Digital Review: ‘The Raikar Case’
With online streaming having become the main source of viewing entertainment of late, it seems film and TV makers are using every opportunity they can to make interesting and gripping stories without the worry of constant restrictions. One of the newest Indian web-series about to grace the online streaming world is Aditya Sarpotdar’s ‘The Raikar Case’ which is set to begin streaming on Voot Select on 9th April. With its first season consisting of seven episodes, the story revolves around family, politics, money and crime; where every episode gives its viewer more to be hooked on to as it goes on. The initial trailer has looked promising, however, with many series dramas of this kind, one may wonder if this will be just another thriller story where audiences will be able to predict what will happen and how it happened, or will Sarpotdar give his audience something to look forward to at the end of every episode and at the end of the season?
Standing at the edge of a cliff, Tarun Naik Raikar (Honey Kamboj) is distressed, and very distraught at cousin Etasha (Parul Gulati) who has failed to pick up his calls. As she pleads with him to step away from the cliff and come towards her to safety, Tarun keeps inching towards the edge, until he turns around and falls to his death. With this being the third death in the family in four years since Tarun’s father and sister passed away, the Naik Raikar family are doing all they can to hold it together. However, their whole situation is made worse by the arrival of SP John Pereira (Neil Bhoopalam) who pronounces Tarun’s death as a murder rather than a suicide, and the suspect is a member of the family. As the series unfolds, each episode reveals more about the family than anyone could anticipate.
An ensemble star cast is always rather tricky to get right, where each performer is as good as their co-star. However, Sarpotdar has done a brilliant job in selecting actors who are extremely good at their craft. Atul Kulkarni’s reputation for being a good watch is only enhanced with his role as the head of the family. Playing up to each element of his character perfectly, Kulkarni doesn’t disappoint his viewers in any way. Playing his wife Sakshi, Ashvini Bave is also another wonder to watch. In her role as the protector of her husband’s family, she is fierce and is able to express her character’s power in the most interesting way. The same can also be said about Bhoopalam, who has the audience on his side from the beginning. As he discovers more and more about the family, the viewer feels a part of his team in trying to find out the truth. Kamboj is someone who one becomes more interested as the story unfolds. He adapts his acting style to each situation and he is very convincing as a boy who had a lot to deal with, where story reveals that he is the key to more information than just his own death. Gulati is placed as the innocent daughter, whose faith in her own family seems to be shattering. She almost plays her character as though she is a part of the audience which works wonderfully in moving the story along. Other brilliant performances also come from Lalit Prabhakar, Kunal Karan Kapoor, Prakash Ramchandni and Vaishnavi Kadam who all display their characters as the ones to be wary of. Throughout the series, they never fail to leave the audience’s minds, even when not being on screen. The shudder and adrenaline that comes from watching a shaded character are piercing in each of their performances, making this series all the more exciting to watch.
If there is a series that will keep you at the edge of your seats, this is the one to watch. With a stellar star cast in tow, Sarpotdar has done an excellent job in making a gripping and captivating story. Using simple cliff-hangers and dedicating each episode to a different character works very successfully for the plot unravel. With each episode ending on a cliffhanger, Sarpotdar ensures his audience will definitely be clicking to watch the next episode straight after. By directing this series in a simple way, he has let his actors be the true storytellers. It’s fast-paced and he has kept the episodes short which makes it all the more easier to engage with, where one will be all the more eager to want a second season to soon follow.
‘The Raikar Case’ is not a light-hearted series, and does deserve the attention and interest of someone who wants to watch a brilliant story. Some may find parts of the series slightly predictable and there will be many who look for complicated and twisted dramas who could find this too quick. However being its first season, it is definitely worth a watch and is perfect for a binge-watch. The performances are outstanding and each episode has plenty of nail-biting moments, which are the perfect combination for an exciting series. The show is produced by Bodhi Tree Multimedia.
