RANGBAAZ: DARR KI RAJNEETI - V Vjew Reviews #80

Rangbaaz: Darr Ki Rajneeti is a political drama inspired by Bihar's political circle for almost three decades from the late 80s onwards. This fictional story is gripping and rooted in realism. It is a mixed bag of casteism and religionism, scams and gang wars, law and order, crime and politics. The series is somewhere between truth and fiction.

The story revolves around a powerful character Haroon Shah Ali Baig ( Vineet Kumar Singh) also called Saheb, and his rise and fall. He comes from a humble background and somehow managed to gain money and power and rule the masses in a town called Diwan (Bihar). His only goal is to win the election by any means and don't mind eliminating anyone who comes between him and his power....not even his best friend. His horrible past has shaped his present. His only motto is to use fear and influence the government. How it happens and what happens in the process need to be seen. The backdrop of political rivalry between Lakhan Rai( Vijay Maurya) and Mukul Kumar( Rajesh Tailong) will remind you of the political leaders of the time. The lead character is loosely based on the life of Mohammed Sahabuddin, the MP of Siwan. There are layers in his character and it is well written. There are various shades in his character. He is a gangster turned politician who with his power and money helps the needy. He is a cruel dictator at the same time he is sensible. He is a messiah of the poor in some scenes and murders the innocent in the very next scene. He is respected and loved by some and despised and hated at the same time. There is depth in the lead character and the performance adds cherry to it.

Though the plotline is common, the story of trust and betrayal, the beauty lies in its treatment. It conveys the horror and cruelty without displaying any graphic images. It is largely implied. There is no use of explicit language that is commonly seen in this type of genre. There is no skin show either. It does not glorify violence. There is very less action too. The lead character is well-mannered and connects with the audience emotionally. All the characters are believable. Realistic camera work and sharp script are icings. Editing is incisive. The background score is apt. Though the pace of the drama is slow, the tone is good. The women's character may not seem important in the beginning but shines towards the end of the series. The non-linear narrative may be its drawback, and some characters are also not fully developed but we can easily overlook these minor flaws. Intense music, impactful scenes and good performance of the actors can be enjoyed. Actors in pivotal roles are

Vineet Kumar Singh as Haroon Shah Ali Baig is likeable and hateworthy with his sincere performance. He portrays the character with almost perfection.

Aakanksha Singh as his wife Sana is a moral compass and shines in a few scenes. Geetanjali Kulkarni as Ahilya Devi is convincing and relatable. Vijay Maurya as Lakhan Rai is ok. Rajesh Tailang as Mukul Kumar is good and shines in his way. Prashant Narayan as SP Raghav Kumar is delightful to watch. Soham Majumdar as Dipu made his presence felt. Sudhanva Deshpande, Ashok Pathak and Bala Kochar were decent in their role.

This season Rangbaaz:Darr Ki Rajneeti may too be successful as its predecessors Rangbaaz(2018), and Rangbaaz Phirse (2019).

Directed by Sachin Pathak, produced by Ajay Tai and created by Navdeep Singh, this series with 6 episodes on Zee5 stands out sharp and crisp. It's a decent watch.