The Konkan. Where would Marathi creators be without it? The verdant region in Maharashtra has inspired numerous films and web series over the past few years. It’s where teenagers come of age or divine beliefs intersect with human greed. In the ZEE5 show Devkhel, the Konkan is where a police inspector arrives in the hope of an uneventful posting, only to be sucked into a bizarre turn of events.
Devtali village has been witnessing a series of deaths. It is believed that the demon Shankasur is meting out extreme punishment for errant behaviour. Whoever misbehaves during the year dies during Holi – Shankasur is unerring and unrelenting in his judgement.
No red flags have been raised about this regular occurrence. Only a YouTuber with barely any followers is interested in the story. But the latest death breaks the pattern. The victim was a good man, it is said.
Police inspector Vishwas (Ankush Chaudhari) believes that a human murderer is at work. Vishwas has moved to Devtali with his father (Arun Nalawade) for mental peace, chilled beer and surmai rawa fry. Vishwas finds his patience severely tested by superstition and deception.
The seven-episode Marathi series is written by Nikhil Palande, Gaurav Relekar and Chandrakant Gaikwad and directed by Gaikwad. Devkhel isn’t as suspenseful as it thinks it is. Several episodes begin with a prologue that provides motive as well as opportunity. There are frustratingly convenient loopholes in Vishwas’s investigation.
Devkhel is steered almost entirely by popular Marathi actor Ankush Chaudhari’s portrayal of Vishwas. Bad-tempered, irreverent (he treats his boss like a junior) and argumentative, Vishwas is the most unruly element in the predictable plot.
Vishwas has an entertaining tendency to bark at just about everybody; a peevish response to being bested. He’s almost human only in the presence of his wisecracking father, sweetly played by Arun Nalawade. While the show doesn’t push the idea that Vishwas isn’t as brilliant as he think he is, he does come off as oafish at times.
Vishwas is rational too, declaring firmly that the line between spiritual belief and harmful superstition is bold and clear. At least on this point, Devkhel doesn’t waver. If the show gets a second season, it will benefit from giving Vishwas something more solid to chew on – and more heads to bite off.
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