Kunal Karan Kapoor in Vootselect - "The RAIKAR Case" - Page 9

The Raikar Case trailer: A gripping edge-of-the-seat thriller in the offering

The trailer of Voot Select's upcoming web series The Raikar Case is out. The thriller is backed by an able cast, including actors like Atul Kulkarni, Neil Bhoopalam, Ashwini Bhave, Parul Gulati, Kunal Karan Kapoor and others.

The trailer of Voot Select’s upcoming web series The Raikar Case is out. The thriller is backed by an able cast, including actors like Atul Kulkarni, Neil Bhoopalam, Ashwini Bhave, Parul Gulati, Kunal Karan Kapoor and others.

Helmed by Aditya Sarpotdar, The Raikar Case narrates the story of a family which on the surface is a happy Indian family that lives together. But, lies and dark secrets start to unfold when the youngest member of the family Tarun commits suicide and blames the family for his death.

Neil Bhoopalam is the investigating police officer John trying to find out if it was a murder or suicide. He is supported by Etasha Raikar (Parul Gulati). While every Raikar claims to be innocent, there are loopholes in each of their stories and each one of them have a motive to kill as well. Now, if the Raikar family will come together in the testing time or will they turn against each other, remains to be seen. However, from the look of it, The Raikar Case appears to be an edge-of-the-seat thriller that will keep the viewers hooked throughout its seven episodes.

It also claims to be inspired by true events.

The drama thriller, written by Bijesh Jayarajan and Anaitha Nair and produced by Bodhi Tree Productions will start streaming from April 9 on Voot Select.

https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/the-raikar-case-trailer-voot-select-atul-kulkarni-neil-bhoopalam-6347184/

Kunal Karan Kapoor: I Have Always Wanted To Be A Director More Than An Actor

Kunal Karan Kapoor shares his acting and directorial ambitions as he faces the camera for The Raikar Case after a two-year hiatus.

“I have always wanted to be a director more than an actor,” says Kunal Karan Kapoor, taking us by surprise. After all, his résumé — with popular shows like Left Right Left, Pratigya and Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha — suggests otherwise. Almost two years since his last outing, Woh Apna Sa, the actor and aspiring director has faced the camera again for Voot Select’s The Raikar Case.

“I was called for the audition, and I loved the part,” begins the actor. The engaging plot of the thriller aside, Kapoor says that he had another reason to come on board the show. “I have always admired Atul Kulkarni’s body of work, and wanted to collaborate with him. He is an institution in acting. It was a dream come true.”

Besides learning Konkani for the series that is set in Goa, the actor had to lose weight for the role. A foodie at heart, he laughs, “For two months, I did not eat rice, roti or carbs. It drove me crazy, especially since we were shooting in Goa and [everyone was] bonding over food.” There has been buzz that the thriller is similar to the 2014 drama, Laut Aao. “While I haven’t seen that show, the treatment of TV shows and web series are very different. This family thriller will keep audiences guessing.”

And what about his directorial dreams? “I utilised the past two years venturing into other aspects of filmmaking. My last project was to make videos for the Indian Nightclub Convention Awards.”

7 April 2020 -  By Letty Mariam Abraham

https://www.mid-day.com/articles/kunal-karan-kapoor-i-have-always-wanted-to-be-a-director-more-than-an-actor/22717249

The Raikar Case web series review: A heady concoction of scandal, shock and suspicion in this teasing whodunit

The youngest member of an extremely wealthy and influential business family, coveting political ambitions, has allegedly committed suicide, but the police investigation reveals it to be a murder case, which opens a can of worms and exposes several skeletons in the closet of each family member, with no one being able to be ruled out as a suspect

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Indian films have served up some great murder mysteries. However, a scant few like Director Vijay Anand's starring Shammi Kapoor and Asha Parekh, Director Raja Nawathe's Gumnaam, starring Manoj Kumar and Nanda, Director Rajiv Rai's Gupt, starring Bobby Deol and Kajol, and Director Yash Chopra's Ittefaq, starring Rajesh Khanna and Nanda again, really ensconed the virtues of a classic whodunit. For the uninitiated, a whodunit is a murder mystery where suspicion simultaneously hovers over several characters, with the Director taking us on a guessing game we enjoy, which automatically disqualifies other great suspense films like AndhaDhun or Jewle Thief.

However, we've never had a TV show or web series hinged on such a premise, with Director Basu Chatterjee's Byomkesh Bakshi that ran in the 90s (and is being rerun amidst lockdown) being the closest that comes to mind, though only a couple of episodes ever followed the whodunit pattern. In such a scenario, it's both refreshing to see the new web series, The Raikar Case (I was fortunate to watch it in its entirety before the official release), traverse this path, and stimulating to experience how well it pulls it off given how difficult it is to keep an audience engaged around a whodunit premise due to how easy it is for attention to waver as the creators attempt to confuse us without making us feel silly.

Scroll below to read my full The Raikar Case review...

