CAST: Sunil Shetty, Vivek Oberoi, Sonali Kulkarni, Luke Kenny, Shanthi Priya, Freddy Daruwala, Santosh Juvekar, Nagesh Bhosle, Siddharth Menon and Pavitra Sarkar
DIRECTOR: Samit Kakkad
Dharavi Bank is not only Sunil Shetty’s acting comeback but also his debut into the world of web series. The veteran actor has embraced his age with his remarkable performance as the OG Thalaivan in the crime thriller
Shetty plays Thalaivan, the intimidating mafia from the slums of Dharavi and Oberoi is seen as Jayant Gavaskar, Joint Commissioner of Police. Sonali Kulkarni also plays a pivotal role as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra in the series.
Luke Kenny, Shanthi Priya, Freddy Daruwala, Santosh Juvekar, Nagesh Bhosle, Siddharth Menon and Pavitra Sarkar are amongst many other cast members.
Dharavi Bank is the story of Thalaivan and his underworld business. Thalaivan is a ruthless gangster who is in charge of the Dharavi Bank, a 30,000 crore worth estate where all the big shots hide their money. He rules Dharavi and is worshipped as a deity in the area. Thalaivan’s power and grip threaten politicians who desire his end to reign.
Jayant Gavaskar is a top cop running after Thalaivan’s billion-dollar empire not only because it’s his duty but also because of personal grudges against the criminal. He gets help from the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, who wants to end Thalaivan’s game ahead of Maharashtra’s elections.
The series is a twisted tale of politics, corruption, crime and revenge. The Suniel Shetty starrer stands out from other crime thrillers, thanks to the cast’s stellar performance. Shetty as Thalaivan resembles Southern megastar Rajinikanth. Vivek Oberoi has played a police officer in the past, but his transformation for this role is praise-worthy.
The series is 10 episodes long, but every episode ends on a cliffhanger, increasing the audience’s interest. Director Samit Kakkad has juxtaposed Dharavi’s slums with the grandeur of Mumbai’s skyscrapers, 5-star hotels and farmhouses.
Dharvi Bank does get two things right. The background score, particularly its theme music, is catchy and sets the mood quite nicely. The greyness of the characters is another thing it gets right. No character is completely white, even the crusading cop. And none is black either, including the torturous, murdering psychopath employed by the don. It makes the characters more interesting and their battle more engrossing.
The series does not offer anything new, and things start to go down after the first few episodes. The flashbacks are also a ‘Deja vu’ situation for the audience. Overall, if you are a Suniel Shetty or Vivek Oberoi fan, you will enjoy their performance in the series, but it is a tale as old as time for the rest of us.
The series ends on a cliffhanger to create suspense and keep its viewers glued for the second season.
Overall, Meh
