Khakee: The Bengal Chapter

Khakee: The Bengal Chapter, directed by Debatma Mondal, boasts an ensemble cast featuring Tollywood superstars Prasenjit Chatterjee and Jeet, along with acting stalwart Saswata Chatterjee, Ritwick Bhowmik, Adil Khan, Chitrangada Singh, Mimoh, and ace actor Subhashis Mukhopadhyay, among many other familiar character actors. The series starts off slowly, drawing the audience in with its compelling narrative, and maintains an engaging pace until the penultimate episode. However, the final episode and climax feel rushed, detracting from the buildup.

Adil Khan and Prasenjit Chatterjee deliver exceptional performances, elevating the overall impact of the show. On the other hand, Jeet's character, a regular cop, feels underwhelming, offering little more than a standard role. Saswata Chatterjee's portrayal of Bagha is well-written and has strong potential, but disappointingly, his character is sidelined after the first episode. Parambrata's cameo, unfortunately, goes to waste, lacking any meaningful contribution to the plot.

Sagor Talukdar and Ranjit Thakur's characters emerge as the saving grace, bringing some much-needed depth to the series. While the show attempts to explore the darker side of the Left rule through fictional elements, it conspicuously avoids directly addressing the current ruling party, which is embroiled in multiple scandals and controversies. Hopefully, Khakee: The Bengal Chapter

season 2 will take a more daring approach, offering a more candid portrayal of the current political climate, filled with scams, scandals, and political violence.

An engaging narrative paired with outstanding performances from the lead cast! Jeet, Prosenjit, Saswata, and Parambrata truly demonstrated why they are in the industry for such a long time. The development of the relationship between Ritwik Bhowmik and Adil Khan throughout the series was particularly captivating, with both actors delivering exceptional performances across all seven episodes. However, the character of Chitrangada Singh could have benefited from further refinement. The screenplay and cinematography fell short, lacking the authentic Kolkata atmosphere. On a positive note, casting Bengali actors greatly enhanced the dialogue delivery, avoiding the poor Bengali accents and clichés often seen in recent Bollywood productions.

It has been quite a while since I indulged myself in a political/crime thriller coming from Netflix, and this show truly stands out, brimming with grit, intensity, and an abundance of raw energy.

From the very first scene of the inaugural episode, the groundwork was neatly laid, with their schemes outlined and intentions as transparent as daylight.

The narrative unfolds at a respectable pace, skillfully attending to each of the major characters and their unique arcs and growth.

What I particularly find impressive is that the script remains unwaveringly focused on its central theme, effectively portraying the dark underbelly of Kolkata back in 2000's, rife with thugs and their unrelenting criminal activities.

Moreover, the performances delivered by the whole cast were so compelling that I often found myself totally engrossed in the unfolding drama, losing the track of time and forgetting that these were merely characters born from someone's imagination.

Having said that I wished for a better finale, my one and only complaint about the show, particularly the last episode, which failed to deliver a satisfactory conclusion, leaving me underwhelmed.

Khakee: The Bengal Chapter is an 2025 Indian crime thriller television series created by Neeraj Pandey. It stars Jeet, Prosenjit Chatterjee, Parambrata Chatterjee and Chitrangada Singh in leading roles. Created by Neeraj Pandey and directed by Debatma Mandal and Tushar Kanti Ray, it marks the web series debut of Jeet. 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. With Khakee: The Bengal Chapter, we take this intensity to a new level. Set against the vivid backdrop of Kolkata, this chapter delves into gripping power struggles and follows a relentless IPS officer who dares to challenge the system. The entire ensemble cast has delivered exceptional performances, ensuring that Khakee: The Bengal Chapter is an evolution of the beloved narrative.

Khakee - The Bengal Chapter is a good watch, but it falls short in some areas. The story is engaging, and the acting is top-notch, especially Aadil Zafar Khan and Prosenjit Chatterjee, who shine in their roles. However, the ending is too predictable and overly dramatic, making it feel like a South Indian action movie where the hero, Jeet, is untouchable.

Talented actors like Saswata and Parambrata were underused, which is disappointing. The setting of 2002 Kolkata didn't feel authentic, with editing mistakes like a hoarding of Mamata Banerjee, who wasn't CM back then. Compared to the Bihar Chapter, this one lacks realism and strong storytelling.

Despite its flaws, the show is entertaining. It's worth a watch. I'd rate it 7/10.