What's it about

The youngest member of an extremely wealthy and influential business family, coveting political ambitions, has allegedly committed suicide, but the police investigation reveals it to be a murder case, which opens a can of worms and exposes several skeletons in the closet of each family member, with no one being able to be ruled out as a suspect.

What's hot

The writing (a collaborative screenplay by Karmanya Ahuja, Bijesh Jayarajan, Chinmay Mandlekar and Anitha Nair) is what makes The Raikar Case what it is — an absorbing, intriguing tapestry of layers, twists, turns, scandals, suspicions, and shocks galore. Aditya Sarpotdar also does a fine job as the director for most parts (no surprises there, considering he has helmed one of Marathi cinema's finest thrillers, Faster Fene), and though his grip on the narrative slips at times, the script is so good that you're willing to forgive his few discrepancies. Of course, a good script gets wasted if you don't have the right actors to perform them, and on that note, everyone from veterans like Atul Kulkarni and Ashwini Bhave to accomplished stage and screen actors like Neil Bhoopalam, Kunal Karan Kapoor and Lalit Prabhakar have aced their roles. The editing, too, is right on the money, keeping the proceedings crisp and snappy and luring you into the next episode till you end up binge-watching the entire show. It's also a welcome throwback to see each episodes end on a cliffhanger after ages.

What's Not

While all the cast members are busy doing a fine job, Parul Gulati proves to be a major thorn in their side with a severely subpar performance. It further doesn't help that she's cast in a central role, demanding finesse, depth and complexity. Also, when I had earlier mentioned about Sarpotdar's grip slipping in portions, it had to with how he tries to conveniently insert certain twists or contrive some plot points, which just about stands in the way of The Raiker Case from being a brilliant thriller. Manoj Soni's camerawork also leave a lot to be desired, with some shots of a picturesque location like Goa looking straight out of a beginner's guide to photoshop. Aditya-Nayantara's sound mixing is another sore point, with the dialogues not gelling smoothly with the background music in several places.

Some technical and creative hiccups notwithstanding, The Raikar Case is still a tense, unpredictable and highly effective murder mystery that'll leave you on the edge of your seat with excitement, make you keep guessing and force you to binge-watch it at a go. Don't forget to catch it when it premieres on the newly launched OTT platform, VOOT Select (the same streaming service that brought you the masterpiece, Asur, a couple of weeks ago), on 9th April.

https://www.bollywoodlife.com/web-series/the-raikar-case-web-series-review-a-heady-concoction-of-scandal-shock-and-suspicion-in-this-teasing-whodunit-1600423/

Digital Review: ‘The Raikar Case’

SHOWBIZ

‘The Raikar Case’ is not a light-hearted series, and does deserve the attention and interest of someone who wants to watch a brilliant story

BizAsia Rating

4.5

With online streaming having become the main source of viewing entertainment of late, it seems film and TV makers are using every opportunity they can to make interesting and gripping stories without the worry of constant restrictions. One of the newest Indian web-series about to grace the online streaming world is Aditya Sarpotdar’s ‘The Raikar Case’ which is set to begin streaming on Voot Select on 9th April. With its first season consisting of seven episodes, the story revolves around family, politics, money and crime; where every episode gives its viewer more to be hooked on to as it goes on. The initial trailer has looked promising, however, with many series dramas of this kind, one may wonder if this will be just another thriller story where audiences will be able to predict what will happen and how it happened, or will Sarpotdar give his audience something to look forward to at the end of every episode and at the end of the season?

Standing at the edge of a cliff, Tarun Naik Raikar (Honey Kamboj) is distressed, and very distraught at cousin Etasha (Parul Gulati) who has failed to pick up his calls. As she pleads with him to step away from the cliff and come towards her to safety, Tarun keeps inching towards the edge, until he turns around and falls to his death. With this being the third death in the family in four years since Tarun’s father and sister passed away, the Naik Raikar family are doing all they can to hold it together. However, their whole situation is made worse by the arrival of SP John Pereira (Neil Bhoopalam) who pronounces Tarun’s death as a murder rather than a suicide, and the suspect is a member of the family. As the series unfolds, each episode reveals more about the family than anyone could anticipate.

An ensemble star cast is always rather tricky to get right, where each performer is as good as their co-star. However, Sarpotdar has done a brilliant job in selecting actors who are extremely good at their craft. Atul Kulkarni’s reputation for being a good watch is only enhanced with his role as the head of the family. Playing up to each element of his character perfectly, Kulkarni doesn’t disappoint his viewers in any way. Playing his wife Sakshi, Ashvini Bave is also another wonder to watch. In her role as the protector of her husband’s family, she is fierce and is able to express her character’s power in the most interesting way. The same can also be said about Bhoopalam, who has the audience on his side from the beginning. As he discovers more and more about the family, the viewer feels a part of his team in trying to find out the truth. Kamboj is someone who one becomes more interested as the story unfolds. He adapts his acting style to each situation and he is very convincing as a boy who had a lot to deal with, where story reveals that he is the key to more information than just his own death. Gulati is placed as the innocent daughter, whose faith in her own family seems to be shattering. She almost plays her character as though she is a part of the audience which works wonderfully in moving the story along. Other brilliant performances also come from Lalit Prabhakar, Kunal Karan Kapoor, Prakash Ramchandni and Vaishnavi Kadam who all display their characters as the ones to be wary of. Throughout the series, they never fail to leave the audience’s minds, even when not being on screen. The shudder and adrenaline that comes from watching a shaded character are piercing in each of their performances, making this series all the more exciting to watch. 

