Review: This Shaitan is not for the weak-hearted

Shaitan may be peddled as an intense, raw, and realistic drama but it is not for those who cannot stomach irrational violence.

Hyderabad: Title: Shaitan (series)

Cast: Rishi, Shelley, Deviyani, Ravi Kale, Jaffer Sadiq

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Director: Mahi V Raghav

Streaming on: Disney+ Hotstar

If deriving shock value through violence, showing grotesque blood and gore in the name of intensity, passing off vulgarity as ‘raw’ depiction are what makers of series and films on OTT are aiming at, then ‘Shaitan’, a Telugu web series which is streaming on Disney+ Hotstar, fits the bill perfectly.

And the series proves why censoring is important before the content gets released on a medium, which can be accessed by anyone, irrespective of age, with just a click of a button.

It makes one wonder if, as viewers, we’ve become immune to everything being shown on-screen. There are many scenes in ‘Shaitan’ that make you cringe. And it’s not just sex and gore we are talking about. The mind-numbingly violent depiction of a young boy hitting a dog to death with a stone, for example, is extremely disturbing.

Set in the year 1995, when the Naxal movement was at its peak, the story of the nine-episodic series revolves around Baali (Rishi), who lives in Madanapalle with his mother Savitri (Shelley), sister Jaya (Deviyani) and brother Gumthi (Jaffer Sadiq). Savitri lets herself be sexually exploited by a policeman to bring food to the table. But, when the cop eyes Jaya, the family can’t let it go. So, the first episode sets the premise for the series – what happens next, how their decision impacts the family and changes the course of their life are shown in the next eight episodes.

The series begins at the end, actually, when Baali puts a gun to the Home Minister’s head at a public meeting and threatens him. The minister orders for a hunt to take him down. As Baali gets shot, his whole life flashes before his eyes. With Naxalism serving as the backdrop of the plotline, the series shows how and why Baali becomes ‘Shaitan’, the constant clashes between naxals and the cops, and the way innocent people get entangled in the battle, in a brutally realistic manner.

‘Shaitan’ may be peddled as an intense, raw, and realistic drama but it is not for the weak-hearted who cannot fathom or stomach the so-called reality or irrational violence. If you don’t mind the gore, then you can try watching. Otherwise, stay away!