Media Magick

OTT platforms have released a few remarkable web series that display a different array of stories, plots, and topics, Grahan is one amongst such. The story is set up in recent times but it takes its viewers and characters back to 1984 when India experienced a Sikh Riots. People say that things change with time for good; but do they? People get mature and sane as they grow mature, does that happen? Grahan sheds light on these aspects besides exploring human nature and fine elements associated with a budding romance, father/daughter relationship, and political conspiracies. Grahan is written and directed by Ranjan Chandel who earlier made two quite talked about ventures Bamfaad and Juice (writer).

Trailer: Grahan

The story of Grahan is about an IPS officer Amrita Singh (Zoya Hussain) who is made the head of an SIT team to investigate the butchery behind the Sikh riots of 1984 in Bokaro and find out the culprits behind the massacre. During the investigation, Amrita finds out some shocking revelations about her father “Guru Sevakh” (Pawan Malhotra) and things go haywire. She goes out to Bokaro with her team to find out the truth about the riots, the culprits behind that, and her father. What follows is all that Grahan offers to its viewers.

Direction-wise, Grahan has its fair share of pluses.  Ranjan Chandel depicts multiple stories with effectiveness and has a knack for highlighting emotional scenes with apt detailing. The way Chandel executes the story is interesting, and performances keep it engaging. The writing is decent as well and Grahan offers some memorable dialogues that have a strong recall value. Sub-plots are handled nicely. The editing could have been a little tighter and crisper.

Grahan features a comparatively fresh cast sans critically acclaimed Pawan Malhotra in pivotal roles. Zoya Hussain is effective and her performance reminds me of Ashwini Bhawe and Vidya Balan. After Mukkabaaz and Laal Kaptaan, Zoya seems to head in a direction of her own with the kinds of scripts she is selecting. If given the right films, Zoya will prove her mettle in the competitive industry with ease. There are a few emotional scenes where she performed well but in some, the performance was a little too loud. Anshuman Pushkar (as Rishi Ranjan) is effortless, stylish, and looks great in every scene. His performance is intense, after Jamtara and Kathmandu Connection; Grahan will be a good addition to his body of work. Pushkar has the looks and physique to make it big with ease on the silver screen. He just needs a good break. Wamiqa Gabi is striking in every scene and performs her part very well.

Pawan Malhotra is so talented that it feels bad when he is not given the right kind of character or scenes that make him impress his viewers. In Grahan, Pawan Malhotra is severely underutilized, besides a great character given to him, his dialogue and scenes are not exciting enough. At places Malhotra goes over the top, too loud and unrealistic, and for his fans, that’s a disappointment. Teekam Joshi (Chunnu Singh) gives a striking and effective performance. He plays with his eyes and expressions in many scenes and makes sure that he emotes the message well.

Grahan is definitely a one-time watch for the performances, storytelling, and message that it narrates. The socio-political agenda affecting the lives of people who witnessed the 1984 Sick Riots soon after the assassination of Indira Gandhi is depicted quite well. Grahan also highlights how communal riots are seeded in the society and no matter at what stage any country is political elements and preferences affect the countrymen in various ways. Whether they are Hindu-Sikh or Hindu-Muslim riots, they are all sown in the soil to reap political gain at some point in time. It also highlights how humanity is being played in the hands of some powerful decision-makers and how blossoming love between people from different sects is brutalized.

Chori Chori – Grahan

Platform: Grahan is available on Disney + Hotstar

No. of episodes: 08

Runtime/ episode: 35 – 45 minutes

This review is published initially here: Romance in the 1984 Sikh Riots: Grahan