Commando series review: Not Prem but Adah Sharma is the action hero to look out for

3/5

Story:

Pakistan wants to destroy India through science. RAW is now in charge and at war with the neighbouring country’s force. Who will win?

Review:

Commando, as a franchise, is synonymous with Vidyut Jammwal. The actor made his presence known with the three-installment films. Thus, when he went missing from the series, it was an interesting development.

Set in the outskirts of Sahiwal in Pakistan, the danger grows in the scientific world this time around. However, that lasts for just the first episode. Soon after, the ground shifts to physical war.

Amit Sial and Vaibhav Tatwawadi get introduced to the series instantly. While the former takes the limelight, there's a mystery around Vaibhav's character, Kshitij. The thrill of series, much like you would expect, begins with him.

In the role of Jaffer, Amit is the mastermind in what is similar to COVID-19. His scare is built but not to the level of sending shivers down your spine. That does not happen till the very end of the series.

The danger of science is shown well in the first episode itself. It is dramatized in just the right amount, to give you an idea of the horror it is capable of. It is the one scene from the first episode that leaves you scarred.

Prem, in the role of Virat, has the commercial entry but he is no Vidyut. The actor has a re-entry on tunes of 'Action' which is again, nothing more than a commercial aspect. The actor does not fit into the role of a commando. He fails to be more than average looks and does not create fear like Vidyut either. This one does not dance with his action and is more robotic. He sure is inspired from Vidyut but has a long way to go. Apart from Vidyut, he also takes inspiration from Salman Khan but the problem is that the two actors have a vastly different identity, which the viewers are not unversed with. Thus, Prem brings nothing new to the table, especially not in the action genre.

The missing flow of action is compensated by upping the gory quotient. There is a literal jaw drop on the show.

Adah Sharma makes her entry in the second episode as Bhavna. She, unfortunately, is stuck in her The Kerala Story accent. Her action, thankfully, makes up for what Prem is missing.

The actress only improves to be her best in the series. Her action includes using a telephone too. She is extremely impressive in the scene.

Shreya Chaudhry and Manini Chadha have little role as the lovers of our male leads. Nonetheless, they leave an impression on you. One out of them also has a surprise which will be revealed only towards the end of the show.

Mukesh Chhabra, in the role of Abbas, is good enough. The casting director-turned-actor has action this time around and which it’s not flawless, it definitely is better than what you would have expected.

Ishtiyak Khan as Sagar is the cutest character in the series. Actions speak louder than words hold true for both his character as well as the actor.

Shaji Choudhary in the role of Faheem is what he does best – look like a baddie. He could just stand in a frame and Shaji would manage to leave you in suspense.

Tigmanshu Dhulia in the role of Major Bakshi has little screen space. He does a good job in whatever limited role is given to him.

While Commando was about action over romance, this one is the exact opposite. It is a love story with emotions attached to them. The best part about Commando was in the unspoken romance but here, it is very much in-your-face. There’s nearly a whole episode dedicated to talking about the romance between two leads. This was not the flavour of Commando the film and even if you consider it a new flavour, it’s not as enticing.

The moments in the mission executed by the RAW agents are handled well. The thrilling music helps with that to a great extent. No guesses, the story does not end with them but rather, begins with one of them. The cliffhanger scene at the end comes as a surprise and promises a lot more delicate situations in the next season of the show.

Verdict:

Most of Commando fans love the franchise because of Vidyut Jammwal and you will miss him immensely in the series. Prem tries his best with the show but has a long way to go. Meanwhile, Adah Sharma gives you the homely vibe of the film and also brings her good fighting skills to the table. Although you do feel like she’s stuck in The Kerala Story era, there are moments where she’s impressive.

Commando, as a series, is an experiment that has not provided the desired results. You might want to skip it this time and hope that the second season brings a lot better to the table.