Dahan Review: Tisca Chopra's Show Offers An Engaging Facts Vs Superstition Narrative

When IAS officer Avni Raut asks for a transfer to Shilaspura, a small village town in Rajasthan, she doesn't hold a clue as to what awaits her. Cut to the village where a mining project has been put on hold owing to protests by the village residents who are blinded by superstitions and myth; a village which, the inhabitants believe, is haunted by a demon. Will Avni manage to solve this mystery that surrounds Shilaspura, or will she get lost in the blurred lines of rationality and superstition?

Dahan: Raakan Ka Rahasya makes a startling attempt to walk the fine line between fact and superstition. A story set against the backdrop of a cursed land, Dahan will take you for an unexpected ride.

Dahan Review: What's It About?

IAS Avni Raut, played by Tisca Chopra, moves to Shilaspura- a village with a troubled mining project and muddled politics, with a baggage of her own. With the past haunting her, and a new mystery to solve, she goes on an unpredictable ride, and her son Anay (Rohan Joshi ) doesn’t make it any easier for her as he blames his mother for his father’s death. As Raut tries to come to terms with the lawlessness and superstitions that have free reign in the village, a local biggie (Sidharth Bhardwaj) and policeman Bhairon (Mukesh Tiwari) make things even more complicated. The mine’s general manager (Jaimini Pathak) seems to be the only person Raut can trust amidst all the chaos unfolding around her.

Raut, who initially dismisses local customs and beliefs, encounters godman Pramukh (Saurabh Shukla), who is like a messiah for the residents, and the story takes new turns as they together, holding a different set of beliefs, tackle the sorcerer demon
Ridhiyakan- who is the biggest hindrance to the village's mining project.

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How are the performances?

With yet another thrilling performance it won’t be wrong to say that Tisca Chopra has mastered the art of keeping the audience glued to the screen. She is a show stealer, who knows when to step into the spotlight, and then away from it, so that the focus can shift to the plot. There is no role that Saurabh Shukla can’t do justice to. His presence on screen as the priest who fights evil and protects the villagers is worth applauding. Delhi Crime fame actor Rajesh Tailang once again gets the role of a man in uniform, however this time around he plays a head constable named Parimal Singh and manages to ace this character effortlessly. Actor Mukesh Tiwari, known for his comic roles, surprises the viewers with a different role this time as Inspector Bhairon Singh. The cast of the show also includes actors Jamini Pathak, Lehar Khan, Ankur Nayyar, Sidharth Bhardwaj, Rohan Joshi and Pankaj Sharma, who collectively deliver a good performance.

In ">Dahan, writer-director, Vikrant Pawar, challenges the viewer’s assumptions and beliefs at the end of every episode. Writers Shiva Bajpai, Nikhil Nair and Nisarg Mehta successfully manage to keep the plot engaging, keeping alive the element of surprise. The flashbacks to interesting past events, and a subtle warning on climate change is noteworthy too.

While the first episode doesn’t give away a lot, as you reach the middle of the series you’ll find what you’re looking for - thrill beyond a limit, and powerfully so, that for a moment you might question your own rational belief. While the nine-episode-long series seems a bit stretched, the core subject, VFX, thought-provoking dialogues, supernatural content and effortless performances manage to keep you engrossed and challenge you to another level.

The views expressed are the author's own.