What Is the Story About?
Netflix’s new series ‘Khakee: The Bihar Chapter’ is adapted from the true story of super-cop Amit Lodha’s book, ‘Bihar Diaries: The True Story of How Bihar’s Most Dangerous Criminal Was Caught’. The series documents the daring true story of the elaborate plan put into motion by IPS officer Amit Lodha to capture dreaded Bihar criminal and murderer, Ashok Mahto. Ashok Mahto is changed to Chandan Mahto in ‘Khakee’. Karan Tacker plays Amit Lodha, while Avinash Tiwary plays Chandan Mahto.
Khakee: The Bihar Chapter is created by Neeraj Pandey, written by Neeraj Pandey and Umashankar Singh, produced by Shital Bhatia, under Friday Storytellers, and directed by Bhav Dhulia.
Performances?
Karan Tacker and Avinash Tiwary put in stellar performances, thereby making the series watchable. Avinash Tiwary is especially compelling as Chandan Mahto. His transformation into the dreaded gangster is a sight to behold, stained teeth and all.
Ashutosh Rana, Anup Soni, Jatin Sarna and Abhimanyu Singh steer the ship well, bringing their unique talents to their respective roles. Ravi Kishan’s short appearance is effective enough. Vinay Pathak is saddled with a criminally inconsequential role – any small-time actor could have essayed the bit part of the Bihar Chief Minister. Why waste a talent as consummate as Vinay Pathak in a role as insignificant as this.
Nikita Dutta is average in her part. She has nothing much to do except play the dutiful wife and mother. The rest of the cast is suitably apt.
Analysis
The world of streaming entertainment has been flooded with series centred in the badlands of India’s crime-infested Northern states, most, if not all, set in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Much like Mirzapur, the Rangbaaz franchise, Raktanchal, Bhaukaal, and several others before it, Khakee: The Bihar Chapter lays bare the grisly specifics of rampant, unfettered crime in the dusty hinterlands of India. It is the same old story, but stands out for the way Neeraj Pandey and Bhaav Dhulia tell the story.
From the get-go, the narrative dives headlong into the crime milieu of Bihar’s hinterlands. In between, it meanders to tell the story of the making of Amit Lodha, the super-cop, and the meteoric rise of Chandan Mahto in the world of crime. The story unveils in a non-linear fashion, flitting seamlessly between the past and the present, with nary a discordant note marring the flow of the story and the proceedings.
As Chandan Mahto’s stunning count of cold-blooded murders rises, so does the will of the Bihar police to capture the heartless criminal. And thus begins a fascinating cat-and-mouse chase between the lawmakers and the outlaw. Underneath the seeming simplicity of the straightforward story, however, lies manifold layers of harsh reality – the evil absolutes of the ominous politician-police-criminal nexus that is widespread in the country at large, and Bihar in particular. The story also touches upon the caste politics rampant in the state. The only thing stopping the series from getting it right is its refusal to do anything but skim the surface of the subjects.
What works in Khakee: The Bihar Chapter is the obsessive attention to detail in every moment of the storytelling. The series and its cast get right the dialect and mannerisms of Bihar with consummate precision.
To sum it up, Khakee: The Bihar Chapter is a series that tells an oft-told story in an engaging, entertaining way. It deserves a one-time watch, especially for fans of crime dramas.
Music and Other Departments?
Advait Nemlekar’s musical score is fast, peppy and eclectic. It enhances the storytelling manifold. Hari Nair’s cinematography is superb. The expansive aerial shots capture the essence of the Bihar countryside well; and the hectic close-ups amp up the thrill of a crime drama. Praveen Kathikuloth’s editing is not as sharp as the other technical aspects of the series.
Highlights?
Performances
Writing & direction
Technical aspects
Drawbacks?
Superficial, doesn’t scratch deeper into crucial issues
A few draggy sequences
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes
Will You Recommend It?
Yes
Khakee: The Bihar Chapter Series Review by Binged Bureau