Saw Dahaad recently on Amazon Prime: https://www.primevideo.com/detail/Dahaad/0KPV2GFQQ5XA8NCXXQ82XO3G1C
Anjali Bhaati (Sonakshi Sinha) is a Sub-Inspector at the relatively sleepy town of Mandawa in Rajasthan. She is a feisty woman, brought up by her late father to live proudly. Belonging to a lower caste, she faces the double whammy of caste prejudice and the constant questions regarding her marriage.
She has her boss - Devi Singh (Gulshan Devaiah) and a previously senior, now demoted to her level - Kailash Parghi (Sohum Shah).
One fake "Love Jihad" case leads to another woman disappearance case being investigated. They find out that she was found dead. But her case leads to another. And another....
Initially thought of as suicides, too many dead women lead to a rethink. All ran away from home to get married and ended up dead. Later the police figure out that it's murder, not suicide. So serial killer enters the picture.
The rest of the series is how they investigate, and go after the serial killer. He's an apparently mild mannered, teacher - family man - do gooder from the same town. His son goes to the same school as Devi Singh's son. Anand Swarnakar (Vijay Varma). The last guy you'd suspect.
The series is based on Cyanide Mohan, who operated in Karnataka.
A lot of issues are highlighted skillfully without preaching - the evils of dowry, the utter disregard for people of lower castes, and the way society functions. Even a police office like Anjali has to face discrimination in her day to day life.
All the episodes are quietly entertaining and firm. There's very little drama usually. But that is the charm.
Anand Swarnakar goes about his tasks coolly and calmly. No mess, no fuss. Other than the killings, of course.
Anjali Bhati learns to reign in her impetuousness and stick to facts and procedure.
Devi Singh's arguments with his wife are so real that you can almost imagine them happening to you or someone else you know. His desire that his daughter will not be less than any boy, and his talk with his son about sex are heart warming.
The most a character grows is the demoted cop, Kailash Parghi. He goes through so many conflicting emotions - the need for promotion, the dread of bringing a new child into this horrible world, etc. that you just love the way it has been handled. His tremendous hesitation and soul searching when he must choose between a promotion and loyalty to his colleagues is one of the highlights of the show.
Anand Swarnakar is the star of the show, of course. Clever, methodical, cool. Always thinking of how to get out of a corner. The way he wins one battle against Anjali and his betrayal of his own student are brilliant manouvers.
The supporting cast is also good. The ladies who come under his spell. Anand and Devi Singh's wives, Miriam as the new wife when Anand runs, Anand's other family members, all do a good job.
Some dialogues and scenes get etched in your memory.
One belongs to Anand. While teaching kids in remote villages, he says that each grain of sand represents an evil committed by humanity. Humanity committed so much evil that Rajasthan turned into a desert.
Second one is for Anjali.
When she is prevented from entering the Swarnakars' house for searching because of her caste, she brushes him aside, stating: “Kaun unch kaun neech, ye tere pushton ka time nahi hai, sanvidhaan ka time hai, kayde kanoon ka time hai."
Note: Not family friendly. The concept and a few uncomfortable scenes are the reason.
All in all, a must watch.
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