A Crime Thriller with a Rosogolla Heart and a Jhalmuri Kick : My quick take on “Khakee: The Bengal Chapter” (Netflix)
Neeraj Pandey is to crime thrillers what Satyajit Ray was to Bengali cinema—meticulous, sharp, and a master of his craft. I am a self-confessed Pandey fan—the man who gave us Special Ops, A Wednesday, Baby, and Khakee: The Bihar Chapter. He spins gritty tales like a street-side chaiwala brewing kadak chai, and here too, he does not disappoint.
This time, Pandey shifts his crime saga from the dusty lanes of Bihar to the narrow alleys of Kolkata, where crime and politics are as inseparable as tram rides and adda sessions. The series is supposedly inspired by Amit Lodha’s Bihar Diaries, but make no mistake—this is Bengal (Kolkata) in all its glory, with crime lurking beneath its colonial-era buildings and its tram-lined streets. And in case you still had the illusion that Bengal is all about poetry, Rabindra Sangeet, and peaceful protests, the title track slaps you with the line “Yeh rang bhi dekh lo Bengal ka”—translation: You haven’t seen everything yet, buddy! Like Game of Thrones, the show baits you into caring for a character, only to bump them off like an unwelcome houseguest. The message? No one is safe—not even your favorite hero.
The Kolkata Vibe – A City Stuck in Time
Kolkata in Khakee feels like a time capsule dipped in nostalgia. This is a city that refuses to grow but refuses to age either. The grand colonial architecture, the slow trams, and the political graffiti on every wall make it the perfect setting for a 2000s crime saga. If the city had a voice, it would probably say, “Dada, change is overrated.”
The Cast – Who’s Who in This Crime Carnival?
The casting directors deserve a Nobel Prize (or at least a good rosogolla) for putting together an ensemble that screams Bengali authenticity. This isn’t your usual Bollywood crew playing Bengalis with exaggerated accents; this is the real deal: Jeet as IPS Arjun Maitra – Our hero, whose job is to clean up the mess. Prosenjit Chatterjee as Barun Roy – The politician with more layers than a Kolkata kathi roll. Saswata Chatterjee as Shankar Barua aka “Bagha” – A gangster so menacing, even his nickname has teeth. Parambrata Chattopadhyay as IPS Saptarshi Sinha – The cop who knows too much. Chitrangda Singh as Nibedita Basak – A politician with the swagger of Mamata Didi and the cunning of a chess grandmaster. Ritwik Bhowmik, Aadil Zafar Khan, and Mimoh Chakraborty – Adding more spice to the already hot and spicy plot. The Bengali dialect is intact, with English subtitles for those who don’t speak the language but love a good crime drama. And that, my friend, elevates the experience by several notches.
Positives & Negatives – What Works and What Feels Like a Stale Radhaballabhi
✅ Positives: Authenticity at its peak – Bengali actors, Bengali setting, Bengali politics—this isn’t a Bollywood-ized version of Bengal; this feels like the real deal. Strong performances – Jeet, Prosenjit, and Saswata deliver powerhouse performances that could light up Howrah Bridge. Cinematography that makes crime look like art – From smoky political offices to dimly lit bylanes, every frame is Instagram-worthy (if only crime were a valid hashtag). Fast-paced, unpredictable storytelling – Just when you think a character is important, boom! Gone!
❌ Negatives: Predictable at times – If you’ve seen enough crime thrillers, you might guess a few twists. But hey, even a great jhalmuri needs a predictable dose of mustard oil, right? Not as explosive as Khakee: The Bihar Chapter – This one burns slow, like a Kolkata winter afternoon, while Bihar Chapter was an instant blast. Some characters get lost in the political and crime soup – They appear, they talk, they disappear. A little more depth would’ve been nice.
Final Verdict – Watch or Skip?
If you love crime thrillers, political mind games, and Bengal served with a side of bullets, Khakee: The Bengal Chapter is a must-watch. While it may not be as instantly gripping as its Bihar counterpart, it has its own charm—like a Rabindra Sangeet playing while a gang war unfolds in the background. So, grab a plate of Kolkata biryani, settle in, and let Neeraj Pandey once again remind you why crime pays—at least on screen. I found it binge-worthy.
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