Khakee: The Bengal Chapter
Review- ***1/2 (3.5/5)
Cast: Prosenjit Chatterjee, Jeet Madnani, Saswata Chatterjee, Ritwik Bhowmik, Aadil Zafar Khan, Chitrangada Singh, Aakanksha Singh, Mimoh Chakraborty, Parambrata Chatterjee, Shraddha Das, Pooja Chopra & more
Directed by: Debatma Mandal, Tushar Kanti Ray
Created by: Neeraj Pandey
Bengal, as a cinematic muse, has long been trapped in a predictable loop—lazy references to “kemo nacho” and “aami tumha ke bhalo baashi,” interspersed with the ever-iconic still of Howrah Bridge. But the recent years have seen a much-needed evolution in its on-screen portrayal, breaking away from these tropes. One of the most commendable examples was Sujoy Ghosh’s Kahaani, which intricately wove Kolkata into its narrative rather than using it as just a pretty postcard. And now, after all these years, we take another deep dive into Bengal’s enigmatic underbelly with Neeraj Pandey’s Khakee – The Bengal Chapter.
Helming a crime thriller with multiple storylines is no easy feat, but Pandey, a master of the genre, takes on the mammoth challenge with directors Debattma Mandal and Tushar Kanti Ray to direct an ensemble cast stacked with acting powerhouses. The stakes are high, and the promise is even higher. Does it deliver? The answer isn’t as simple.
Attempting to condense the labyrinthine plot into a paragraph would be a grave disservice to its complexity. But, at its core, Khakee – The Bengal Chapter unfolds between 1990 and 2002, chronicling the rise and reign of a ruthless politician who orchestrates Bengal’s crime scene like a grand puppeteer, with a motley crew of pawns executing his every sinister command. As chaos ensues, a lone cop shoulders the impossible task of restoring order in a landscape marred by corruption, bloodshed, and political treachery.
Now, when you are juggling a dizzying number of characters, story arcs, and timelines, missteps are inevitable. And while Pandey’s signature grip on the crime thriller template remains intact, the sheer abundance of narrative threads occasionally muddies the waters. The timeline jumps, excessive parallel storylines, and relentless need for shock value sometimes threaten to derail the experience. But when Khakee works, it really works.
Amidst the sprawling narrative, the show zeroes in on two pivotal characters—Sagor (Ritwik Bhowmik) and Ranjeet (Adil Zafar Khan). They are the beating heart of this convoluted saga, their camaraderie, animosity, betrayals, and thirst for vengeance serving as the show’s most gripping throughline. No matter how chaotic the larger picture gets, their journey remains the unwavering hook that keeps you glued. The overarching political and crime drama might stretch across multiple narratives, but when Sagor and Ranjeet are on-screen, little else seems to matter.
Beyond these two, the series boasts a star-studded lineup that includes the legendary Prosenjit Chatterjee as the merciless political overlord Barun Roy, Jeet as the no-nonsense cop Arjun Maitra, and Saswata Chatterjee as the enigmatic crime kingpin Bagha. It is only fitting that these stalwarts of Bengali cinema get to sink their teeth into such layered, morally ambiguous characters—and to no one’s surprise, they deliver.
But the real magic of an ensemble lies in the performances that creep up on you unexpectedly. While the big names do their bit, it’s actors like Aakanksha Singh and Mimoh Chakraborty who leave a surprising impact, acting as the silent propellers of this twisted saga. Their arcs are crucial to the show’s very fabric, and without giving too much away, their performances ensure that the stakes remain sky-high. Even the fleeting appearances of Shraddha Das and Parambrata Chatterjee make a splash.
If there’s one weak link in this well-oiled machine, it’s Chitrangada Singh’s Nibedita Basak. Despite moments of intrigue, her character struggles to seamlessly blend into the narrative, making her arc feel like an afterthought rather than an integral piece of the puzzle.
To single out every performer in an ensemble this massive might seem unnecessary, but in Khakee, the way these characters are interconnected is so intricately crafted that it becomes imperative. Sure, there are logistical hiccups, occasional lapses in logic, and an overindulgence in twists that sometimes feel more exhausting than exhilarating. But the sheer madness of it all—courtesy of stellar performances, nail-biting tension, and tangled webs of deceit—makes for an irresistibly thrilling ride. It’s the kind of viewing experience where the inconsistencies become forgivable, if not entirely ignorable.
One of the most commendable aspects of Khakee – The Bengal Chapter is how it embraces Kolkata beyond its stereotypical cinematic identity. Instead of reducing the city to an aesthetic backdrop, it turns it into a pulsating entity—one that bleeds, conspires, and retaliates. For the most part, the show leans into the emotions at the heart of its story rather than succumbing to a bigger-is-better philosophy. That is, until the finale, where all hell breaks loose in a way that is as bonkers as it is entertaining.
At its best, Khakee – The Bengal Chapter is a commendable example in high-stakes storytelling. At its worst, it is a tangled mess that occasionally buckles under its own ambition. But even in its most flawed moments, it never ceases to be fun. This is popcorn entertainment in its finest form—gritty, engaging, and unpredictable, even if it isn’t always entirely satisfying.
