Review: 'Hush Hush' weaves an intriguing premise but the personal stories of characters connect the most

Hush Hush

"The journey towards finding an answer is more important than the answer itself" - mouths Soha Ali Khan's character in the show in reference to another character saying it and it couldn't be more true for Hush Hush.

If you would have told anyone a few years ago that an all female-led cast with big names and a large scale was ever gonna happen, the person would have mentioned that to be a distant dream. However, courtesy the ever-growing viewership surrounding OTT, this is now a reality as we are presented with some of the finest female talents that this country has in an ensemble, Hush Hush on Amazon Prime Video.

Having seen all the episodes before hand, here's what I thought of it-

Backstories Galore

Set in the urban setting primarily, there is an array of characters here and it is almost impossible to touch upon each and everyone's personal story. But what Hush Hush does really well is that inspite of a crowded cast, almost everyone is given a decent, if not the best backstory. The overarching theme of the series is it being a whodunit coupled with being a thriller but everyone has their personal demons to deal with. The most effective one has to be that of Kritika Kamra and Karishma Tanna's. On one hand, you witness Kamra's character struggling in a failing marriage and her spat with in-laws while on the other hand, Tanna's character of the investigating cop belongs to the middle class and has a secret that she is proud of but cannot be open about it.

Touching upon all the topics possible

One can clearly see the difference when a female filmmaker directs a female ensemble. The integrity, respect and rawness that only a female can understand that of another female is depicted masterfully by creator and director, Tanuja Chandra. Be it the concept of infertility, failing marriage, infidelity on one hand to extreme topics like approach towards orphans, human trafficking and even sexual orientation, it is almost too much to deal with but when done right, it turns out to be a treat. In Hush Hush, the mystery and psychological aspect of the main topic in hand is engaging but it is the plethora of personal stories that connect a lot more than the others in essence.

The Performances and Standouts

In such a dreamy ensemble cast, one can only expect brilliance! Everyone in the show do their jobs well as one would think but to me, the former 'TV women' are the ones who stand out from the rest along with Shahana Goswami. If you are wondering who am I talking about, it is Kritika Kamra and Karishma Tanna. Kamra actually has the meatiest role in every possible way and she delivers with flying colors. Every emotion the actor portrays is done with finesse. And on the other hand, to many, Tanna might be a 'pleasant surprise' but to me and a few others, she is just getting her due as a fantastic actor. As the investigating officer, she is in top form. There is no unwanted swagger to her character but she still appears to be commanding and authoritative. And the secret in question attached to her allows her to portray more shades in which she excels. And of course, the ever reliable Shahana Goswami is once again a treat to watch.

Ayesha Jhulka

In the rest of the cast, it isn't that the likes of Juhi Chawla and Soha Ali Khan give a bad performance but they are underwhelming with several scenes and just cannot one to connect with them like we do with others. The pleasant surprise though was a returning Ayesha Jhulka. If one had forgotten her acting chops, she makes a stellar return and has done a fine job.

The Underwhelming Aspects

I was hopeful and had my fingers crossed after I was done watching six episodes that the finale doesn't disappoint. However, my hopes came crashing down as the finale was undoubtedly one of the most underwhelming conclusions to a series I have seen in recent times. It isn't about the big reveal here but it seems like the writers, who were doing a brilliant job weaving the story for six good episodes completely lost the plot and went into overdrive with unwanted parallels. The finale disappoints so much so that you are left perplexed and with burning questions. It has an intended cliffhanger and that is fine but it seems in an attempt to have this show return for a new season from the get go, they compromised on the culmination of the presented storylne.

The Verdict

The disheartening finale aside, Hush Hush is still a pretty good show with a dream ensemble female all-stars engaged in a world of mystery, deceit, and testing relationships.

Rating - ***1/2 (3.5/5)