Shaitaan Haveli

Shaitaan Haveli's is comedian Varun Thakur's parody of the horror movies of the 70's. Is it as entertaining as Varun's stand up acts is the big question. Post Biswa, Sumukhi Suresh, Varun Thakur is the latest comedian to get his own show on Amazon Prime. The show is an out and out comedy. The story revolves around Rahul(Varun Thakur), who is a struggling actor. He lands a supporting role in washed out director Hariman's latest movie. Hariman used to be a successful director, but his movies have been bombing lately. In a bid to save his career & have one last shot at success he convinces a gangster to lend him money for one last movie project. He promises the gangster that he will make a successful movie with his son Monty in the lead. Lured by this offer, the gangster agrees to bankroll Hariman's horror movie. A series of mishaps happen at the shoot. Several people are murdered on the shoot. Monty acting talents or rather the lack of it worries Hariman no end. It now upto Rahul to save the day. While it is not one of the most rib tickling comedies we have seen, it surely is entertaining. Hemant Kumar who plays Monty - the muscled bimbo with a Salman Khan hangover is mad funny. Zahid Ali who plays Mukesh - a pot bellied has been actor is funny. Varun Thakur is convincing in his role. But, he doesn't have the best punchlines. Monty's Salman Khanesque antics will keep you amused. Pippa Hughes who plays Julia - Monty's gf & also acts in the movie, adds some romantic flavor. Kanchan Pagare(Gangu) is funny. The rest of the cast fails to make an impression. The jokes are not as funny as funny as one would expect from a Varun Thakur show. There was ample scope for funny scenes & evoke peals of laughter from the viewers, but the writers fail to do so. While the jokes failed to impress, we binged on the show, thanks to the script. The show is a typical masala entertainer of a web series. Do not watch it with high expectations as far as the comedy department is concerned. It is a good show to watch, post a stressful day.

If Indian audiences understood parodies, this would be a cult film.

The series probably is misunderstood for what it is. It's a parody of the classic Ramsey brother horror movies. The series is self-aware of what it is, and goes meta all the time. On the 1st episode, the conversation between Harriman and his secretary Gangu already lays the groundwork that this series is a homage to classic horror films, and that general audience might not understand it. It's not a Community or It's Always Sunny, by any means, but for an Indian series in this specific genre, it is quite an accomplishment. The show has issues; specifically, the story is not quite coherent. The characters, however, are well-written for what the series is all about, and almost everyone gets a chance to shine. The series is an undiscovered gem, I think.

The show parodies the horror movies of the 80's and does such a good job at it. It is cheesy and outrageous and a lot of fun. I watched it twice and enjoyed it immensely both times. It is an easy show to watch, perfect for binge-ing. I want a season 2.

Bhai hadd kadak hai ye series. Intelligent spoof of 80s horror. All cliches and bad acting are well performed.