Director: Karan Anshuman, Suparn Verma
Cast: Venkatesh Daggubati, Rana Daggubati, Surveen Chawla, Sushant Singh, Abhishek Banerjee, Gaurav Chopra, Rajesh Jais, Ashish Vidyarthi
Where: Netflix
Rating: 1/5 star
I'm not a prude but if only inserting sex scenes and absolute profanity was enough to enhance the prospects of a half-baked script then one might as well subscribe to porn.
Because the latest Netflix feature 'Rana Naidu' starring Telugu cinema's most successful names and off-screen uncle and nephew duo Venkatesh Daggubati and Rana Daggubati is a long, sorry excuse to endure terrible writing and over-the-top performances, over ten episodes, each over 45-50 minutes long.
The very opening scenes of the series in the first episode are gross enough to establish what viewers can expect (or skip) when viewing. Adapted for Indian audiences from the 2013 American crime drama 'Ray Donovan', Daggubati Sr. and Daggubati Jr. reprise the roles of Mickey Donovan and Ray Donovan, essayed by Jon Voight and Liev Schreiber, respectively.
Rana Naidu (Daggubati Jr.) is the suave problem solver for his rich and famous clientele which feature sleazy politicians, famous cricketers and self-absorbed actors. Even as he rushes off with his associates Srini (Adithya Menon) and Laura (Lauren Robinson) at the drop of a hat with enough time to only select a fancy new watch to wear from his collection, he struggles with being available for his own family, much to his wife Naina's (Surveen Chawla) chagrin. He also visits his brothers Tej (Sushant Singh) and Jaffa (Abhishek Banerjee) routinely. His somewhat topsy-turvy world is further capsized with the arrival of his father Naga Naidu (Daggubati Sr.) who has been released from jail having spent 15 years in imprisonment. Their unresolved conflict and underlying resentment is what forms the crux of the show.
Created for India by Karan Anshuman (Inside Edge, Mirzapur fame) and Suparn Verma (The Family Man fame), 'Rana Naidu' seems like an enterprising idea on paper which, if executed with more emphasis towards carving out nuanced character arcs, could've worked like a charm. But the writing itself falters on multiple levels that one has to question if there ever was a writers' meeting held while making this show. Picture this, at a party, celebrated Bollywood actor Prince (Gaurav Chopra) calls himself a lad from Delhi who is being bid farewell to by the Telugu film industry. But, within a few scenes, his character is shown to have been a Hyderabad lad, who made the big Bollywood crossover to Mumbai. So the idea of his origin is skewed. That's not all. You'd find it hard to relate or connect with any of the secondary characters on the show because they are barely given an introductory scene or a few lines to mouth, yet within a minute of their appearance, they're seen romping all around. Some of the conflicts and character developments seem forced to elongate the runtime of the show. For instance, I don't quite get the love story between Rana's daughter Nitya and their neighbour Rehaan, who is very conveniently the Muslim guy from a shady ghetto, aspiring to be a rapper. Because yeah, the makers know a thing or two about the underground rap culture in Mumbai, post 'Gully Boy'. The use of the Dakkini dialect while speaking Hindi in Hyderabad is a relatively new idea for an audience that isn't aware of the lingo. But, you can definitely take a shot for everytime you hear the phrase 'Baigan baataan' which translates to frivolous talk.
The only characters you'd feel a sense of empathy towards are Tej and Jaffa. Singh and Banerjee play their respective parts infusing vulnerability and menace in equal measure. But for them, none of the actors leave a lasting impression. Chopra as Prince is unbearable. Rajesh Jais playing a hallucinated politician OB Mahajan doesn't get a tied up end to his story. Ashish Vidyarthi as Rana's uncle and Naga's elder brother does manage to liven the proceedings with a menacing cameo but it wears out soon enough.
It's a pity that the makers would risk the popularity and respect earned by its primary heroes with a product that is so vapid and empty in its credentials. Yet, Venkatesh manages to hold your attention with his foul-mouthed Hyderabadi ways, despite his character being an absolute jerk. The funniest contradiction to his character is that he calls himself a feminist even though he would rate his wives based on their cooking and pleasing skills. Rana is given a stone-faced, emotionless arc to hold onto, but by the time he reveals much more beneath those layers, you've reached the end of the 9th episode.
With cusswords and sexually explicit scenes hitting you like a ton of bricks, you'd have to wonder how 'Rana Naidu' was approved for viewing despite 'College Romance', a relatively harmless show about youngsters, facing a legal notice from the Delhi High Court for 'obscene and vulgar' language.
If you'd want to upgrade your Hyderabadi lingo, 'Rana Naidu' is now streaming on Netflix. Pro tip: Keep an aspirin handy.
