Underworld: Better than the Sacred Games?
‘Sacred Games’ was an exemplary series for the Indian web streaming world. The crime thriller genre series released on Netflix caused such a frenzy that everyone rushed to compare it with’ Sacred Games’ whenever a similar series appeared on Indian TV or web platforms.
The same scenario is seen in the new series of Amazon Prime video ‘Underworld.‘ Not only the general public but even the critics’ writings have repeatedly raised the issue of ‘Sacred Games.’
According to the Hindustan Times, ‘Underworld’ is Amazon’s bold response to ‘Sacred Games.’ According to NDTV, this is not the ‘Sacred Games’ of Prime Video, but more. In the eyes of The Print, Delhi has been portrayed in ‘Underworld’ in the same way that Mumbai has been portrayed in ‘Sacred Games.’
So it is understandable that since its release on May 15, there has been a positive response to the series, which is why comparisons with ‘Sacred Games’ are being made so loudly this time around. In the judgment of many, ‘Underworld’ is ahead of ‘Sacred Games. ‘
However, suppose there is any doubt in anyone’s mind. In that case, if someone is sitting on the nose sint after reading the above writings, they are also forced to calm down after knowing the next information because Anurag Kashyap himself has soaked ‘Patal Lok’ in the rain of praise. Yes, the person who introduced the audience to masterpieces like ‘Gangs of Wasipur,’ and who is also one of the directors of ‘Sacred Games.’ He wrote on Twitter:
“My filmmaker’s heart is full of joy today. I just saw ‘Underworld.’ The best crime thriller I’ve ever seen in this country, or maybe the best of all time.”
When Anurag Kashyap makes such a comment about a film or a series, there is no room for doubt about its quality. We have already seen more than once the example that a movie or a series can get a huge fan base just by praising it. Bhaskar Hazarika’s ‘Amish’ in Assamese is a very recent example.
“This is not a world and it is not really one, it is three worlds. Above all is the heavenly man, where the gods are. In the middle is the earthly man, where there are people. I read on WhatsApp. “
The series begins with this dialogue. The person who says the words is Inspector Hathiram Chowdhury. He was saying the words to junior Imran Ansari. He further said that the police station where they work, across the Outer Jamuna, is the underworld. They deal with insect-like criminals. As a result, there is no benefit in having too much ambition in their life. The underworld must rot. No honor, no promotion.
But suddenly, a very high-profile case came to Hathiram’s very ordinary career. Four terrorists were caught trying to assassinate the country’s renowned journalist Sanjeev Mehra. Hathiram has to investigate their crime. He has not had the opportunity to investigate any such case in the past. So it is not only a chance for him to unravel a mystery but also a chance to prove himself.
“Half my life, I have seen in the eyes of my father his son is useless. Now for the rest of my life, I cannot see in the eyes of my son that his father is useless.”
So Hathiram started trying his best to solve this case. But literally, the snake is about to come out to dig the earthworm. All the truths that Hathiram has no acquaintance with come out. Gradually, he began to sink into a real underworld. In the end, self-discovery, or the real meaning of life, becomes more important to him than solving the mystery.
Understandably, ‘Underworld’ has a lot in common with ‘Sacred Games’ or ‘Asura,’ released in March. The plot of the crime thriller has become a well-known subject by linking Hindu mythology with the underworld of crime. But still, the story of ‘Underworld’ is very basic, completely fresh.
As issues such as India’s central and grassroots politics, religious nationalism, and media commercialization have come to the fore, the series seeks to create a larger ‘statement’ about the ongoing injustices against transgender people or minorities.
Nowadays, the Indian media or the entertainment media, where the tendency to carry out any crime as ‘militancy’ can be seen in both places and the law enforcement agencies are also trying to take advantage of that opportunity to further their own interests, has been taken up in the ‘underworld.‘
Psychology has played a big role in the story. Hathiram and his accomplice Imran have not only fallen into the present but also in the distant past in order to find out the real cause of the crime of the four criminals. By digging into their past, they have tried to understand exactly why they are involved in the criminal world and what was the motive behind their latest crime. The producers did not make any mistake in bringing their past churning to life on the screen. In addition to portraying Delhi in a new light, the series was shot in 110 locations in six Indian cities , most notably the holy city of Chitrakoot, bordering Uttar Pradesh. The producers want each scene to be exactly where the story is told.
