Ok, done with Sacred Games. So much hype created over this show made me feel stupid not watching it. Had to check for myself what was the hype all about.

In my opinion, the hype is real when it comes to the technicalities of cinema. The acting is purely unmatched with the likes of Nawaz, Saif, Radhika and Jatin (Bunty) and Jitendra (Katekar) showcasing the depths and study in great character work. I personally think that Saif outdid Nawaz in this. He was plainly breathtaking in his embodiment of Sartaj's character.

Direction and cinematography are unprecedented or at least rare coming out of the Indian industry. Vikramaditya and Anurag are two juggernauts of two different aspects of direction. Anurag with his human conflicts and emotions, while Vikramaditya with his settings and realism. It is just mind-boggling, grotesque, beautiful, unapologetic, filthy and valiant all at the same time. The beautifully extravagant but uniquely understated music adds to the experience of the audience which just catapults the show to the top-notch leagues.

What I found most inspiring was that the freedom from censorship which came with Netflix did not budge the directors from using this freedom responsibly. The nudity and violence while graphic, are not used for meaningless gimmicks to attract audience unlike Game of Thrones. The nude scenes as well as the violence have been dealt with very responsibly and with great effect whilst not distracting from the storytelling.

What I found a bit peeving were the slow arc of characters, and sometimes even slower progression of the story. The second and the third episode especially seemed like a long thread to connect the main overarching storyline. This many a times loses the attention of the audience. As we finish halfway through the series, the episodes begin to tighten and feel more crisp.

Little clues hidden in a non-linear structure of the show were masterful and keeps the audience at the edge for being clever to connect them.

Lastly, the story while enigmatic and loaded with socio-political undertones, still did not seem mind-boggling for an otherwise exhilarating ride. The characters, their dogmas, their insecurities, their relationships, their ambitions, their lives, they all overshadowed this supposedly great story. Perhaps it is because this series is only the first act of an ambitious four season show, as we all know that only the first quarter of the book has been adapted in this season. Or perhaps, the story actually does not compare to the fine character-work which has been showcased by these maestros. As I haven't read the book, this conclusion is just based on my viewing of the series. Perhaps someone who has read the book could give a hint. But I still feel that this backbone of an imminent gargantuan threat is not unheard of and not something unprecedented in a story. I hope I am wrong and I hope the story is much more intelligent than what I am currently making it out to be.

Surely, Sacred Games is a phenomenon in itself and a great leap for Indian cinematic prowess on the world stage.

#BasTrivediBachJayega #SacredGames