What Is the Story About?
Prime Video’s ‘Farzi’ is master storytellers, Raj Nidimoru and Krishna D.K’s latest web series. A crime drama, Farzi is set in the backdrop of the widespread menace of counterfeit currency in India. Sunny (Shahid Kapoor) is a gifted though struggling sketch artist, who gets caught up in the world of crime, owing to a tragic turn of events. Sunny and his BFF Firoz (Bhuvan Arora) use Sunny’s artistry to design and publish fake currency that looks and feels as good as the original.
However, their small-time racket lands them on the radar of currency specialist Megha Vyas (Raashii Khanna), hard-nosed cop Michael Vednayagam (Vijay Sethupathi) and international criminal Mansoor Dalal (Kay Kay Menon).
Farzi is created, written and directed by Raj Nidimoru and Krishna D.K.. It is co-written by Suman Kumar and Sita R. Menon. Dialogues are written by Hussain Dalal.
Performances?
Farzi boasts some of the best performances of the year, from an excellent cast. Despite the abundance of talent though, Farzi is Shahid Kapoor’s show all the way. The script allows the talented young actor to skillfully showcase the repertoire of acting tricks up his sleeve. And he rises to the occasion masterfully. In Farzi, Shahid Kapoor does it all – comedy, tragedy, drama, vulnerability, rebellion, a brutal streak here, a hint of ruthlessness there, and last of all, a romantic track in the midst of it all; and he does all of it with a refined restraint. Farzi is Shahid Kapoor at his roaring best.
Vijay Sethupathi takes time to get into his groove. He’s awkward and stilted in the initial episodes; but when he does find his mojo, he aces his role of a cop who’s learnt to arm-twist the callous government machinery to get what he wants. Zakir Hussain, as Finance Minister Pawan Gehlot, is simply terrific in Farzi. Some of the most entertaining sequences in the series are his shenanigans and interactions with Vijay Sethupathi’s Michael Vednayagam. Raashii Khanna is average as RBI official Megha Vyas.
Kay Kay Menon, as Mansoor Dalal, gets the most flamboyant and over-the-top part in Farzi; and the actor carries it off with an inspired flourish. He seems to be having the most fun in the entire show, and it shows on screen. The ever-dependable actor is a riot in Farzi. Amol Palekar is well-cast as Sunny’s idealistic Naanu (grandfather). After a long time, a role such as this has some meat in it for the artist to sink his teeth into, and is not reduced to a rudimentary.
However, the breakout performance in Farzi, amidst the star-studded cast and excellent acting, is that of Bhuvan Arora’s as Firoz. The guy nails it to the T, superbly bringing out the nuances, quirks and eccentricities of the character in subtle though noticeable ways.
The supporting cast of Farzi is excellent. Chittaranjan Giri as Yasir Chacha, Jaswant Dalal as Shekhar, Kubbra Sait in an enigmatic role, Saqib Ayub as Anees, Sourav Chakraborty as Jamal, lend great support.
Analysis
Prime Video and Raj & DK’s Farzi is clearly set in the Breaking Bad universe, except for its inherent Indianness, of course. The similarities between the two are quite apparent and in-your-face. Mr White uses his formidable Chemistry skills to cook the purest blue meth on the planet; Sunny deploys his innate artistic talents to create the ‘supernote’ – a fake currency note that even the most advanced machines can’t tell from the real.
Both get into the world of crime and easy money to tide over a crisis; but then crime, for them, becomes an itch they must scratch. Finally, both are underdogs, who revel in the unexpected adulation they earn with their largely unappreciated talents.
That being said, Farzi entertains and enthralls viewers on many different levels. It brims with every element that makes a show memorable and re-watch worthy. Humour, intrigue, action set-pieces, thrills, emotion and drama – it has everything thrown into the mix, to create pure, unadulterated, wholesome entertainment. Farzi also has Raj & DK’s trademark style of incorporating action into the narrative. Well-shot chase scenes and fun shoot-out scenes — with several single-take shots — keep the pace and thrill of the narrative at a high.
The writing is sharp and sparkling. It throws snarky references to varied controversial ideas – demonetization, chips in currency notes made famous by ‘social media universities’, the nepotism debate, the rich-poor divide, an indifferent political setup, laying the blame for every perceived misdemeanor on our beloved neighbouring country and its notorious ISI — and oh yes, in a hilarious incidence — rising unemployment; all of it finds space in the script, but in a stealthy, nudge-nudge, wink-wink mode. You have to watch every frame and listen to every dialogue carefully, to catch all the snarky asides.
The fun script also tickles our senses with the name-dropping – Tiwari, anyone? Watch carefully, lest you miss the fun cameo by a certain ‘C’ Sir, and the aforementioned Tiwari. Terrific humour, and a certain irreverence, are signature elements of a Raj & DK piece of content; and both find place in Farzi.
Farzi also has its share of drawbacks. The most obvious is its tedious length. At eight episodes of one hour each, the show is an exhausting watch. The over-wrought drama between Michael and his estranged wife Rekha (Regina Cassandra) proves to be a drag, and an unnecessary distraction from the main story. The characters too are not very appealing, especially Michael and Megha. There’s something missing – an intangible quality – that stops us from getting fully invested in their past or present. On many levels, Farzi seems like an extension of the ‘Family Man’ universe; yet, by the end, it leaves us disconcerted, and makes us long for the immersive, engaging world of Shrikant Tiwari and team.
To sum it up, Farzi is a terrific addition to the evolving web series space in India, and a must-watch for sure. Farzi Season 2 is a given, and we can only wish that the makers will make it shorter and crisper the next time round.
Music and Other Departments?
Sachin – Jigar’s songs for Farzi are lively and energetic, with an upbeat tempo. Ketan Sodha’s background score is equally good, and suits the narrative well. Pankaj Kumar’s cinematography captures the unique sights, sounds and hustle-bustle of Mumbai superbly. The long shots of the Jordan sandscape seem like a nod to Breaking Bad’s sequences in Mexico and the wild west of the US. Sumeet Kotian’s editing is deft and precise, adding the right edge to crucial scenes.
Highlights?
Shahid Kapoor, Bhuvan Arora and Kay Kay Menon’s performances
The sharp writing
The terrific humour
The supporting cast of Jaswant Dalal, Zakir Hussain, Amol Palekar, Chittaranjan Giri, Saurav Chakraborty, and more
Drawbacks?
Too long and tedious
Drags in the middle
Crucial characters such as Michael and Megha leave us uninvested and unmoved.
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes
Will You Recommend It?
Yes
Farzi Series Review by Binged Bureau
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