What Is the Story About?
A suspended cop Gadar Singh is asked to return to work to investigate the mysterious deaths of the Chandel family. A lonely nurse Sakshi Murmu, is keen on taking a bigger pie in the investigation, while she treats the only survivor at a hospital. What’s in store for Gadar and Sakshi?
Performances?
Gaanth is Manav Vij’s own Paatal Lok, where he sinks his teeth into the portrayal of a complex cop battling grief and a corrupt system. As the brooding, helpless father, his earnest performance mirrors his inner resilience and also helps you empathise with the various dark corners of his personality. Playing a marginalised nurse ostracised by society, Monika Pawar is excellent in mirroring the anxieties, trials and tribulations of a modern-day woman.
The show offers ample scope for a handful of actors to assert their presence regardless of screen time – Gopal Dutt, Shravan Borana, Saloni Batra, Naved Aslam, Ajit Koshy, Neha Iyer, Rajesh Tailang, Bachan Pachehra, Sidharth Bhardwaj prove to be equally instrumental in driving the story forward.
Analysis
Gaanth, a police procedural drama, could’ve conveniently been a feature film about a cop battling his inner demons in the middle of a high-profile investigation, but its creators aren’t merely after the culprit in a case. The show is a sociological study of the environment that drives crime, examining it through the lens of the police force, media and an ignored nurse in a neighbourhood.
After the docu-drama House of Secrets, Tamannaah’s Aakhri Sach and the Telugu film The Great Indian Suicide, Gaanth is the fourth project inspired by the infamous Burari case. Does it offer a new dimension to the case? Not exactly, but the director Kanishk Varma uses the true incident as a platform to offer an authentic portrait of the system, the conservative times we live amidst.
The show is driven by two well-established characters – a middle-aged cop (and a single father) who’s yet to rise above his personal grief and a disturbed nurse from a marginalised community who faces discrimination at work, battling a troublesome house owner. As an escape from their inner turmoil, the duo finds a renewed purpose in their lives through the quest for truth in the investigation.
The director provides a rooted understanding of the inner workings of the overworked police force, the ills within the system that denies them adequate acknowledgement/validation and the stubborn resistance of cops to showcase their vulnerabilities. It is a fine melange of drama and suspense brought alive by gritty performances, even if a few cinematic exaggerations suggest otherwise.
More than its pivotal plot, Gaanth is efficient in underlining the changing belief system of the average Indian citizen. It speaks of sensationalism within media (and how it has transformed the fourth estate into a circus), the rise of right-wing groups as supposed torch-bearers of society, the casual discrimination of the marginalised groups at workplaces, the growing belief in ritualistic practices and moral corruption in governmental institutions.
Though Gaanth is meant to be a grim, slow-burn drama with gradual reveals and a docu-like approach to a real-time incident, you tend to get impatient with its pacing in the initial episodes. Even while stating the obvious, the show outlasts its welcome; it takes at least three episodes to embrace its vibe and intent. The overkill of the crime/cop drama genre in the digital space is another reason you don’t appreciate it enough (despite the merits of the storytelling).
For those unfamiliar with the Burari case and other films/shows it inspired, Gaanth could be even more rewarding. The show keeps you on your toes and warrants your attention with its sincere treatment of the premise, the conviction in the storytelling and brilliant performances from under-explored actors in the industry. Provided you tolerate its sluggish start, Gaanth will not disappoint you.
Music and Other Departments?
Raghav and Arjun, the music duo that’s quite familiar with the needs of the digital space (they worked on Ajeeb Daastaans and Kaalkoot previously), are at ease handling the crests and troughs of Gaanth. Highlighting mundane life in a conservative neighbourhood in Delhi, the cinematography stays true to the show’s tense ambience, also enhancing its aesthetic appeal. The storytelling is neat and consistent, thanks to the sharp editing that preserves the soul of the story.
Highlights?
In-depth writing
The attempt to capture sociological realities in India
Superb performances
Drawbacks?
Sluggish pacing
Slightly exaggerated at times
Absence of novelty (the story has been told three times on the screen before)
Did I Enjoy It?
yes
Will You Recommend It?
Yes
Gaanth: Part 1 Series Review by Binged Bureau
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