The Great Indian Murder review: Tigmanshu Dhulia’s vision in this Pratik Gandhi-Richa Chadha starrer hits the bullseye

3.5/5

Story:

The Great Indian Murder, which is based on the novel named Six Suspects, is about a high-class murder case that shakes the police department and the state government of the country.

Review:

A great suspense thriller is one full of intriguing scenes that keeps our attention unwavered towards the very end. In a series, cliffhangers at the end of each episode are another plus point that makes us want to continue watching. The Great Indian Murder, Tigmanshu Dhulia-directed show on Disney+ Hotstar, fits the above criteria.

Whether it’s a film or a show, Dhulia’s work is something that a movie buff waits to watch. The filmmaker completes three decades in the industry this year and his outstanding vision in all his ventures is clearly due to his experience.

The Great Indian Murder is based on Vikas Swarup's bestselling novel Six Suspects. The story explores the world of a powerful antihero, who dies and leaves a huge list of suspects behind. Like most of Dhulia’s work, this series also takes time to build on the story. While the first episode is a superbly fantastic watch, a few episodes in the middle go slower, a strategy usually used to construct a great thriller.

Besides Pratik Gandhi and Richa Chadha, The Great Indian Murder features a giant list of acclaimed actors. Actors like Ashutosh Rana, Raghuvir Yadav, Sharib Hashmi, Shashank Arora, Amey Wagh, Jatin Goswami can be seen portraying the most significant characters quite aptly. Having a large star cast could have been a huge mess with an inexperienced filmmaker, but Dhulia manages to give every actor their due.

For those catching up on Gandhi’s new show after fawning over his performance in Scam 1992, they might be disappointed to find that his screen time is quite limited. His entry into the show as a CBI officer will definitely bring a sparkle in the audiences’ eyes. Dhulia also appears on screen, briefly for about two seconds, as a Thalaivar fan from down south. His blink-and-miss cameo is something we’ve never seen before.

Some of the other notable things that make The Great Indian Murder a good watch is the rawness of the dialogue. The show explores the eastern part of India, presenting the language, festivals and culture without much glamorisation.

One of the most important things in the series is the research of the crew about each place where the show takes place and events that it displays. Dhulia hasn’t only explored the lesser-known towns of India but also the outside of India that hasn’t been explored with such precision and information.

The political angle is another key aspect of the series. How the high-class murder of a miscreant can shake the government of a state is a topic that is applaud worthy take by the writer. Additionally, the aesthetics, locations and a giant list of great performances showcase the huge production value, thanks to producers Ajay Devgn and Priti Vinay Sinha.

The only thing that might make the audience thankful for the fast forward button during watching the show is a million angles that have been taken to explore a few major incidents. Though it is also an important aspect, this particular element shows how the story covers all angles, all suspects but it could have been made shorter.

Verdict:

Having said all the above, The Great Indian Murder is still something that you could invest your time in And spoiler alert! You certainly don’t want to miss the major cliffhanger at the end of the show that might leave you craving for closure.