Tandav Teaser: Dimple Kapadia Holds Her Own In This Power-packed Political Drama
Tenet may have been a mind boggling Christopher Nolan puzzle that’ll need a few hundred rewatches to solve. But one thing that I understood in the first watch itself is just how incredibly smooth Dimple Kapadia was in the film as Priya Singh, a powerful illegal arms dealer in India. I mean, she brought the CIA to Mumbai’s Colaba to pursue her, so you can understand the power she wields. Everything about her screamed formidable—her hairs, her crisp, fitted and regal outfits. Her posture. That barely-there smile we’ve fallen for since Dil Chahta Hai…. I remember thinking, we need to see more of Dimple Kapadia in these ‘women in power’ roles that are grey, or even downright dark! And here she is in the teaser for Amazon Prime Video’s Tandav. It is the streaming service’s first political drama, and is headlined by Netflix Sacred Games alum Saif Ali Khan.
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But OMG that cast! The lineup is already doing a tandav in my head. Hold your breath, as I list ’em: Sunil Grover, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Dino Morea Kumud Mishra, Gauahar Khan, Amyra Dastur, Mohd. Zeeshan Ayyub , Kritika Kamra, Sarah Jane Dias, Sandhya Mridul, Annup Sonii, Hitten Ttejwani, Paresh Pahuja and Shonali Nagrani among others.
Okay wait, let me catch my breath.
Phew, okay so….
Also Read: Tenet Review: Nolan’s Most Mind-boggling Yet. But Dimple Kapadia’s Act Goes Down So Smooth!
What’s Tandav about?
Tandav is going to be a 9-episode political drama and is produced by Himanshu Kishan Mehra and Ali Abbas Zafar, the latter also the creator and marking his OTT directorial debut with the series. You’ll know him from being the director of the holy trinity of Salman Khan films—Sultan, Tiger Zinda Hai and Bhaarat.
According to the early official synopsis, “Set in the capital city of the world’s largest democracy, Tandav, the series will take viewers inside the closed, chaotic corridors of power and uncover the manipulations, charades as well as the dark secrets of people who will go to any lengths in pursuit of power.”
Sounds interesting, no? Ever since India’s IRL politics began resembling a badly written TV show, I’ve loved watching fiction with strong political commentary. And I have unrealistic expectations from Tandav because the only way the show makes a splash is by really stepping into the muck that is our current political issues. And creator/director Ali Abbas Zafar’s words give me hope.
“Through Tandav, we take audiences into the power-hungry world of politics. As you watch the show, you’ll realize that there is no right or wrong, there is no black or white; world of power is about the world of greys. I believe that content must be backed by credible performances and I am fortunate to have such heavy weights in the show.”
Also Read: From Mirzapur To A Suitable Boy, 7 OTT Controversies That Sent Twitter On A Boycott Rampage Over ‘Hurt Sentiments’
But the thing I am most eager for is watching how the show portrays its female characters. I counted, and the core cast currently has some nine men and seven women. That’s actually a pretty decent balance, and has me intrigued about the range of female characters that we’re going to get to see here. Is it going to be something as richly complex as, say, the women of Game of Thrones? I know Saif Ali Khan is going to kill it; he just exudes this aura of power and royalty, that Nawab! And Sunil Grover in this serious role, alongside actors like Annup Sonii, Zeeshan Ayyub and Kumud Mishra, is going to be something so refreshing to watch.
Dimple Kapadia is going to shine; she seems to have a knack for playing these layered roles beautifully. But will the show do justice to the other women who’ll be wielding power? In real India, women in politics often have a very shadowy, behind the scenes kind of role. We’ve got fewer role models for women, like MP Mahua Moitra or the late Sushma Swaraj, who we’ve seen in action and who’ve used their power for good. So, fingers crossed for no abla naaris or stereotypes or violence porn for shock value. Of course, this is just the teaser. Trailer toh abhi baaki hai, mere dost!
Tandav will stream on Amazon Prime Video from January 15, 2021.
https://thehauterfly.com/culture-2/mirzapur-2-review-revenge-coming/
