Daldal review: Samara Tijori, Aditya Rawal masterclasses; Bhumi Pednekar's devillish turn elevate this dark 'whydunnit'

DAldal reviewCast: Bhumi Pednekar, Aditya Rawal, key fruit Tijori, Geeta Agrawal, Chinmay Mandlekar, Sandeep KulkarniCreator: Suresh TriveniRating: ★★★.5Very betimes on in Suresh Triveni’s Daldal, we escort the off and the murderer both. It is only the second episode in the seven-episode show, and the thriller reveals who the killer is, and also how they commit their murder. Everything from the modus operandi to dual lives the killer(s) lead is explained in the first hour of the show’s runtime. Yet, it somehow never loses steam. In an age of abundant whodunnits, Daldal is a whydunnit, exploring the reasons behind why ordinary people become bloodthirsty killers, and tells the tale of choices and fate. Partly, it is salvaged by some exemplary performances, which elevate a routine screenplay. But in between those average moments, Daldal surprises with bold choices of narrative.The premiseDaldal is the story of the newly-appointed DCP Rita Ferreria (Bhumi Pednekar), who must find a serial killer who slits his victims’ wrists. Like most fictional cops, Rita is battling demons from her past and substance abuse as she handles this case. On the other spectrum is Anita (Samara Tijori), a journalist who also has a terrible past of her own, and a life that almost mirrors Rita’s. But her trauma has caused her to spiral. Partnering with her friend and soulmate Sajid (Aditya Rawal), she punishes all those who she feels ‘wrong’ them and exploit people. But as Anita’s past unravels, we see how she and Rita are two sides of the same coin.What worksDaldal is largely carried by its three lead actors. Bhumi Pednekar anchors the show, doing well to differentiate her Rita from the templated angry cop with no regard for rules. She is loud, erratic, and irresponsible to the point of being unlikable. And despite the character being written like a man (a fault in the writing), she manages to bring sensitivity to it through her portrayal. More importantly, she makes the character relatable, if not someone you’d root for. Aditya Rawal shows once again that he has it in him to make even a killer someone you would feel sorry for. The young actor brings out the pain and anger of Sajid quite beautifully. But the star of the show is Samara Tijori. In a role that could easily have become the regular deranged killer, she shines. She brings an underlying rage to the role that descends into maniacal madness soon, and conveys all that, minus histrionics, merely with her eyes and delivery.The show also works in how it pits Rita and Anita against each other, as two children with traumatic pasts but completely different relationships with their mothers. One receives love and the other only hate. And yet, how the cards are dealt to them despite that treatment determines how they turn out. Quite often, Daldal ditches subtlety when projecting this mirror, but it still works. Where Daldal faltersBut the show is far from perfect. As a ‘whydunnit’, it deals with the motive of the crimes, and how ordinary people turn killers. In exploring the psyche of the killers and the underbelly of the human mind, it forgets that there is a thrilling murder case to present as well. In dealing with matters of the mind, the show lowers the stakes of the actual case, thereby reducing deaths to mere numbers. The violence seems incidental, and the murders numbing after a while.The show does not lose steam, thanks to its short runtime, but it does lose its way in between. A tone that goes from downtrodden to simply traumatic does not help its case either. It is only a heartwrenching finale that salvages the narrative somewhat.If not for the faults, Daldal could have been the perfect start to the year for Hindi streaming. It had everything in it to be an excellent show. For now, it is ‘merely’ a good one.