Naxalbari is a crime thriller centered around the Naxal movement in Gadchiroli in Maharashtra; a location that has witnessed some gory encounters in recent times. The series is directed by Partho Mitra - a veteran with a fairly accomplished body of works primarily in television. Partho's choice of name is interesting as Naxalbari is the village in west Bengal from which the first armed Naxal offensive started in the late sixties - a movement that had strong ideological reasons for its beginning, got phenomenal support from urban left leaning intellectuals and also made significant inroads into the academia.
The "atrocities & exploitation" by the "people in power" on the tribals and the consequent support to them from intellectuals across all walks of urban society has been the raison d'etre of the armed uprising(s) time and again - which is what forms the backdrop of this series as well. What however works well for Naxalbari is the very realistic characterization(s), extremely relatable screenplays and the deft twists-n-turns in the plot that keeps one veritably engaged.
The series features Rajeev Khandelwal in the lead as Raghav - a Special Task Force cop - sharp & committed - but not without the frailties and flaws of a human. Rajeev, who first rose to fame for the portrayal of the chocolate boy hero - Sujal Garewal in Kahiin to Hoga, over the years, has grown up phenomenally as an actor. Naxalbari will clearly rank as one of his top performances till date, along side Amir, Shaitan, Soundtrack et al and clearly redeems him after a not so great "Cold Lassi & Chicken Masala" and eminently forgettable "Ateet" which released earlier this year.
The rest of the cast has done ample justice to their roles as well. Tina Datta as Raghav's live-in partner hits the right notes at all stages of the twists and turns. Sreejita De, Satyadeep Mishra, Shakti Anand as a naxal activists live their characters with elan despite minimal dialogues. Aamir Ali, the CEO of the mining company being set up by the industrial house of Sisodias, in the forests, is the only disappointment of sorts, in my opinion. However, one could well argue that his deadpan face in abject contradiction to his shrewd mind is a well architected part of the directorial ploy.
The background score by Paresh shah is adequately engaging and the recurring lyrics "Anth hee Prarambh Hai" in the differential octave creates quite an impact. A good part of the action scenes have been shot in the forests with fantastic use of the light and shadow; keeps one thoroughly engaged.
I liked Naxalbari for the fact that it does not attempt to take any ideological sides and instead painstakingly brings forth the thoughts and strategies on either side and the gory denouement that gradually unfolds, which is probably what has happened every time in the history of this movement!
When the web series starts, a large convoy of minister and policemen are blown to pieces up by the Naxals and we, the audience gear up to see the unfolding of a poetic justice - BUT - by the time the series ends following a fierce shootout and a "thought through" killing of a specific Naxal activist by Raghav, you are no longer so sure of what is "justice". One if forced to sit back and come to terms with the enormous complexity of the Naxal situation today and probably just resign oneselves to sympathizing with people on both sides who keep getting sucked into this bloody turmoil.
Naxalbari makes for a riveting watch and if you come from one of the Naxal affected areas also makes you sir back and think if it has all been an evolving byproduct vested political interests!
