The Raikar Case
Cast: Atul Kulkarni, Neil Bhoopalam, Parul Gulati, Ashwini Bhave, Kunal Karan Kapoor
Directed by: Aditya Sarpotdar
The Raikar Case is a whodunit that makes its intent clear from the very first scene. The young scion of a powerful clan plans to commit suicide by diving off a cliff. Autumn is captured with melodramatic flavor, in slow motion as the camera magnifies the impact with a top-angle shot.
This one, you feel right at the start, will be very much a ‘desi’ mystery – not too heavy, but loaded with the vintage-to-gallery burst of emotions.
As the seven-episode storyline unfolds, you realize the hunch isn’t entirely out of place. Series director Aditya Sarpotdar and his team of writers have clearly gone the extra mile to balance schmaltz and suspense. It’s almost as if they wanted to make a family soap, which, by the way, is emphasized by a mysterious death.
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Tarun Raikar (Honey Kamboj), the youngest of the prosperous Raikar clan, plunges to his death in the opening scenes, at least that’s what we’re told. This, even as his cousin Etasha (Parul Gulati) apparently makes a futile, last-ditch effort to stop him.
The scene, of course, has a catch. Things get dramatic soon enough with the entry of the archetypal cinematic savvy cop, John Pereira (Neil Bhoopalam), who is assigned the case. Pereira looks at Tarun’s body and says it can never be suicide. It’s murder.
In these early scenes, a whole host of facts are thrown at viewers. Tarun, we know, would be the sole heir to his father’s share of their business as well as property. Etasha seems to have some sort of secret guilt over Tarun’s death. We also learn that Tarun had given Etasha 12 missed calls before it all ended for him.
In the classic whodunit tradition, any member of the Raikar family could have a motive for killing Tarun, it is gradually established. As the plot progresses, a few other skeletons tumble out of the illustrious Raikar closet. The obligatory ingredients of blackmail, power politics and generational divide are used liberally throughout the story, as the police in each episode get to work on their investigation of a new suspect before the scenario tries to unravel the truth.
It’s all done without too many complications, ensuring an effective pace even in the relatively slower middle episodes. What you don’t amusingly overlook, however, is the way in which the story almost unconsciously lets in the wacky soap elements at the slightest chance. It’s more than evident in the pervasive background score that runs almost everywhere – at times really distracting from the intended solemn mood.
That kind of treatment can also be felt in key scenes where the whole ‘khandaan’ gathers in one sprawling room, and the camera does a full pan before settling on a particular protagonist, with upbeat background music very appropriate. You almost miss the K-soap bahu in such frames.
Still, The Raikar Case should keep you hooked to the end for two main reasons. First, it’s cleverly written despite the melodrama hangover — especially the way each episode ends on a catchy note, enticing the viewer to move on to the next episode.
The other flawless aspect is the show’s cast. Atul Kulkarni as the patriarchal head Yashwant Raikar is flawless, and Ashwini Bhave returns to mainstream Hindi fare after a respite with a delightful poise. Neil Bhoopalam fits effortlessly into his uniformed police avatar. Parul Gulati is adequate for most parts, although she tends to go over the top in the stray moments,
The Raikar Case should be a blast if you’re looking for a thrilling drama that isn’t too stressful on your senses. While nothing out of the box, this is binge therapy for the enthusiasts who prefer their mysteries not served too dark.
Stream on: Voot Select
Rating: 3/5
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