Shaitan on Hotstar: Mahi V Raghav promises graphic depiction of violence

Disney+Hotstar on Monday released the trailer for its upcoming Telugu series Shaitan. As the title suggests, this series follows a ruthless gang that's on a killing spree. Written and directed by Mahi V Raghav, Shaitan generated a lot of curiosity among the fans of the web series with its posters. 

The character-look posters that were released earlier promised to push the boundaries of violence portrayal on the small screen. And the trailer further cemented that feeling. "Society calls me a criminal but I'm a victim," says Baali, played by Rishi. One moment he's cutting people with his razor blade, the next he expresses moments of vulnerability. It seems that while the show focuses on the darkest corners of the underbelly of our civilization, it purposefully avoids portraying individuals as mere criminals, steering clear of demonization. 

Shaitan on OTT: This Disney+Hotstar Telugu web series inspired by this Kannada film series?

Shaitan seems to have a graphic depiction of violence and sexual content, showcasing women characters engaging in seduction and mercilessly slaughtering their victims. And there are also glimpses of sexual violence being committed against women. The violence against women could be one of the themes of the series as they have the power to turn ordinary people into vengeful beings. 

The unapologetic portrayal of violence in the trailer is unmissable. We see characters nonchalantly depicting the heads of their victims and displaying them on a spike presumably to send a message to their enemies. And it sets the stage for the police to employ their lethal forces to keep the gang in check, further leading to the body count piling up.

Shaitan echoes a lot of influences of the Kannada film series, Dandupalya. Even though the filmmakers have not commented on it, the way the series stages sexual violence and crimes has a lot of similarities with the popular Kannada movie franchise. 

Shaitan stars Rishi, Shelly, Ravi Kale, Deviyani, Jaffer Sadiq and Lenaa among others. The show will start streaming on Disney+Hotstar starting June 15.