Review: A dive into this 'Kaala Paani' will satiate your thirst for quality viewing with a global appeal

Kaala Paani

Seldom do we come across shows that stay with you even days after you have finished watching them. Any motion presentation aims to transfix you to that extent where you are transported into that world without even realising it. Not many are able to fulfil that as much as they would like. Then comes a series like Kaala Paani, which has now begun streaming on Netflix. 

The idea of the series, in its crux, is transporting you to the claustrophobic yet serene atmosphere of the criminally underrated Andaman Islands, where the entirety of the show is yet. With a tale that explores a plethora of factors ranging from capitalism, diversity, inclusivity, human greed, man vs nature, changing lifestyle during an epidemic, indigenous communities, to so much more - a figurative dive into this Kaala Paani is as satisfying as it can be. Having had to chance to see seven hour-long-episodes entirely, here's me listing the good and not-so-good factors of the show that might help you decide to watch it or not-

Incredible World-Building, Extreme Detailing & Intricate Writing

More than having some of the finest talents on board, the bigger draw for me was when it was revealed that former TVF people Sameer Saxena, Biswapati Sarkar and Amit Golani are creating, producing and running his saga. These people are known to be sleek and crisp yet inputting nuggets of entertainment and intrigue throughout their shows. With Kaala Paani, though, they venture into a world that is immensely new to them as well - both in terms of storytelling and in the literal sense as well. One little scene set in a school classroom reflects how fabulous their writing is where the inclusion and presence of Andaman and Nicobar Islands in India is explained without being preachy, loud and yet impactful. 

However, the series is filled with ample examples of one technical achievement after another while only adding to the atmosphere of a saga filled with complexities. The intricacies in each dialogue, each sequence and the entire layout from episode one to episode seven are done with fine precision and finesse that makes you feel satisfied as a viewer and not feel cheated - which becomes the case in long format several times.

Excellence Across All Departments

As mentioned above, to be able to build a world that is still so alien to people living in mainland India and immerse them fully without being sententious is such an underrated feat, but the entire team attached to making this show deserves all the applause for that. Right from the breathtaking cinematography to rapid editing without being patchy, the choice of showcasing parallel storylines with impact and just the effort of each and every person involved with this show is almost unparalleled. The cast has been continuously mentioning in their interviews how they faced the most troubled situations while shooting for the show, where animals crawling on you or weather changing became a regularity. 

That reflects on-screen and how! Especially through the character played by Vikas Kumar (who deserves an award right away), where he is shown to go through hoops of immense struggles as he survives in this world of Kaala Paani. You, as the viewer, will feel, flinch, be sympathetic and just be intrigued at what's going on-screen. All the technical departments deserve special mentions and applause for putting in their ardent efforts to create something so unique.

The Characterisation, Human Behavior & Story Arcs

Another knockout factor for Kaala Paani is that amid weaving this incredibly complex storyline, the characterisation is also done with finesse. There is no 'leading actor' because we are dealing with multiple storylines. Each of those has its own journey and ways of being willing to escape from what feels like an eternity of being trapped. And that is where the challenge to write these characters comes in, but boy, are the writers and creators so incredibly clear with their story and endpoint. Almost all characters are given justified arcs to play with, and range through multiple shades of human behavior and the believability of it is fascinating. This comes after immense dedication to the craft of writing and, furthermore, clarity in your vision while weaving a vast canvas like this.

The Real-life Parallels & The Performances

It wasn't entirely clear, but without giving any spoilers, what can be said is that the entire story of Kaala Paani revolves around a fictitious infectious disease that causes an epidemic and, furthermore, lockdowns. Feel familiar? Even though the story is set in the near future (yes, there is a reason for that, too), the fact that we have lived and endured the COVID-19 pandemic - the trials and tribulations that the characters go through almost seem too familiar and eerily reminiscent of the times that aren't too far in the past as of now.

Getting to the performances, in a nutshell., firstly, each and every actor is almost spot-on with their act to absolute precision. The standouts in this long list of ensemble actors are Amey Wagh as SDPO Ketan, Sukant Goel as Chiru, Arushi Sharma as Jyotsana and Radhika Mehrotra as Ritu. It is so amazing to see when women characters are written with such panache, and to see the characters of Jyotsana and Ritu being performed brilliantly by Sharma and Mehrotra, respectively, is just another example of the same. Also, while amazing, Mona Jaswir Singh is in just for a cameo.

The Underwhelming Aspects

When you have a canvas this big, there are bound to be some aspects that might seem a tad underwhelming or kick you out of the world momentarily. That happens here in a few instances, especially when the scene shifting towards the end becomes more and more concise. The endgame for a few characters seems underwhelming and raises a few questions (maybe intentionally). One of the puzzling aspects was the character of Vinayak, who, right at the beginning, seemed like a pivotal and continual part of the show as anyone. Then comes the character of a doctor played by Chinmay Mandelkar - it has one of the most linear and rather straight arcs. And in the end, the cliffhanger, while impactful, seems a little incomplete.

The Verdict

Distinctive, poignant, arduous and an incredible feat with world-building, Kaala Paani is a certain knockout and one of the best shows to have arrived this year. Take a deep dive into this world of Kaala Paani and prepare to be intrigued, entertained and transported.

Rating - **** (4/5)