'Adhura' review: Ishwak Singh, Rasika Dugal make it must-watch series
Love supernatural thrillers? If yes, then Amazon Prime Video's latest series Adhura, which dropped late on Thursday, should be on your list. Starring Ishwak Singh and Rasika Dugal, it has every ingredient that is required to make a thrilling horror series. At no point does the story or the acting, goes overboard, making it for a perfect weekend watch. Read our review.
A reunion that digs open old graves, quite literally
Adhura revolves around a prestigious boarding school nestled in the hills of Ooty. The boys of the 2007 batch return to their alma mater for a school reunion. Right before their arrival, supernatural activities begin to take place, involving a seven-year-old kid, named Vedant. Little do the boys (now men) know that everything is connected to their past as the mystery begins to unravel.
Singh and Dugal deliver their best
Singh has already set a benchmark for himself after delivering critically-acclaimed performances in Pataal Lok and Rocket Boys. Dugal's work needs no introduction either. They masterly expressed guilt and remorse through each scene with ease and conviction. It wouldn't be wrong to say that they're the best actors in the OTT world. It is these two stars who make it a must-watch series.
Shrenik Arora is the breakout star of the series
In all honesty, if there is one person who outshined every other star in the series, it's Shrenik Arora. The child actor plays a quiet kid who is bullied once the lights are turned off in the hostel. His acting of a bullied and scared child will move you. What I truly loved was his equation with Dugal.
The writing is fresh with twists and surprises
Adhura is a seven-part series, with each episode being at least 40 minutes in length. With every episode, the writers have ensured to keep the audience hooked, and on the edge. It has its share of chills but is more of a thriller than a horror. It may initially come off as predictable but will eventually take you by surprise.
Some characters were under developed
The show's key actors are Singh, Dugal, Arora, Rahul Dev, Poojan Chhabra, and Arjun Deswal. While the focus is largely on these stars, some other characters who are crucial to the plot, haven't been developed to their full capacity. Since web series allow creators to have more time in establishing each character, it seems like this is where the show lacked to an extent.
A perfect monsoon watch!
The gloominess of the monsoon season and the genre of Adhura is what makes the series a must-watch for the weekend. Series directors Ananya Banerjee and Gauravv K Chawla have done a fine job. The background score is a win for the genre. But there was a scope for better editing; it could have been crispier. Verdict: It gets 3.5 stars out of 5.
