A local Mumbai cop Sartaj Singh is warned of a disaster that may destroy the entire city within the next 25 days. The informer turns out to be a fugitive gang boss Ganesh Gaitonde. Sartaj has many questions – why did Gaitonde call him and not the other cops? How did he know his father? What will happen to the city in 25 days? How Sartaj sets out to find answers to these questions is what the series is all about. His journey to find the truth behind the phone call costs him many lives and turns out to be a very dangerous cat and mouse game.

Directed by Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane, the series has an ensemble cast that includes Saif Ali Khan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Radhika Apte, Pankaj Tripathy, and Kalki Koechlin. The series is based on Vikram Chandra’s novel by the same name.

The series brings out the best of Saif Ali Khan. He portrays Sartaj, a devastated and confused, yet a cop with morale, with clarity. Even though Saif Ali Khan excels as Sartaj Singh, it is Nawazuddin who steals the show. He is perfection, head to toe. By carrying himself with firm body language and mannerisms, Nawazuddin Siddiqui outshines all other actors. Ganesh Gaitonde was highly celebrated by the audience. May it be the dialogues or looks, the deadly underworld don won the nation’s heart. He is now the millennial’s favorite online villain.

All the episodes are like pieces of a puzzle that comes together as the series propels towards the conclusion. The background score and plot twists are so energizing and thrilling that it tempts us to jump to the next episode. Some scenes keep us at the edge of the seat and send a chill to our spine.

Sacred Games, as the name alludes, speaks about how religion is used as a tool to corrupt innocent minds and take control of the masses. It is interesting to note how it incorporates various political and religious affairs that took place in our country during the 80s and 90s, including the emergency, and uses them to build the storyline.

Season 2 not up to expectations?

Though season 2 of Sacred Games, which aired on 15 August 2019, may not come across as engaging and thrilling as the first season initially, it slowly picks up after the third episode. Pankaj Tripathy steals the second season along with Saif Ali Khan and, of course, Nawazuddin Siddiqui. He brings out Guruji rather effortlessly, convincing us that Guruji is a peaceful maniac.

Kalki Koechlin is very impressive in the second season. She is successful in bringing out the mystery in her character. Surveen Chawla also does a fabulous job as Jojo. She seems so perfect for the digital world and I hope to see more of her in the coming times.

There are so many other supporting actors who deserve a special mention for their amazing performances. The list is quite long and hence I’m not listing out each and every one of them.

Sacred Games is the beginning of something in the world of Indian web series. It has paved the way for many more amazing web series and OTT content.

Image Courtesy: YouTube