London Files review: Arjun Rampal holds the web series that develops at a slow pace

3/5

Story:

Detective Om Singh (Arjun Rampal) gets the case of finding Amar Roy (Purab Kohli)'s daughter. Many mysteries, even related to his own life, unfolds as he delves deeper into the case.

Review:

If you are going to go and watch London Files because it sounds like The Kashmir Files, let me tell you, this is not a story about an incident that took place in London. It is a fictional story inspired from real events (revolving around the anti-immigration bill). There are many aspects to the story. From it being a murder mystery to being the political thriller, London Files has something new to offer each time and sometimes, all at once.

Sapna Pabbi is introduced to the series almost instantly. She is seen as a character who knows nothing ahead of work. The actress has a cameo appearance in the show but doesn't disappoint.

Soon, we meet Arjun Rampal's detective Om Singh too. He is dashing from the first frame. Arjun also acts where it is required of him. I love his mirror scene the most, considering it comes at a point where he has faced something drastic in his life. This is almost like his Taxi Driver or Sultan moment. However, it is more intense since Om brings that in his real life too, which can get creepy at times too. Thanks to that effect though, his genuine smile actually becomes more impactful.

The story develops too slowly and you wonder where is London Files going. You simply cannot connect the dots for a long time here and are even left confused as to why Britishers losing their job to immigrants becomes a matter of concern. Once the story does take off (after the first half of episode one), it does pique your interest.

Purab Kohli as Roy gels with the story almost instantly. Of course he comes from a different world so you see that difference but from the minute he is in the series, you feel like he always belonged there. His vibe with Arjun is intact from the word go. For the uninitiated, they had collaborated for Rock On!! installments previously.

By episode two, you are quite invested in the story and wish to know what exactly happened with Om that his life turned out the way it did. The story is explored in a very bizarre manner but things do become clearer if you just have some patience with this show.

The plotline solely revolves around Arjun and at times, Purab. While as someone who screams women empowerment, I do feel the absence of a woman in the story but Arjun does manage to hold the story together for quite a long period of time.

The story takes a turn but that isn't unexpected given that there are always two sides to a story. Which side will be real, is what London Files aims to explore.

When I talk about the music of the show, the timing for some scenes are a little off. It takes building up a scene to then play the music but here, it comes almost as the scene unfolds which almost diverts your attention from the scene(s).

It is absolutely exhausting to see web series constantly take inspiration from Sacred Games 2. After Abhay 3, now London Files has that angle too and unfortunately, the show hasn't been able to completely justify why was that needed.

Arjun Rampal often takes up psychological roles and this one is no different. Like we mentioned, he is good as an actor but the execution really pulls down what the series wants to convey. Although you see his psychological aspects for a long time, it is also fun to watch him in action.

A self-proclaimed fallen hero, Om is one character everyone will relate to but never want to be in real life. This is a character without any quirks and so, it can get a little heavy at times but if you bear with it, Arjun and Om both do not disappoint.

The last episode of London Files, though, really helps the series because of the never-ending chaos. However, it takes too long for the story to reach that stage. Nonetheless, that is one episode you do not wish to miss.

Arjun has a monologue in the movie after which things change. That scene captures you and when you snap back, the world in which this series is set doesn't appeal to you as much because you are simply lost in the world Arjun has created.

Verdict:

London Files is intriguing in bits and parts. It is more like writing an exam, where you give a good intro and a great conclusion but mediocrity in the middle.

Arjun holds the series and he does a fair job at it. Purab is seen in an extended cameo and he also does a good job or what was required of him. The series actually has nothing more to offer than these two actors and their story but we can probably expect more from the upcoming seasons.

Director Sachin Pathak does work well at the story execution level for many bits. He takes some Hollywood examples that have become iconic and brings them in his series. While the concept in itself is mediocre, he has done as good a job as possible in executing that.