Director: Homi Adajania
Cast: Dimple Kapadia, Radhika Madan, Isha Talwar, Angira Dhar, Varun Mitra, Ashish Verma, Udit Arora, Deepak Dobriyal, Jimit Trivedi, Monica Dogra and Naseeruddin Shah
Where: Disney + Hotstar
Rating: 3.5 stars
A hilarious yet tense dining table scene in the second episode of 'Saas, Bahu Aur Flamingo' is enough to give you a sense of just how eccentric is the vision of Homi Adajania. Helming show runner duties for this gritty, gory entertainer, the filmmaker, known for quirky theatrical outings since his debut with 'Being Cyrus' in 2006, deploys the creative freedom that digital allows, to deliver the most bingeable show witnessed on streaming, in a while.
Set in the sandy and fictional town of Runjh in Rann Pradesh (clearly indicative of the borders between Rajasthan and Gujarat), 'Saas, Bahu Aur Flamingo' is the tale of Rani Baa (Dimple Kapadia), a no-nonsense matriarch who rules her queendom. In the guise of her collective Rani Co-operative, she runs the most dreaded drug cartel that produces and exports a rare drug named Flamingo that invites the wrath of competing druglords and the law alike. How she runs this with her daughter Shanta (Radhika Madan) and daughters-in-law Bijli (Isha Talwar) and Kajal (Angira Dhar) while the quartet deals with their own demons, is what the show entails.
Written by Karan Vyas, Saurav Dey, Nandini Gupta and Aman Mannan, the show begins on a shaky note in establishing its premise. But, once it falls in place, the surprises come flying onto your face, one after the other. Shot exquisitely, you experience the feeling of having lived in and around the settings, the show is based in. From Rani's arresting palatial mansion to the Monk's (played by an exceptionally fearful Deepak Dobriyal) hatchment in the mountainous North-East, the narrative knows how to transport you, while you stay within the confines of your screens. The production and costume design are reminiscent of what we saw in director Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Goliyon Ki Raas Leela: Ram Leela', with women adorned in silver jewellery and ethnic tattoos. Much of the show's heavy-lifting is done due to its razor-sharp writing with zingers springing up and about, even as the characters engage in heated exchanges.
Speaking about its performances. Adajania knows how to exact one from Kapadia, given that the duo have given us some incredible work together with 'Being Cyrus', 'Cocktail ' (2012) and Finding Fanny' (2014). Kapadia sinks her teeth into playing the dreaded matriarch who nurtures a broken heart and a bruised ego, with gusto. She is ably complimented by Madan, Dhar and Talwar. While Madan as Shanta is casual and laidback dealing with her own heartbreak, Dhar as Kajal is feisty and unapologetically brazen. But, my favourite performance has to be Talwar's as Bijli. Playing the much placid woman in the household, Talwar brings in an unusual amount of nonchalance to her character that makes Bijli more intriguing. Maintaining a straight face while she guards her secret, Bijli is why you remain deeply invested in the show. Since, this is a woman's world (thankfully), the men (Varun Mitra, Ashish Verma and Udit Arora) have precious little to do. But, Verma particularly stands out as the entitled and oversmart airhead. Naseeruddin Shah appears in an important and crucial cameo, details of which are best left unsaid. Jimit Trivedi (notably seen in '102 Not Out') adds an interesting layer to the part of a hapless policeman, who is tasked with tracing the whereabouts of Rani's drug cartel.
Not one for the faint-hearted, 'Saas, Bahu Aur Flamingo' is brutal (to the point of triggering and grotesque, if I may add). But, it's also a rare celebration of women who are powerful, sassy and aware of what they want.
Add this to your watch lists, this weekend.