Anushka Sharma was the executive producer of the nine-episode series. Producer Anushka’s taste is always high. In his digital debut, he also showed his passion, and in this case, he worked mainly with his familiar comrades.
The creator of ‘Underworld’ is Sudip Sharma, the author of ‘NH-10’, and the directors were Abinash Arun and Prasit Roy (fairy). Navdeep Singh, the director of ‘NH-10’ was the screenplay advisor. Besides, Sagar Haveli, Hardik Mehta and Gunjit Chopra have accompanied Sudip Sharma as writers.
This talented but relatively little-known team has tried to create something fancy for the Indian audience, as the series will reach a global audience thanks to Amazon Prime Video. However, despite the influence of Western thinking, almost every scene in the series is very Indian. It can be said that, as the name, all the content of the series has been able to carry Indianness spiritually. So Western viewers will also be able to discover India in a new form through this series, a form they have never seen before.
Another highlight of the series is its dialogue. Just as English has come to Tuktak when needed, so too has no stinginess been added to the rich Hindi dialogue to give a scent of real Indian soil. The anti-government (not anti-national) sentiment has been incited through bold dialogue, as well as the dark comedy flavor of the series.
“We have finally got a government and a prime minister who is doing something for the country.”
This dialogue is seemingly praising the present government of India, but a closer look reveals who is actually saying what is more important than what is being said.
In recent years, the killing of journalists in India has also been cited as an important reference:
“We (journalists) used to be heroes. Now we are being made fun of. We are being murdered, being fired. We are all as unnecessary now as Gauri Lankesh.”
In terms of acting, Joydeep Ahlawat has drawn all the light of this series towards himself. Seeing his Hathiram Chowdhury character, many may remember Sartaj Singh. But Joydeep may be a little more successful through Hatiram than Saif Ali Khan has been able to get a place in the audience through ‘Sacred Games.’
Undoubtedly one of the reasons is that there is no villain like Ganesh Gaitond in this series. However, it should not be forgotten that Joydeep has completely become a hathirama during the nine episodes and has destroyed himself. Every dialogue on Joydeep’s face, every expression (especially the scene of the slapping on the hand of the notable wife), and the overall body language will make you feel one with the Hathiram of the screen.
In 2012, Joydeep won the admiration of the audience and critics for his outstanding performance in the film ‘Gangs of Wasipur.’ But that picture did not give him long-lasting stardom. So far, people have forgotten about him. But after ‘Underworld,’ you may not forget. However, there is hope that in the viewers’ minds, he will not only be Hathiram, but in the future, he will get the right role and hit sixes again after sixes, as has been seen lately, Nina Gupta, known as ‘Badhai Ho.’
Meanwhile, Neeraj Kabi, a well-known face in the web world, has played the role of Sanjeev Mehra. The audience knows him better than Joydeep. Even so, owning one is still beyond the reach of the average person, and the restraint and moderation that he has shown in acting without being overwhelmed by emotions is a testament to how good he really is as an actor. Instead of drawing all the light on himself, his proper support has made the series even more interesting.
Niharika Lira Dutt (Sarah Mathews) and Ishq Singh (Imran Ansari) have also played two more important roles. On the one hand, Sara is an aspiring journalist, but she is reluctant to sell her soul. Meritorious Imran, on the other hand, is preparing for IPS. He too has big dreams about life, but being a Muslim, he has to be humiliated again and again in society. Both characters were very significant in the overall context of the series, and both actors made the two characters realistic.
Abhishek Banerjee (Vishal Tyagi), Jagjit Sandhu (Top Singh Chaku), Asif Khan (Kabir M) and Ronaldo Singh (Sugar) are also among the four accused. Abhishek, in particular, shook the audience with his frightening gaze. Not to be outdone is Swastika Mukherjee, a popular Tollywood actress. As Dolly Mehra, Sanjeev Mehra’s wife, he portrays a lonely and anxious character fairly well. Although his character seemed unnecessary at first, he had an indirect role in one of the main turning points of the story.
The fancy story great acting, great construction, a series of ‘underworld people’ which is not without seeing. Earlier, all the series like ‘Brid,’ ‘Mirzapur,’ ‘The Family Man,’ ‘Inside Edge,’ ‘Made in Heaven,’ ‘Afsos,’ ‘Panchayat’ were released on Prime Video. In that continuity, ‘Patal Lok’ was added as the new feather in the crown of their uniqueness.
But you have to decide whether it is really better than ‘Sacred Games‘ or not. And that’s why you have to watch the series without delay.