The Whistleblower review: Ritwik Bhowmik's series is the journey you should embark on

4/5

Did you ever dream of becoming a doctor but couldn't because you weren't talented enough? The Whistleblower explores how such students, who had the money and power, became doctors without even studying for their exams. Which side is Dr. Sanket (Ritwik Bhowmik) on as he becomes a part of the journey?

The Whistleblower is a journey. It is not your usual OTT drama and it does not make you laugh. Despite all of that, The Whistleblower ensures you get as much realism from the series as possible. Here, it is the real-life situations that take you through various emotions. Some moments in the show could even affect you as a person.

The first scene of the series does promise something impactful. Ritwik, as in most of his roles, is a natural actor. After the first scene, you know that the show is as unabashed as they come.

The story develops the story, and that is not a bad thing when it comes to The Whistleblower. We are introduced to the time when it all began-when Sanket (Ritwik) lived a carefree life. The concept is pretty interesting and, at the same time, can be a lesson for people too.

Sachin Khedekar as Sanket's father, also a doctor, is adorable and naive, like in many roles he has played in the past. He is equally determined, which is also something we have seen in his previous characters. He ends up becoming one of the most loved characters in the show. However, that too isn't a surprise since he leans towards playing loving characters, and we don't have any complaints about that.

The series tends to go stereotypical by introducing an Azhar in the fixing scheme. 

Ravi Kishan's entry is a little charismatic. It is quite astonishing how he tells people the whole truth and yet they believe he is joking. His character is quite close to Ravi's intriguing personality in real life. Thus, he breathes life into the character from the very first episode itself. Of course, Ravi's entertainment factor is intact too.

Ritwik and Ravi's first meeting is one of the high points of the show. It is a moment that takes place in the first episode itself, making the series an interesting watch.

The next series introduces Dadda, aka Ravi. It gets deeper into how far the scam runs. The extent to which a person protecting the law goes will shake you from the core.

The show will remind you of Scam: 1992 in some places. This is especially true when it comes to the background music. There is a raid sequence, which is also quite similar to the 2020 show.

Sonali Kulkarni is seen in the role of a journalist. She comes on nearly midway through the show. However, Ashish Verma as the journalist, Anup, is more impactful. He is determined to find the truth, and his style fits in well. She comes in cameo appearances and is impactful only towards the end of the series. Her expressions speak louder than her dialogue.

The language of the series is the most impactful. It is not decent, but impactful nonetheless. The dialogues and language build each character's story. The attitude each character throws is full of swag and entertaining.

A scene where a loser friend passes the exam and the hard-working student fails is hard-hitting. 

Based in Bhopal, the scam appears to be closely inspired by the Vyapam scam. However, director Manoj Pillai denied the same to OTTplay. Nonetheless, the coincidences are a little too much. Here, we have RPM, while there it was VyaPaM.

Dr. Sanket's life turns around before he can even blink. On the other hand, Dadda's charm slowly fades as the series progresses. While he takes a back seat for a long time, Dadda does bounce back, even when Dr. Sanket is finally on track.

Whether in anger or recklessness, Ritwik sinks his teeth into Dr. Sanket. The thrill sets in mid-way through the series. Manoj Pillai has handled that aspect well in the show. He has also shown frustration pretty well.

The first scene comes together quite well. Soon after, you get to know that the web series is set in a ruthless world. There is no time to mourn a death or even care about it. That is when you know that shit just got serious, as much as Dr. Sanket realizes that.

One thing that confuses me is how is there a body when the person was burnt to ashes? Nothing left of the person makes the scene pretty impactful, but this time around, the scene just appears dramatized.

There is one thing this series gets right. It goes in a good flow that almost never breaks. Except for one or two here and there, every scene fits well with the others. Very rarely do you feel like taking your eyes off the series. That is how intriguing The Whistleblower really is.

A scene goes on in a dual conversation. While the characters interact, the TV plays at the same moment and gives a reply to the answers. The scene that follows is sure to leave you with a smirk on your face.

The series also deals with a mysterious death and the investigation around it. That aspect brings you closer to and more intrigued by the show. With that, you set out on a journey with Dr. Sanket. As the series progresses, you get to know about The Whistleblower, and it is not who you expected it to be.

Dr. Sanket's transformation into a man with morals is in itself a journey you deserve to embark on. How he turns the situation around is notably in the show's favour.

The series blurs the lines between class and mass consumption. Staying as raw as possible, The Whistleblower is equally classy. Thus, the series automatically becomes a must-watch.

Barring a scene or two, The Whistleblower is never a disappointment. Every actor sinks his or her teeth into the role. Some characters, like Ritwik Bhowmik's Dr. Sanket, are someone to look out for. From literally just another boy in town to manning up to face his reality, the character grows and you embark on that journey with him. There isn't a moment that you regret seeing how the character goes about his business. The story also doesn't particularly hinder since director Manoj Pillai has blended all aspects into the flow of the story, unlike other web series. Go watch The Whistleblower. It might just become the next big thing!