SERIES REVIEW: UNDEKHI (UNदेखी) [Season 3]

Published by: SUYASH PACHAURI

SPECIFIC

After seeing UNDEKHI (UNदेखी) Season 3…I would like to say something about previous seasons…I saw the first and second season last year where the head of the family ended up killing the dancing girl, and her sister wanted to fight back to take her revenge. However, she doesn’t get that, and the people who came to shoot the wedding also get trapped in the murder scene. In the second season, the sister of the dead dancing girl is finding her ways to take revenge again but fate has something else written in her life. Overall, all the 3 series turn from one scene to another but in the second season, it gained momentum after the fifth episode.

It could have been made better with the kind of stellar cast they chose for the series but I guess their budget was limited. It is so socially venomous. This is a thriller, no doubt, but one with a nefarious political agenda, which can become all too obvious towards the end of the 3rd Season. 

The serial seems to justify all the inhuman atrocities committed by a crime family, headed by an eccentric father who enjoys murdering Dalit dancers as part of his sons' marriage ceremonies and a son who is obsessed with his To save the 'honour' of the family, he commits genocide without fear.

Despite some brilliant acting and characterization, one feels completely let down by the end when it becomes clear that the serial's 'undiscovered' mission is a shameless justification of the upper class lifestyle which is exploited by the lower classes, police officers. Is bought through organized violence against. And their families local surroundings. Throughout the series, a group of mindless killers – Papaji, Rinku and Lucky – are glorified and presented with so much sympathy and love, it is socially very toxic. There's no doubt that it's a thriller, but it has a nefarious political agenda, which may become quite apparent by the end of the second season…and this is the point where the innocent viewer feels completely exhausted and cheated. While their helpless victims are easily dismissed as expendable.

GLIMPSE OF SCENES

Their revenge turns out to be ridiculous as the Atwal family wins all the fights…and this bold endorsement of brutal injustice by the upper classes is presented with the help of a justification matrix that is quite UNDEKHI (UNदेखी), The title is absolutely appropriate. As someone commented in one of the previous reviews posted here, this serial might have been made by a member of the Atwal family.

Director Ashish Shukla shows the story of UNDEKHI (UNदेखी) with great dispassion. There is a very "poignant" scene, when a policeman from Ghosh's team is killed. There is a lot of conspiracy surrounding his death. The next moment, drums are being played at the gate of Atwal's house and dholi sings "some traditional punjabi song" There is no funnier moment than this in all three seasons. And there is no bigger irony than this. There is no bigger tragedy than this.

The third season begins with Rinku (Surya Sharma), who is looking for Samarth (Nandish Singh Sandhu) to take revenge and restart his illegal drug business. Amidst all this, the video of Papaji (Harsh Chhaya) who murdered the dancer in the wedding party has become public. This is the only evidence, after which the case has been reopened. DCP Ghosh (Dibyendu Bhattacharya) gets new hope from this. He wants justice for the dead girl and wants to eliminate this Atwal family.

But when all the evidence is coming to light, will Rinku be able to save her father? He cannot trust anyone, because everyone has their own interests. Papaji's son Daman (Ankur Rathi) and daughter-in-law Teji (Aanchal Ji Singh) are looking for an investor for the resort. Both want to shift abroad for a better life. Meanwhile, Teji's friend Saloni (Ann Zoya) from the videography team, who is the only surviving witness, also wants revenge. But will she succeed? To answer these and many such questions, you will have to watch this eight-episode series.

While the director of some new characters, Ashish Shukla has turned it into a captivating drama. The character of Rajeev Malhotra (Varun Badola) wants to expand illegal business in Manali. But this also brings new challenges. Deepika (Shruti Menon) is Rajeev's right hand. She is his manager and is very cruel. While watching the series, sometimes it becomes difficult to keep track of its characters, their situations and their selfishness. Investigating a murder case always takes time, due to which after a while it seems that justice is not going to be done. However, the natural beauty of Manali makes this crime thriller beautiful.

Harsh Chhaya has won hearts as the extremely rude and drunkard Papaji in UNDEKHI (UNदेखी). He is the life of the series. Although his actions are repetitive, he still shines in every scene with his attitude. Surya Sharma is in the role of Rinku and he looks impressive. This time the audience will also see his emotional side, especially when he is with his wife Muskaan (Shivangi Singh).

Dibyendu Bhattacharya has given a good performance as the hard-working officer trying to close the case. Satinder (Rahul Bagga) and Raashi (Lavina Tandon) also provide excellent support as the other investigating officers in Ghosh's team. Varun Badola's strong performance makes this crime thriller interesting. The director has unnecessarily used Ankur Rathi and Aanchal Singh in the roles of Daman and Teji.

While watching the series, one realizes that some characters could have got a little less screen time. However, the story and especially Papaji's mysterious past keeps you glued to the screen.

In this moment, the director fills the mind of the audience with disgust by portraying influential people, goons, criminals and devils. That too while laughing. This is the brilliance of UNDEKHI (UNदेखी). But then there comes an occasion in episode 7 when Rinku, Teji, DSP Ghosh are all together fighting someone and a very heroic background score plays. With this background score, it seems that the distinction between good and bad has ended for the makers. This is just a glamorized stunt scene. There is an action sequence.

Whereas Ghosh and Rinku, who are the ultimate enemies, are standing behind a wall and have run out of bullets. Both become a team here. Good and bad are two sides of the same coin, there is duality, perhaps this thought was in the mind of the maker. He does not judge Rinku and Ghosh as good or bad. Then what is the meaning of the whole story? Meaning all that remains is to chill. Forsaking seriousness. This is just an anecdote, a story, and entertainment. What do we see in UNDEKHI (UNदेखी) Season 3? First of all, the legacy characters of this series are shown. What are they doing? Harsh Chhaya's character of Mr. Atwal Papaji is equally consistent in meanness the opening scene he insists on scotch. If it is not given, he becomes naked in front (Nurse) of the women of the house during 1st episode of season 3.

Undoubtedly, this is the best performance of Harsh Chhaya's life. We are able to see amazing shades of joy in Papaji's psyche, through his panic-filled emotions and sobbing. Certainly, they are able to maintain the black/darkness of this series firmly even in the third season. No one will notice, but the uncomfortable posture that he is doing take after take throughout the series - the bent waist, the spine bent like a bow, the body sinking inward, the bent neck, the constantly drawn clown like smile, the constantly drawn forehead creases doing physical labor with posture, it must have been very painful.

This time in 'UNDEKHI (UNदेखी)' the attitude is more than before. The Atwal family wants revenge. The story delves deeper into this, especially as Papaji's chaos uncovers many new and buried secrets. Such deep secrets of the Atwal family are hidden in Manali, which has worked to hide the empire of crime. Like its previous season, UNDEKHI (UNदेखी) also sees the characters playing bloody games to fulfill their selfish desires.

Verdict 

This series UNDEKHI (UNदेखी) deserves to watch at least once which keeps you enthralled from first to last episode. Stupendous and top notch acting by key characters like Harsh Chhaya, He is really a brilliant actor and the other performance by Dibyendu Bhattacharya...hope this underrated actor gets his due and is opposite character finally the - Surya Sharma as...he is the back bone of the series!!! of all the seasons including this one too We will eagerly hear about him much more in the coming years.

I will not give the ratings to this series (specially webseries) as i always feel to appreciate there hard work by the entire team, crew members, actors and producers…and this is my own perspective I usuallly not giving ratings web-series*

Published by: SUYASH PACHAURI