There are some shows in the realm of Indian television which are iconic to the tune of being epic. At a time when serials hit screens and vanish in a whiff, an endeavor like Laado – Veerpur Ki Mardani epitomizes belief in content that is meant to be engaging and riveting.
The issue of women security is pertinent and the need to address it has never been so palpable. The initial episodes of Laado are a welcome change from the banal and can be said to be a dramatically charged oeuvre.
Authoritative, confident and enigmatic Ammaji (Meghna Malik) has left the badlands of Veerpur and has settled in Delhi along with granddaughters Anushka (Avika Gor) and Jhanvi (Palak Jain).
She has not told the kids about her sordid past and has even kept them away from her home province.
Jhanvi is empathetic and idealistic, whereas Anushka is a law student who believes in justice. No wonder she manages to save a molesting boy from the crowd’s wrath yet hands him over to the cops for his crime. Avika performs with impunity. Her act ushers the audience into an almost transcendental space. Her evolution as an artist is notable and laudable. The scene where she instructs her younger sister to return home on time denotes her caring side, yet she always tells her to find her wings.
Palak, comparatively has a short lived role of a loving younger sister who gets molested and killed by bad guys for she tries to emulate her sister (women welfare) when she clips Rantej Singh (Daksh Ajit Singh) to save his wife Meera.
Rantej is Balwant’s son (Rituraj Singh). Balwant is a dark figure, lurking in the shadows… drawing strength from the corridors of hell. He is vicious and how. Veerpur is a God forsaken land where women are treated like dirt. Meera’s unborn girl child is killed, drawing parallel to the core plot of Laado season 1, that of female infanticide.
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned…the real plot will open up now with Ammaji seeking revenge for all the wrongdoing. Her return to Veerpur will give wheels to the plot…so fasten your seatbelts.
Class act Meghna immerses you deep into the engaging world of Laado, her performance forms the crux of the show. Her expressions cut through your heart, her anger and lament merge. Like a hungry tigress she is ready for the kill.
Daksh and Gulfam Khan lend necessary support to the plot. Rituraj’s villain act is stellar and superlative. Maker Dhaval Gada doesn’t beat around the bush. The tone is dark, gritty and grungy. The rancorous world of Veerpur is where fire burns in hearts and minds, engulfing lives with venom of hatred and social injustice. Ammaji is a beacon, a succour, a messiah for those who yearn for justice.
Laado has a pedigree…season 2 has some of the finest actors. Shaleen Malhotra’s entry opposite Avika (Anushka) will be an emotional catharsis. Direction is neat and crisp, cinematography captures the essence of the story well.
With each passing episode, the obsession and insanity escapes the screen and settles quietly in your head, prodding you tenaciously, long after you’ve switched off the box.
Laado 2 is a treat to watch. It’s nostalgic and novel at the same time. IndianWikiMedia would rate it 4 out of 5 stars.