Bambai Meri Jaan Review: This gangster drama chronicles the life of gangster Dara Kadri through the eyes of his father
Bambai Meri Jaan Web Series Rating: 2.5 Stars
Just watched Bambai Meri Jaan Web Series on Prime Video. So, let’s analyze the cast, release date, story, positive/negatives and at last my personal view on this web series.
Cast: Kay Kay Menon, Avinash Tiwary, Kritika Kamra, Nivedita Bhattacharya and Amyra Dastur
Director: Shujaat Saudagar
Release Date: 14th September 2023 on Prime Video
Duration: 10 Episodes/ 40 Minutes
Story: This series is inspired from S. Hussain Zaidi’s Dongri to Dubai: Six Decades of the Mumbai Mafia. Set against the backdrop of post-independence India, a time when Mumbai was still known as Bombay, and the underworld held sway as it enters the ring of gritty crime dramas that have explored this period in the city’s history.
The show delves deep into the criminal activities that engulfed Mumbai, including the birth of D Company, a notorious organized crime syndicate led by Dawood Ibrahim. What sets this series apart is its intimate exploration of the Kadri family’s struggles. Ismail Kadri (Kay Kay Menon) is an honest cop and is unwavering in his determination to cleanse Mumbai of its criminal elements, even if it means putting his family in harm’s way.
In contrast, his son Dara Kadri (Avinash Tiwary) is dreaming of becoming the undisputed king of Bambai alongside his siblings Saadiq (Jitin Gulati), Ajju (Lakshya Kochhar), and sister Habiba (Kritika Kamra). Black money kingpin Suleman Haji (Saurabh Sachdeva) is a migrant from Hyderabad and his formidable partner Azim Pathan (Nawab Shah) is hailing from Afghanistan. They join forces with Anna (Dinesh Prabhakar) to expand their illegal empire, plunging Mumbai into deeper criminality.
In response, the Pathan Squad, led by Ismail Kadri and fellow officers Younis (Rohit Kokate) and Ahmed (Tauqeer Alam) is formed to combat the growing menace. Their mission is to expose Haji and Pathan’s smuggling business. Haji tries his best to outsmart Ismail. But Ismail, through his network of informers, manages to put a dent in his business.
A golden opportunity falls in Haji’s lap when Ismail’s brother-in-law Rahim (Alok Pandey) who is a drug addict joins Haji’s gang after Ismail refuses to give him money for drugs. One day, the cops chase Rahim while he is transporting Haji’s illegal goods. By mistake Rahim kills Ahmed and lands at Ismail’s house. Without mentioning Ahmed’s murder, he begs Ismail to help him from the police. Ismail refuses but he relents when his wife Sakina (Nivedita Bhattacharya) requests him.
Ismail drops Rahim to the station and asks him to leave the city. He then learns of Ahmed’s murder and a perception is built that he helped Rahim escape. He is expelled from the police force. No one is ready to employ him out of Haji’s fear. He then has no choice but to work for Haji. Around 15 years later, his middle son Dara Kadri emerges as a local goon and just like his father, also troubles Haji. Haji offers to work with him. Only this time, Dara doesn’t remain a faithful servant to Haji. Instead, he becomes bigger than Haji, Pathan and any other crime lord the city had ever seen. What happens next forms the rest of the series.
Positives
1. Excellent Performances
2. Cinematography
3. Direction
4. Background Music
Negatives
1. Length
2. Uneven Screenplay
3. Climax
5. Story
Durgesh Tiwary’s View: When I watched the trailer of this web-series, planned to watch this series in my free time as trailer looks gripping and likes gangster drama.
Revisit the period from the 1940s to 1980s in Mumbai underworld when smuggling was the most heinous crime and Haji and Pathan were the mafioso king. The series presents the rise and reign of Dara Kadri, who is torn between his father’s law enforcement legacy and his desire to become ‘Bambai ka Baadshah’.
Bambai Meri Jaan rustles up a cocktail of organized crime, violence and vengeance and delivers it in a manner that focuses as much on the bloody gang wars on the streets and dockyards of Bambai as it does on the emotional dynamics that are at work in the life of a boy determined to change his and his family’s fortunes. It excels in weaving an enthralling narrative that keeps viewers glued to their seats, even though the outcome is somewhat predictable. Director Shujaat Saudagar’s decision to focus on the emotional journeys of the characters instead of relying solely on violence adds depth to the storytelling. It boasts a compelling story, crisp and contemporary dialogues, a meticulously designed period setting, a captivating musical score and riveting performances from the ensemble cast. Kay Kay Menon delivers a standout performance as an honest cop and a desperate father, showcasing his remarkable acting range. All of the cast members leave a lasting impact.
On the flipside, the series is ten-hour-long episodes may test the patience of some viewers as a bit more editing could have made it a more binge-worthy experience. I think we have seen this Don story so many times that there is nothing new to get you excited in this one. You will hardly be able to stay glued to your screens because of how spread apart the episodes are. There are so many superfluous sequences that the show might have been condensed into six episodes. The show doesn’t offer anything unique or different from other underworld stories we have watched earlier. The writers try to add twists in a way that catches viewers unaware but the end goal in these scenes is what the viewers can see from a mile away.
Overall, series offers both substance and soul as it delves into a slice of Mumbai’s gritty reality. If you’re a fan of intense crime dramas, this series is a must-watch, promising a captivating journey through the intriguing world of the Mumbai underworld during a transformative era. It is a gripping underworld saga and is laced with a simplistic and captivating narrative, well-fleshed-out characters and terrific performances. But it suffers a bit due to the long length and beaten-to-death storyline. My view on this web-series is Time Pass.
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