New Delhi, Jan 19 (IANS) In his latest cop universe outing, which also marks his OTT debut, Rohit Shetty immerses his viewers into the turbulent world of the Delhi Police as they deal with a string of explosions that the Indian Mujahideen has planned. Shetty’s trademark style is intact and the show is binge-worthy.
The series, co-directed by Sushwanth Prakash, features an interesting but capable ensemble headlined by Sidharth Malhotra, Vivek Oberoi and Shilpa Shetty Kundra. Written by Shetty and his team of Sandeep Saket, Anusha Nandakumar, Ayush Trivedi, Vidhi Ghodgaonkar and Sanchit Bedre, the story takes us on the journey of Joint CP Vikram Bakshi IPS (Vivek Oberoi) and SP Kabir Malik IPS (Sidharth Malhotra), together with Gujarat ATS chief Tara Shetty (Shilpa Shetty), who is in charge of a unique unit tasked with and racing against time to apprehend the terrorists.
The compelling premise of the show becomes evident when it opens with a series of bombings that spread fear throughout the nation’s capital. The writers do a great job of bringing viewers into the centre of the inquiry while capturing the anxiety and urgency that come with such a situation.
Unlike his films, Shetty takes his own time to let the story simmer and also gives enough room for each character’s arc to develop fully without rushing into things. The main plot of the seven-part series is neither special, nor novel, as far as we can tell. Many films that discuss terrorism and the efforts of law enforcement to apprehend terrorists and halt their assaults have already been made, and these include some by Shetty, but he manages to hold the . attention of viewers.
The story seems predictable and the initial pacing appears to be a bit slow, making the tension fluctuate in its intensity. And while the show stays fairly realistic throughout, the climax seems a tad fanciful, perhaps taking away from its overall tone.
What really works in favour of the series, though, is that Shetty stays away from his usual tropes of over-the-top action sequences, including cars that keep flying in his films. The action in ‘Indian Police Force’ is raw and real, with some riveting chase sequences and uniquely choreographed hand-to-hand combat action pieces.
Apart from the action sequences, there are some genuine emotional moments between some of the characters, which also provides a nuanced touch, resonating with the audience on a deeper level. Another impressive aspect is that the episodes are anywhere between 30 and 40 minutes long, allowing the viewers to binge-watch the series.
Leading from the front is Sidharth Malhotra, who showcases his skill and adaptability as an actor. Following his triumphant performance in ‘Shershaah’, this series serves to cement his position in the industry.
With every outing, Malhotra keeps moving from strength to strength. Unlike ‘Singham’ (headlined by Ajay Devgn), ‘Simmba’ (Ranveer Singh) and ‘Sooryavanshi’ (Akshay Kumar), Malhotra’s cop is more humane and this brings a breath of fresh air into Shetty’s cop universe.
Vivek Oberoi, too, impresses in his cop act. The actor showcases his versatility with finesse. The nuance and stillness he brings to his already well-written character deserve applause. After impressing the audience with ‘Sukhee’, Shilpa Shetty Kundra is outstanding with her cop act. She is far from the pomp and show of masala cop films and the subtlety blows your mind. It is interesting to see the actor take up a role that does complete justice to her calibre.
Isha Talwar and Vaidehi Parshurami add the emotional depth that the story needs. Mayyank Taandon as the antagonist, along with Shweta Tiwari, Nikitin Dheer, Mukesh Rishi and Sharad Kelkar are all perfect at playing their parts.
‘Indian Police Force’, running on Amazon Prime Video is an impressive addition to Shetty’s cop universe. The director, along with the cast, impresses with a show that can be binge-watched over the weekend.
Cast: Sidharth Malhotra, Vivek Oberoi, Shilpa Shetty Kundra, Isha Talwar, Sharad Kelkar, Vaidehi Parshurami, Mayyank Taandon, Shweta Tiwari, Nikitin Dheer and Mukesh Rishi
IANS Rating: ***1/2
