Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre : Drama
Year : 2022
Seasons: 1 Episodes: 8
Director : Sidharth Sengupta
Cast : Tahir Raj Bhasin, Shweta Tripathi, Aanchal Singh, Saurabh Shukla
Kid rating : PG-17
Honestly, I hadn’t expected much from Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein, but this turned out to be surprisingly good! A little gory and violent and unexpectedly intense, but in a good way.
Fresh graduate Vikrant Singh Chauhan (Bhasin) has plans for the future. These involve girlfriend Shikha (Shweta Tripathi) and moving out from the small town of Onkara where his parents live. Vikrant’s father (Brijendra Kala) works for Akhiraj Awasthi (Saurabh Shukla) the local powerful politician of Onkara, and tries to persuade Vikrant to also come work there, especially when Akhiraj offers Vikrant a well-paying job. Akhiraj’s daughter Purva (Singh) has a crush on Vikrant and is determined to marry him. Vikrant is adamant on escaping the violent fiefdom though, but when subtle pressure is applied by Akhiraj and his goons (to ensure Purwa’s happiness), Vikrant decides to play it smart, and bide his time.
Season 1 of Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhein has bright-eyed and bushy-tailed Vikrant slowly come to terms with Akhiraj Singh’s violent ways and the real threat he poses to Vikrant’s family and girlfriend. His rosy dreams crushed, Vikrant needs to find a way out of this thorny predicament. His parents are shown as undoubting supporters of Akhiraj, attributing all their happiness to him, and consider Vikrant a fool for daring to refuse Akhiraj’s generous offer, especially when that offer includes becoming Purva’s husband and future heir to all of Akhiraj’s wealth and power.
The series reminds me of the Urmila Matondkar starrer Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya. Purva here mirrors Urmila’s character in that movie – the canny, obsessive female wanting her man at any cost. The series does a great job keeping us engrossed. It moves fast, and unpredictably, and we go from what we think is a tepid small-town tale to an intense drama where conversations are sprinkled with casual references of severed limbs and murder.
Tahir Raj Bhasin, while not the most charismatic of actors does well here. Aanchal Singh as the off-kilter Purva Awasthi is marvelous, changing colors chameleon-like, mellow and soft-spoken one moment, and clever and calculating the next. Shweta Tripathi is in yet another small-town, well-educated girl role (remember Mirzapur and Laakhon Mein Ek?) But she delivers the goods. The fantastic Sarah Shukla, Brijendra Kala and Surya Sharma (as the menacing Dharmesh) round off the great cast.
While a great watch, Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhein could have used a little more thought into the development of relationships as in – Vikrant and Shikha’s bond. Also it wan’t quite clear to me why Vikrant’s parents regarded Akhiraj with such unadulterated adoration and couldn’t see his menace. The hero himself could have used some logical thinking and strategy.
Regardless, this is a well-made entertainer. Do watch!
Kidwise: Violence and foul language.
