I loved Dahaad. It was such a well-made show. You know the culprit and how he operates right from the start. But it's a slow burn to catch him finally. This was Sonakshi's best performance after Lootera. It blows my mind that she has so many trash performances and movies. She's clearly capable of incredible, understated performances.
I think the show captures so many social issues without being over the top and preachy. There is no long patronizing lecture on why religious bias or caste discrimination is wrong. Instead, the message comes through the story.
But man, hats off to Vijay Verma, who pulled off a smarmy but charming villain. He is awful and loathsome, but he just embeds himself so well in society as a respectable man.
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Speaking of the relationship between Sonakshi and her boss, played by Gulshan Devaiah. It reminded me of Mulder and Scully in the early seasons. There is an attraction. But it is superseded by mutual admiration and respect as colleagues. They both share common values, ideals, and approaches to policing. They have candid and open lines of communication and have each other's back. Continually working together will bring them closer.
But there is a big hitch. Mulder and Scully were young single agents without a lot of baggage.
Gulshan's character is unhappily married. He had an arranged marriage and has kids he dotes on. But he has no chemistry or attraction to his wife. The most jarring is that they don't share the same ideals. He wants his daughter to be free and have opportunities, while his wife is more conservative. Naturally, he would be attracted to someone who shares his ideals. But he's a decent person committed to his family and kids, so it will never be.
Sonakshi's character is of a lower caste. There is a lot of resentment and prejudice toward her. There is also the perception that someone of her caste doesn't deserve her authority or stature. Her peers and seniors often hit on her or disrespect her. Naturally, she would be attracted to someone who treats her with equity. But she will never act on it. People already suspect her stature is due to favors. She is very cognizant and determined to stand as her own person and carve out respect, so it will never be.
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