COVID-19 has given filmmakers a whole new set of ideas. Movies and series on virus outbreaks have become the go-to subject, at least in the Hindi film industry. Recently, we had Netflix’s Kaala Paani dealing with a virus outbreak in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and now, we have PI Meena dealing with a deadly virus in Kolkata. Starring Tanya Maniktala in the titular role, the series sees Jisshu Sengupta, Vinay Pathak, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, and more in pivotal roles. PI Meena is an investigative crime-detective series that follows private investigator Meenakshi Iyer as she tries to solve a murder she witnesses. Does it live up to the genre? Find out in our review.

Slow and steady

The makers of PI Meena have taken the adage ‘slow and steady wins the race’ quite seriously. Fortunately for them, they are successful to a great extent. If you expect the series to be a fast-paced, edge-of-the-seat thriller, you’ll be disappointed. PI Meena takes its own sweet time unravelling the layers of the story.

Set in Kolkata, the series follows private investigator Meenakshi Iyer (Tanya Maniktala), who is a witness to the accident of a young man. She takes the man, Partho (Sawon Chakraborty), to the hospital but he doesn’t make it. What looked like an accident is not so, because Partho’s mother Chandana Dey (Zarina Wahab) believes her son was murdered. Meena is roped into the investigation which leads her to a virus outbreak in a village in Littnong in the Eastern Himalayas.

At every step of the way, Meena is stopped by the people around her. Sometimes by her boss Pritam Sen (Harsh Chhaya) and often by an Intelligence officer Tridib Malhotra (Vipin Sharma). Too many players have a part to play in this virus outbreak and everyone is trying to bury it. Unfortunately, the virus soon finds its way from a pig farm in Littnong to the city of Kolkata. But if you manage to sit through all eight episodes, your patience will be rewarded.

Sloppy writing in places

A detective by definition should have a sharp eye for details and keen observation skills. Unfortunately, Meena lacks both. Sure, her deduction skills aren’t the worst, but her observation skills definitely leave a lot to be desired. This is made very clear when she fails to note the registration number of the truck that hits Partho, and later, when a man is clearly following her and keeping an eye on her at the hospital. Meena lacks any sense of what’s happening in her surroundings. She lets her emotions rule at the workplace and even gets away with not following her boss’ orders. Meena is self-admittedly quite reckless, which would be fine if only she was getting into trouble, but she also gets those around her in deep waters.

While Meena is investigating the murder of Partho, her friend Shubo (Parambrata Chattopadhyay) is on a quest of his own. Their cases don’t intersect anywhere which makes you wonder why there are two different ongoing cases from the point of view of storytelling.

All the actors put forth a good performance, Tanya Maniktala more so. She does hold the show together, but she is also not a character you’ll love. There are times when she annoys you and you want to scream at her to get her shit together. But, in a way, that works because, in reality, people are messy and they do let emotions take over, especially if they have a traumatic history.

PI Meena is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

Can you watch PI Meena with your family?: The characters drop F-bombs like leaves falling off in autumn, so it’s not meant for kids or anyone who cringes at the word ‘Fuck’!

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