RUDRA: The edge of darkness Review
The much anticipated Ajay Devagan's digital debut on OTT platforms, RUDRA: The edge of Darkness is streaming all 6 episodes on Disney+ Hostar. Binged watched it completely without missing a frame. And, here's an honest review.
It is also the debut of Esha Deol who plays Rudra's wife Shaila.
Genre: Crime, Murder mystery, Thriller, drama
Language: Hindi Subtitles: English
Where can you stream Rudra : The Edge of Darkness?
Rudra is the latest Disney+ Hotstar Special an addition to mysteries like critically acclaimed Sushmita Sen starrer Arya, Rohnit Roy starrer Hostage.
Watch options: Disney+ Hotstar
RUDRA STORY
RUDRA is the story of DCP Rudraveer Singh, a cop in the Special Crimes Unit of the Mumbai Police. The titular character, Rudra, played by Ajay Devagan is supposed to be as eccentric & whimsical as it gets, a genius detective with temper issues and yet a deep intense soulful lover.
RUDRA REVIEW★★★☆☆
Rudra shines in some parts and disappoints in others. Raashi Khanna and Ajay Devgan's arch nemesis chemistry was bang on. The overall dull picturization was a serious mood killer. The suspense cover was sometimes completely blown off where you already knew the killer and wondered if they will ever be punished. Where is the resolution, one wonders in the beginning episodes. Rudra does pick up eventually. And the final episode named Tod Fod is actually worthy of the name.Atul Kulkarni and Ashwini Kalsekar shine.
Is Rudra worth a watch?
Yes
Acting★★★☆☆
Ajay Devgan on paper is the perfect choice for a brooding, intense, Mumbai Police special unit cop who can be seen shattering glass windows, throwing tables in a bahubali way. Or super eccentric, on the edge of sanity, looking down from the top of the tallest skyscrapers. But does he deliver? Yes, but not consistently. Or, maybe I've been expecting too much of Devgan who perfectly played a cop several times before this. Rudra is definitely NOT atta maajhi satakli in terms of the Khaki uniform (as somehow DCP Mumbai Police doesn't wear uniform in this fantasy). But, Rudra is definitely way more I-Just-Cannot-Keep-it-Together in his rage and destructive ways in which he expresses his rage.
Atul Kulkarni as Gautam Navlakha
Atul Kulkarni as the perfect equal cop and Ashwini Kalsekar as the calm, level headed, pure hearted and formidable SCU head, aka the BOSS shine.
It is refreshing to see a rough, hardened & toughened formidable cop reporting to a woman (both in Rudra and also in the movie Thursday (where Atul Kulkarni plays Javed Khan reporting to Neha Dhupia)).
Atul Kulkarni beautifully shows the bonding, the madness and the mental breakdown.
Ashwini Kalsekar as Deepali Handa
Although we just know her as the boss and you can't blame us. She is the BOSS and everyone calls her boss. I doubt if they ever called her by her name.
Esha Deol as Shaila Durrani
Whoever styled Esha Deol must be cringing so hard. Esha did look the part. But I really wish in her comeback she acted. What's worse is that she has my soft corner. I really wanted her to succeed. I saw Esha Deol playing wife of Rudra and I was happy. It was a phenomenal part. She could have really elevated the whole show if it seemed slightly real.
Tarun Gahlot as Prabal Thakur was convincing as the junior looking upto Rudra.
Cinematography & Colour grading★☆☆☆☆
What I loved in Rudra, were the stunning camera pans with arial views of South Mumbai. Every single bird's eye view shot was phenomenal. It felt new, refreshing, added perspective and absolute beauty to the VT station sequences. One rarely notices the landscape and I'd have loved more of that. Rudra's cinematography is extremely dim light, and colors unsaturated. While I understand the greys, blues for the brooding, sinister, atmosphere Rudra wants to convey, the reality of the dark Mumbai nights where you are not carrying a flashlight, it was becoming hard to watch. God knows we checked our screens for maximum brightness several times. There has to be a balance between artistic liberties, and pure practical viewability. Just because the soul of the series is DARKNESS, you don't have to actually make the final product so dark,(literally), that viewers have to squint to see every expression. Was it the Mumbai monsoon? No. Yet the frames were super gloomy. With the exception of one cool toned red cup on Rudra's bed side table,you are not in for a treat if you remotely love colors or anything warm toned.
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