Web Series: Guns & GUlaabs
Rating: 2.75/5
Cast: Dulquer Salmaan, Rajkummar Rao, Gulshan Devaiah, Pooja Gor and Adarsh Gourav
Director: Raj & DK
Streaming On: Netflix
Release Date: 18th August, 2023
Story: The crime comedy Guns & Gulabs is set in the 1990s in the fictional town named Gulabganj. The plot line tends to revolve around the Opium which grows in the fields near the area and it is required in big quantities by a crime syndicate in Kolkata. The lives of Tipu (Rajkumar Rao), a lover who also is out for revenge, Arjun (Dulquer Salmaan), an ethical narcotic officer, Ganchi Sr. (Satish Kaushik), and Jr. (Adarsh Gaurav), local gang leaders dealing with the Kolkata mafia, have been interrelated with exceptional circumstances and how all these characters end up is the rest of the story.
Analysis:
Raj & DK, the minds behind the well known series like The Family Man, and Farzi, have made Guns & Gulaabs. This time they try to make a dark crime comedy series. One would have a general understanding of Raj & DK’s approach and style if they had seen their earlier works. So this one is also not an exception. Everything is set up perfectly and expectations are made clear in the first episode.
The love story between Tipu and Chandra and the subplot involving school kids were very predictable. The actors manage to make the proceedings work in the former track while the latter just stays at the surface. The main gangster and mafia track involving the Narcotics Division and Opium is regular. It works partly and uses cliched twists.
The setting and writing parts work well for the series as they were able to draw the interest despite all the predictability at the display. Despite all the problems, the narrative makes the viewers wait to see where the story goes and what surprises are in store at the end. The final two episodes are bang on with perfect twists. Along with the artists, the music and all the technical aspects came well for the series. The 90’s backdrop also worked very well as it added depth and authenticity to the characters and scenes.
Performances: Dulquer Salmaan does the job with perfection though his character does not have much power after a nice introduction. Rajkummar Rao is the show stealer with his perfect and honest performance. Though he has played these kind roles earlier he was able to bring life into the Tipu’s character. Gulshan Devaiah gave a superb performance. TJ Bhanu, Pooja Gor were fine while Adarsh Gourav was impressive. Late Satish Kaushik was apt while all other actors including the kids were appropriate.
Plus Points:
- Casting and Performances
- Writing
- Final Two Episodes
Minus Points:
- Predictable Narration
- Unexciting Sub Plots
Verdict:
Overall, Guns & Gulaabs is an exciting show because of the cast and backdrop, but the predictability in the narration is the main problem. One can binge watch the series as the actors and writing make it a decent watch.
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