What Is the Story About?
Ketan Agarwal is found murdered while Sujata, Kaushik and Nayan Samanta are named prime suspects. When a lawyer PK Basu delves deeper, the culprit is put behind bars and dies soon. Now, a serial killer is on the loose, avenging a personal loss, killing every person involved in the case. Lurking among a handful of guests at Hotel Repose, PK Basu needs to find him/her before it’s too late.
Performances?
Saswata Chatterjee is a perfect casting choice to play the cool, composed PK Basu, who never lets emotions get the better of him. Ananya Chatterjee is strictly okay in a hammy, over-the-top role as a weepy mother. Subrat Dutta is impressive within the limited scope of his cop role, while Somraj Maity, Rachel White and Ayoshi Talukar hold the fort with their precise, neat portrayals.
Kinjal Kumar Nanda is forgettable as Noor Ali Baig, with Abhijit Guha not having to do anything meaty. Payal Sarkar and Prantik Banerjee do well to retain the mystery behind their character’s true identities. Soham Chakraborty packs a punch in the shoes of a deceptive cop Subir Roy.
Analysis
PK Basu, the popular fictional character who was a brainchild of legendary Bengali writer Narayan Sanyal in his novel series Sonar Kaanta (loosely based on Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap), makes his digital debut with ZEE5’s Kaantaye Kaantaye. While this is a sincere attempt at creating a chilling mystery show, it isn’t always consistent in holding your attention.
The story revolves around a series of killings after the culprit in an infamous murder case commits suicide at a prison. PK Basu, a lawyer connected with the case, loses his daughter in an accident. Justice Ramesh Majumdar is strangled and so is an advocate Moloy Dutta and a cop Romen. The hunt is on for the serial killer at a luxury hotel in Darjeeling.
Kaantaye Kaantaye is sluggish, to begin with, and the ambience does little to keep you hooked to the proceedings. The drama around the death of Mithu, PK Basu’s daughter and his perennially weepy wife is extended beyond necessity. For a lead character, PK Basu could’ve been more colourful and charismatic. The slow and steady approach to the storytelling is not always enticing.
As the action shifts to Hotel Kanchenjunga and Darjeeling’s Hotel Repose, the show gains momentum with its sharp, delicate screenplay. Dealing with a plethora of eccentric, creepy characters – Alok Sen, his kleptomaniac wife, Arup, Noor Ali Baig, Ajay, Kaveri, the cop Subir Roy et al – the director Joydeep Mukherjee gradually creates an air of mystery around their identities.
The cat-and-mouse games among the characters keep getting interesting as PK Basu tries to nab the mastermind behind the killings. The hill station setting, the grim music and the toned-down colour palette set the right mood for the mystery to unfold. The drama leading to the ultimate reveal and killer’s motive is convincing and Kaantaye Kaantaye manages to end well after a stuttering start.
The division of the show into ten slick episodes – lasting a little beyond 20 minutes – is an added advantage. There’s good potential in developing Kaantaye Kaantaye into a franchise that expands across multiple seasons, for there’s winning material waiting to be explored and a capable protagonist – enacted with great poise by Saswata Chatterjee.
Music and Other Departments?
Sovon Mukherjee’s music is one of the major highlights of the show – the song Khomo Shona is an instant earworm and the arresting background score elevates the tension and the drama as per the needs of the story. Ramyadeep Saha and Souvik Basu’s cinematography, in addition to the production design, contribute to the show’s appeal and its technical finesse.
Highlights?
PK Basu’s characterisation
Neat performances and execution
The storytelling momentum in the latter set of episodes
Drawbacks?
The slow, sluggish buildup
Unnecessary melodrama in the initial episodes
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes, in parts
Will You Recommend It?
If you’re in the mood for an Agatha Christie-styled murder mystery
Kaantaye Kaantaye Series Review by Binged Bureau
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