Why Neeraj Pandey chose Kolkata for 'Khakee: Chapter 2'
What's the story
The trailer for the much-anticipated series Khakee: The Bengal Chapter was unveiled in Kolkata on March 5.
The show explores the city's political underbelly, set against a backdrop of art, culture, and cinema.
Showrunner Neeraj Pandey explained his personal connection to Kolkata as a key factor in choosing it as the second season's setting.
Series backdrop
'Khakee: The Bengal Chapter' explores Kolkata's turbulent era
Khakee: The Bengal Chapter is set in the tumultuous 2000s when gang wars and political unrest plagued Kolkata.
The story follows IPS officer Arjun Maitra, played by Jeet, who is determined to break the criminal underworld flourishing in the city.
In a conversation with Mid-Day, Pandey said that his childhood in Kolkata inspired him to set this chapter in the city.
Pandey's personal connect
Pandey promises 'high-stakes drama and nuanced characters'
The director said, "I was born and brought up in Kolkata. This played an important role in me choosing Kolkata for the second chapter in the series."
"The world of Khakee has always been about larger-than-life conflicts, high-stakes drama, and nuanced characters that redefine the lines between good and evil."
The first part of the series was released in November 2022 and starred Karan Tacker and Avinash Tiwary.
Star-studded cast
'Khakee: The Bengal Chapter' unites Bengali cinema's biggest stars
The series stars a stellar cast including Prosenjit Chatterjee, Jeet, Ritwik Bhowmik, Aadil Khan, and Saswata Chatterjee.
Notably, it brings together two of Bengali cinema's biggest stars- Jeet and Prosenjit. When asked about their collaboration, Prosenjit said they were "destined to come together with Khakee."
Series release
'Khakee: The Bengal Chapter' to premiere on Netflix
Directed by Debatma Mandal and Tushar Kanti Ray, Khakee: The Bengal Chapter will premiere on Netflix on March 20.
The series is produced by Friday Storytellers, and the script has been written by Pandey, Mandal, and Samrat Chakroborty.
This upcoming series promises to be a thrilling exploration of Kolkata's past, mixing elements of crime and politics.