The series helps you draw the line between good and bad politics.
Film: Maharani III
Director: Saurabh Bhave
Cast: Huma Qureshi, Uday Atroliya, Sohum Shah, Kani Kusruti, Amit Sial, Parmod Pathak, Vineet Kumar, Dibyendu Bhattacharya
Sheetal
When the series was first launched on SonyLIV, it was immediately appreciated for the authentic portrayal by Huma Qureshi. She, as Rani Bharti, walked the distance — from a happy homemaker to a reluctant Chief Minister in the absence of her husband, to a responsible decision-maker — in the first two seasons. In its eight-episode ‘threequal’, Rani Bharti, accused of the murder of her husband Bheema Bharti (Sohum Shah), actually enters the swamp of politics and revenge. This season, the third episode to be specific, sees Rani’s successful evolution into a confident woman with education, confidante Kaveri (Kani Kusruti) and Mishraji (Pramod Pathak) by her side.
Vineet Kumar as Gauri Shankar Pandey gets the best of dialogues and keeps the humour quotient alive even in this season. He, indeed, seems to best represent the true face of politicians while others are more black or white.
Amit Sial doesn’t get much space to deliver; perhaps the writers were strictly told to let the Maharani shine in this one. Huma keeps winning and winning, even at the cost of sounding repetitive by the end.
Background score is a big win in the series. Songs such as ‘Kaun Bola Ban Hai’ present the true picture of Indian politics where bans are just an arrangement to fill pockets. The issues that the series highlights, such as alcohol ban and spurious liquor consumption, aren’t as big as the ones brought out in the previous outings.
It is often said that in the dirty business of politics, you have to be ready to kill and get killed in the process. While Rani was always ready for the latter, it is now that she has become what she didn’t agree with. Yet, the series helps you draw the line between good and bad politics, a rare scenario in reality.
It remains to be seen if it’s the culmination of the series or there’s more to Rani’s political career. But one thing is for sure, if Rani keeps winning, viewers will be hard to find.
Makers should understand that even if you infuse enough suspense to invoke curiosity, the lack of a strong opposition will make the franchise weak. Watch the series if you are rooting for Rani.