If there is a series that will keep you at the edge of your seats, this is the one to watch. With a stellar star cast in tow, Sarpotdar has done an excellent job in making a gripping and captivating story. Using simple cliff-hangers and dedicating each episode to a different character works very successfully for the plot unravel. With each episode ending on a cliffhanger, Sarpotdar ensures his audience will definitely be clicking to watch the next episode straight after. By directing this series in a simple way, he has let his actors be the true storytellers. It’s fast-paced and he has kept the episodes short which makes it all the more easier to engage with, where one will be all the more eager to want a second season to soon follow. 

‘The Raikar Case’ is not a light-hearted series, and does deserve the attention and interest of someone who wants to watch a brilliant story. Some may find parts of the series slightly predictable and there will be many who look for complicated and twisted dramas who could find this too quick. However being its first season, it is definitely worth a watch and is perfect for a binge-watch. The performances are outstanding and each episode has plenty of nail-biting moments, which are the perfect combination for an exciting series.

https://www.bizasialive.com/digital-review-the-raikar-case/

IF Review :-

https://www.indiaforums.com/article/the-raikar-case-review-a-gripping-whodunnit-amalgamation-of-family-drama-and-murder-mystery_162656

There are not many fans left active on India Forums. I will not be updating here anymore. Will keep an eye in case fans start showing up. 

It was so-so. The typical dramatic, mysterious characters with the typical roles - strong patriarchal head, the supposedly meeker matriarchal head but actually the head, the submissive son, etc.

It was good just because of the acting, but the plot was kind of a rehash of other movies and shows and had loopholes. The usual open ending for a second season.

Sorry to disappoint u all (who like the series), but I totally disliked it. Nothing is good in it. The concept, the direction, (there is no direction at all),the dialogues, the love angle between SP and naikar daughter, the EMA of lily and yashwant. Totally unconvinced story.

90%of the cast is marathi actors. Then why did makers prefer hindi language? Just to reach out to maximum number of people?

Chinmay is a good writer in marathi. But here, his dialogues are not at all upto the mark.

And yes..Most important. The two hearthrobs..Kunal kapoor and lalit prabhakar..Are completely wasted. Not much scope for these 2. 

The use of foul language, the crux words. The s*x scene of SP and taasha were NOT AT ALL REQUIRED. MISFIT .

Season 2 also will be there . 

But not at all looking forward to it.

Some totally love "The Raikar Case" and few didn't. Some hanging in the middle. 

The webseries is about a dysfunctional family with secrets and everyone has some bitterness toward one another. 

I love the webseries. I love how the characters had shade of grey and had depth to it. Maybe you have seen such characters before but there was a twist to them. 

Some felt that Kunal Karan Kapoor did not have much screen time - but does it matter?? His character was complex and layered. The way without saying much he told his characters story through his eyes was commendable. Most important even if he didn't do much the camera focus would be on him for a second and freeze because he had an important role to play.

So NO I didn't feel he was sidelined. 

What some may feel was missing - Was an atmosfear I believe the director wanted to create. 

The night shoot that seem unreal - well it was unreal. Some did not like it but the first clip was link to the character whose story would be told and to what hint or prove that will turn up.

I like that not everything was explained like you are some idiot viewer that can't think for themself but need everything to be cut out. It was the starcast that through their performance told the story. I am big fan of character oriented content. 

Yes the S.. scene between cop and Etasha was not necessary and her betraying her family - not fully convincing. Haven't made my mind if it was the performance or her character that wasn't convincing.

Back to Kunal Karan Kapoor.

Portraying such a complex character with so many layers and issues is something I always wanted Kunal Karan Kapoor to do. A son that has been neglected and likely have no idea what a healthy relationship is. A guy who look for support and understanding outside his home. Someone who is carrying around so many secrets that is slowly eating him up from inside. A son who is humiliated by his own father in front of everyone and who keep trying to show his worth. Anger toward his sister but still would do anything for family.

I believe that the makers knows what some viewers felt was missing and will make sure we get it in the second season. The director already mentioned longer episodes and more insight into the characters.

Last a little provoking thing.

I honestly don't get why living in the same country there is a weird feeling of bias toward each other. I am talking about being Marathi and not. In general I have felt that. There is a weird unsaid thing but as an outsider you feel it.

I am not going to say more but I believe you get my hint. I love that there was mix of Marathi and Hindi actors. It turn out to be an almost perfect starcast. The way they bonded behind the screen was something you saw on screen. 

That the language was in hindi but they said few words in Marathi made it even better. 

Another interesting thing about the webseries was the way the men treat their women. disrespectful but adore their daughters. Even though the women does not say much they are not weak. Likely mentally much stronger than the men.