Killer Soup

Directed by Abhishek Chaubey, "The Killer Soup," a Netflix India Original, brings a dark comedy crime thriller to the streaming platform, starring Manoj Bajpayee and Konkona Sen Sharma in lead roles. Set in the fictional hill station of Mainjur, Tamil Nadu, the film unfolds a gripping tale of deception, doppelgangers, and culinary conspiracies.

This movie, by its very nature, caters to a niche audience-those who appreciate the nuances of dark comedy, crime thrillers, and art films. The plot, revolving around an aspiring yet talentless home chef, Swathi (Konkona Sen Sharma), and her elaborate plan to replace her husband, Prabhakar Shetty (Manoj Bajpayee), with his squint-eyed doppelganger, is both slow-paced and captivating. The story's strength lies not only in the leads but also in the supporting cast, which contributes significantly to the film's overall impact.

Manoj Bajpayee, in a double role, manages to maintain a delicate balance, but the performance might feel different from what audiences have come to expect from the versatile actor. Nassr, playing the role of senior police inspector Hassan, steals the show with a stellar performance, especially when dealing with the death of a rookie officer, ASI Thupalli, portrayed by Anbuthasan, who showcases remarkable acting skills that deserve recognition.

Sayaji Shinde as Arvind Shetty, Prabhakar's elder brother, delivers another memorable performance, reaffirming his status as a go-to choice for characters with Marathi/South Indian don shades. Anula Navlekar as Apeksha "Appu" Shetty surprises with her acting prowess, adding a delightful twist to the movie.

"The Killer Soup" may not be everyone's cup of tea, but for those who appreciate the genre, it serves as a testament to the potential of such concepts in mainstream cinema. The film prompts viewers to question why more narratives like this aren't explored in the broader film landscape, making it a standout for aficionados of dark comedy and crime thrillers.

2024 started with a bang for all the TV series enthusiasts and movie lovers, with the perfect intro of this series. Manoj sir at its best, doing something very unique this time. The story revolves around a wife who wants to own a restaurant someday but her husband does not support her. What did she do to get her dreams fulfilled, and did she win in all the chaos? The cinematography is beautiful, with powerful dialogues, and each and every episode, keeps you on the edge of the seat. Konkona did so well, like she always does and all other supporting actors also played their part well. A really good mystery thriller with a satisfactory end. Recommended.

Show intended to be a Dark Comedy Thriller including a series of murders and one thing leading to another and to another but the weak script and average acting(poor in some cases) took the show to nowhere. It has it's moments but couldn't lift up show's genre game. Didn't expect such below the mark acting from legends like Manoj Bajpai and a refined actress like Konkana Sen Sharma. The events of story sometimes feel like made up and predictable. I intended to finish it in one go but failed to do so even after fast forwarding through some dull and clippable moments of the show. Easily avoidable to save your precious time.

Killer Soup, an eight course delectable experience, served up by Netflix is a concoction of dark humor and mystery. The show will leave you satisfied and uneasy in equal measure.

Swathi a novice cook with dubious cooking skills and equally questionable morals finds herself in literal pickle when her misadventures with her husband's (Prabhar) doppelganger Umesh goes awry. Prabhakar's discovery of Swathi's affair also leads to his demise, upon which Swathi decides to swap him for Umesh with slight adjustment to Umesh's configurations. How the two then try to fulfill their ambitions while at the same time attempt to cover their tracks fraught with moral and ethical dilemmas serves as the basic premise of the series.

The show is replete with stellar performances from the cast. Konkona Sen Sharma immaculately portrays the desperation and wickedness of Swathi. Manoj Bajpayee is in his usual best masterfully depicting the brashness of Prabhakar and excels as a loyalty laden partner in crime Umesh. Sayaji Shinde shines as an arrogant, foul mouthed patriarch with little clue as to what his sister in law and daughter are brewing.

The series ably keeps the viewers guessing regarding what will transpire. However, like a cook in haste, it does muck up a few details. Some of the progression, especially that of Inspector Hassan seem quite convenient. The constant appearance of Thupalli as a guiding voice of Hassan will ultimately get to your nerves.

Overall, Killer Soup is a worthwhile mix of thrill, dark humor and mystery. It does become a slow simmer on a couple of occasions but you will be satiated in the end. It may not be everybody's cup of tea but will delight any dark humor connoisseurs.

Another series from India which is becoming a trend, a Bollywood equivalent of Indian OTT series, with typical elements of quirky characters played by good actors/actresses, swearing laden dialogues, twists and turns which stop raising curiosity after the 2/3rd twists, and try to lace the series with dark humor throughout.

The formula's individual elements sound interesting but it doesn't work just by mixing all of these together and hoping it makes an interesting watch. It doesn't. It becomes as bland as the paya soup shown in the series.

The fundamental elements of movie making, a good story, a good script, meaningful elements of humor etc. Etc., basically the ART part of movie making, cant be created through formula.

This is another OTT series, which even if you watch the entire series, which by the way will need enormous patience, you will forget about it in another week's time. Definitely worth a miss for any intelligent viewer, even for casual watch.

Regarding story, acting, or anything else nothing worth a mention, quite pedestrian overall.