination. Everything feels out of place, be it the ethos, conflicts, and treatment.
The interpersonal relationships in the show are toxic. Radhika and Rishi are in a loveless marriage, with the latter’s notorious post leaving his partner insecure. Denzel is a horny elderly man stuck with a schizophrenic wife and a son grappling with divorce. While Tony’s behaviour is unquestionably dubious, he remains a loyal husband to his charming wife Sia.
Sia has a past with Tarun, who has recently come out as a trans woman Tara. Meanwhile, Vinod’s first nature is to not trust anyone and anything at face value, which also affects his marriage (with Lalita). Lalita has a drug peddler brother Bobo who is constantly chased by cops and puts his family on the spot. The victim – Farah – is no saint either, she desperately finds excuses to hide her past.
The show keeps digging into the sore spots in the lives of the manipulative characters one after the other. While flawed characters are expected to make a show more relatable, in 36 Days, you feel repulsed by them. The issues in their lives don’t affect you as a viewer though the show plays the teasing game well with the killer’s identity across five hours.
Although the writers succeed in warranting your attention with the problematic choices of its not-so-conventional characters, the show takes a creepier turn with convoluted subplots that don’t contribute to its overall appeal. The narrative distracts itself from its core premise frequently, creating needless confusion. Halfway into the show, one can smell Farah’s motives from a distance.
The women in the show conveniently prefer to be the victims, suffering silently in toxic relationships without making tough choices. The men get away easily despite their questionable intent. The insensitive dialogues around the trans community are designed to provoke and could’ve been easily avoidable.
Though you’re not prepared for the killer’s revelation towards the end, let’s say it’s too hurried and impulsive. 36 Days is a mixed bag – the adaptation needed a desperate relook. It lacks focus as a narrative and despite the quirky traits of the men and women in its colourful universe, the result is far from memorable, it’s neither thrilling nor absorbing.
Music and Other Departments?
Roshin Balu’s music score effectively changes its hues as per the needs of the show while the songs by Chor Police duo (Clinton Cerejo and Bianca Gomes) don’t pass muster, diluting the potential of the situations. Quais Waseeq’s cinematography is a major asset to 36 Days, evading the cliches in the portrayal of Goa and capturing the mood of the show with the authenticity of an insider.
36 Days would’ve benefited from sharper writing and it is a lazy adaptation on many levels, clueless about improvising the original and finding its mojo. The length – over 5 hours – is not always welcoming, but it at least its major problem.
Highlights?
The unusual ambience for a murder mystery
The variety in interpersonal relationships
Keeps its viewers glued despite bumps
Drawbacks?
Eccentric characters
Poor adaptation/localisation
Unaffecting performances
Did I Enjoy It?
In parts
Will You Recommend It?
Not exactly
36 Days Series Review by Binged Bureau
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