Sankalp Review: Nana Patekar Powers Prakash Jha’s Political Chessboard, But the Game Takes Its Time

Sankalp

Streaming- Amazon MX Player

Cast: Nana Patekar, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Sanjay Kapoor, Neeraj Kabi, Kubbra Sait & Others

Director: Prakash Jha

Rating: 3/5 stars

Prakash Jha has spent decades exploring the dark corridors of politics on screen. From gritty films about power struggles to stories about corruption and ambition, he has rarely stepped away from this world. With Sankalp, now streaming on Amazon MX Player, the filmmaker returns to familiar territory, but this time he places the battlefield inside classrooms, coaching centres and bureaucratic offices rather than election rallies.

The series opens on a curious and unsettling note. A cheerful celebration is suddenly cut short when an ambulance arrives carrying two bodies. The mood shifts instantly from festivity to dread. What happened? Who died? And why?

Instead of answering those questions immediately, the narrative travels six months back. Over ten episodes, the story slowly walks the viewer through the events that led to that chilling moment. It’s a structure built on suspense, but it is also a patient one. The show prefers to reveal its secrets piece by piece. At its core, Sankalp is less about elections and more about the machinery that quietly shapes power in India.

When Classrooms Become Political Battlefields

The central figure of the series is Kanhaiyalal, also known as Ma’at Saheb, played by Nana Patekar. He is not a politician in the traditional sense. Instead, he is an educator based in Patna who runs a gurukul-style school along with a UPSC coaching centre in Delhi.

Over the years, many of his students have gone on to become IAS, IPS and IRS officers. They now occupy influential government positions across the country. Yet their loyalty still lies with the man who trained them. Ma’at Saheb believes that real power lies in shaping the minds that run the system. Elections may decide governments, but bureaucrats run the country day after day. By guiding young minds and placing them strategically within the administrative structure, he builds a silent network of influence.

Opposing him are powerful figures in Delhi’s political establishment. Chief among them is Prashant Singh, the Chief Minister of Delhi, played by Sanjay Kapoor. His trusted ally is Waqar, portrayed by Neeraj Kabi, a calculating political strategist. Their rivalry with Ma’at Saheb is not new. The three men share a complicated past filled with ambition, betrayal and unresolved grievances. What begins as a quiet ideological conflict slowly grows into a full-fledged political chess match. And in the middle of this battle stands IPS officer Aditya Verma, played by Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub. Once Ma’at Saheb’s most devoted student, Aditya finds himself questioning the mentor he once idolised.

The Mentor and the Rebel

One of the most compelling aspects of Sankalp is the evolving relationship between Ma’at Saheb and Aditya. Initially, their bond feels almost sacred. Ma’at Saheb is the guiding force behind Aditya’s career, shaping him intellectually and morally. Aditya respects him deeply and trusts his judgement. But as the story progresses, cracks begin to appear.

Aditya slowly realises that his mentor’s influence may not be entirely noble. The line between guidance and control starts to blur. Is Ma’at Saheb building a better system, or simply constructing his own empire through loyal disciples? The tension between the two characters becomes the emotional core of the series. It is essentially a clash between obedience and independence, between loyalty and self-belief.

While the show promises a dramatic confrontation between the mentor and the student, the build-up sometimes feels more interesting than the payoff. Their conflict simmers throughout the narrative, but the final eruption doesn’t quite deliver the storm viewers might expect.

A Plot Filled With Twists… and Some Loose Threads

Prakash Jha fills Sankalp with plenty of storylines. Alongside the central rivalry, there are several subplots involving political scandals, media controversies, NGOs and mysterious funding trails.

One trigger point in the narrative comes when a young vlogger named Jayanti publicly questions Chief Minister Prashant Singh during a political event. Her sharp remarks embarrass him in front of the media. Soon after, his son loses his temper and lashes out, making matters worse.

As Prashant Singh and Waqar dig deeper, they discover that Jayanti is connected to an NGO based in Patna. That connection eventually leads them toward Ma’at Saheb’s world. There are other narrative twists, too. These elements keep the story moving, but not all of them feel fully developed. At times the writing seems more interested in introducing new shocks than in carefully resolving the ones already present. Still, the pace remains brisk enough to keep viewers engaged, even when the storytelling gets a little messy.

Prakash Jha’s Familiar Political Universe

If you’ve watched Prakash Jha’s earlier work, the tone of Sankalp will feel instantly recognisable. The world he creates is one where morality rarely exists in clear black and white shades. Almost every character carries some darkness within them. Ambition, manipulation and ideological battles dominate the narrative. The show also explores themes that Jha often returns to: power structures, corruption, social inequality and the complex relationship between politics and education.

Interestingly, Sankalp draws loose inspiration from the legendary partnership between Chanakya and Chandragupta Maurya. In that ancient story, a teacher shapes a young leader who eventually builds an empire. Here, the idea is reimagined in a modern setting. Instead of kings and kingdoms, the battlefield involves bureaucrats, politicians and institutional influence. However, while the concept is intriguing, the series doesn’t always dive as deeply into these ideas as it could have.

Performances That Keep the Show Afloat

Where Sankalp truly finds strength is in its performances. Nana Patekar commands the screen as Ma’at Saheb. The actor doesn’t rely on loud theatrics. Instead, he plays the character with quiet authority. His calm expressions and measured dialogue delivery create an aura of power around him. Ma’at Saheb is both fascinating and unsettling. At times he appears like a visionary mentor, and at others like a manipulative puppet master. Nana captures that ambiguity beautifully.

Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub delivers a sincere performance as Aditya Verma. His character carries the emotional weight of the story, and Ayyub portrays the inner conflict convincingly.

Neeraj Kabi is another standout. As Waqar, he brings a subtle intensity that makes the character quietly intimidating. Every time he appears on screen, the tension rises.

Sanjay Kapoor also adds energy as the hot-headed Chief Minister Prashant Singh. His portrayal of a volatile politician gives the series some of its more dramatic moments.

Kubbra Sait, Meghna Malik and Kranti Prakash Jha contribute effectively to the supporting cast, though some of their characters could have used more depth.

The Mid-Season Dip

While the series starts on a gripping note, it does struggle slightly around the halfway mark. After the first four or five episodes, the narrative slows down. Several scenes repeat the same ideas without moving the plot forward significantly. This stretch can feel a bit repetitive.

The story picks up again later, but the dip in momentum is noticeable. Another issue lies in the climax. After building so many layers of conflict, the final resolution feels somewhat underwhelming. The emotional payoff doesn’t quite match the scale of the build-up. Yet, interestingly, the show never becomes boring enough to abandon completely. Even when it falters, curiosity keeps you watching.

The Final Verdict

Sankalp is an imperfect but intriguing political drama. It raises interesting questions about power, influence and the unseen forces that shape governance. The idea that a teacher could quietly build a network of loyal bureaucrats is a fascinating one.

However, the series occasionally struggles to make its premise feel fully convincing. Some plot twists appear too convenient, and certain characters disappear without proper closure.

It may not be the filmmaker’s most powerful work, but it remains watchable, thought-provoking and occasionally gripping. And despite its flaws, you’ll probably stay till the final episode just to see how this complicated game of power finally unfolds.