There’s a new entry in the overcrowded world of crime thrillers, and it’s Bhumi Pednekkar’s latest release, Daldal. Streaming on Prime Video, this crime thriller is based on the bestselling novel titled Bhendi Bazaar by Vish Dhamija. Directed by Amrit Raj Gupta and written by Suresh Triveni, Daldal appears to be a gritty crime thriller with a complex plotline, but is it actually engaging enough to sit through seven episodes? Read our Daldal series review to find out.

Daldal series review: The plot

On the surface, Daldal seems to be yet another series about serial killings and child trafficking, but it attempts to dig deeper than that. The series opens with ACP Rita Ferreira (Bhumi Pednekkar) busting a child trafficking racket. The incident immediately establishes her as a capable police officer on the verge of being promoted to DCP.

Soon after, the narrative shifts gears and delves into a series of murders, while also peeling back layers of Rita’s troubled past. Haunted by unresolved trauma, Rita struggles with memories of her strained relationship with her mother. These flashbacks are unsettling, further heightened by her intrusive thoughts, some of which involve acts of violence.

As her personal demons begin to bleed into her professional life, Rita finds herself tasked with tracking down a serial killer terrorising the city. But can she stay focused on the case when she herself is sinking into grief, rage, and emotional turmoil?

What we loved about Daldal

The biggest strength of Daldal lies in its cast. While the characters themselves aren’t particularly well-developed, the actors elevate the writing with committed performances. Bhumi Pednekkar’s portrayal of Rita Ferreira is beautifully restrained. She speaks little, rarely smiles, and yet never appears dull. She conveys emotion with remarkable subtlety, delivering exactly what each scene demands. The supporting cast deserves equal praise. Aditya Rawal as Sajid and Geeta Agarwal as Indu Mhatre leave a strong impression despite limited screen time. Both actors manage to stand out and add texture to the narrative.

But most of the viewer’s attention is commanded by Samara Tijori, who plays Anita Acharya. From the very beginning, she steals the show. Anita is a deeply unsettling and layered character, and Samara plays her with honesty and conviction. She is undoubtedly one of the highlights of the series.

Director Amrit Raj Gupta also deserves credit for his debut in the crime thriller genre. The series does a fairly good job when it comes to pacing, atmosphere, and setting, creating a suitably dark and brooding mood.

What we didn’t love about the series

Daldal starts well as a promising crime thriller that’s gritty and nail-biting. However, it soon loses its footing because of its predictable storyline. The series offers nothing that we haven’t seen before multiple times. The familiar trope of a traumatised child growing up to become violent in the name of justice feels tired and uninspired. Just after the first episode, we know who the killer is; what we do not know is why. However, that storyline isn’t developed in a way that grips the viewer and pushes them to the edge of their seat.

Even though the series is seven episodes long, there’s barely any meaningful character development. Most characters remain one-dimensional, with very limited information revealed about them. We never even fully understand Anita’s traumatic story. The flashback to her disturbing past is hurried to reach a conclusion.

Overall, Daldal is easily skippable as it relies on familiar themes of childhood trauma, parental influence, and unresolved grief. If you haven’t watched anything like this so far, go ahead and stream Daldal on Amazon Prime. Otherwise, it doesn’t bring anything new to the table.

Can you watch Daldal with your family? Yes, the series is mostly clean, with only occasional use of obscene language.

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