India is overwhelmed by OTT content back to back, with shows being made on almost every genre possible. However, horror is one area the creators have shied away from exploring except for one or two mini-series. That’s where Vikranth Pawar’s Dahan comes in as a knight in shining armor with a range of quirky themes, interesting characters, and an enigmatic canvas filled with fantastical elements. It’s not your run-of-the-mill tale where ghouls and monsters wreak havoc. There’s more to the story than meets the eye.
Set in a small fictional town called Shilashpura in Rajasthan, Dahan tells the story of a disgraced IAS officer Avni Raut (Tisca Chopra) who wants to redeem herself by mediating between Mangon Mining Corporation and reluctant citizens of Shilashpura. The disputed site of the mining project is what both parties are fighting over. While Mangon Corporation is desperate to start their work so that they can get their hands on a rare natural mineral, the site itself is believed to be haunted by the monster of Shilashpura. Upon reaching Shilashpura with her son Amey, Avni learns about Raakan, Haadika, and Mayaavi which are part of the lore there; she also hears about two mysterious factions Kaaraapalli and Nikaasiya along with their blood-soaked history.
In what appears like an extremely superstitious town, Avni lets loose all hell after opening Pandora’s Box. Unlike most other horror shows, Dahan does not jump straight into action. In nine episodes which it spans across, makers try setting up various plot devices and fleshing out character developments in first five-six episodes.
Meandering through a maze of complicated mother-son relationships with Avni and Amey due to its slow but purposeful storyline; Dahan also takes different journeys altogether with Avni as demons from her past come back to haunt her (not literally). Amey as a young rebellious teen is hot under the collar thinking his mother is hiding something about his dead father; backed by intriguing supporting characters that add weight to his personal quest. The plot also adeptly chronicles a clash of egos, politics, underlying corruption, and rampant orthodox practices of the cursed town.
But even so, Dahan manages to pack a punch with some unconventional and macabre portrayals despite its slow and dragging storytelling. Some scenes are so cleverly directed that they’re bound to send shivers down your spine. Vikrant Pawar’s fictional universe does not fall into the usual tropes of horror flicks where there’s jumpscare every two minutes; instead, makers have used other imaginative ways to create a sense of dread among viewers. In short, it breaks every rule in the horror book but in turn, allows for more realistic and organic storytelling.
Dahan isn’t consistent and at times drags which severs the connection but overall picks up pace towards the end of the series in mind bending crescendo. The thrilling climax will have you on the edge of your seat biting your nails with fear and anticipation.
The actors did great work with their performances. Tisca Chopra as Avni looks strong-willed and believable, even in moments where she appears lost and stuck in her haunted past. We can relate to her easily as an IAS officer on screen and a caring mother off it. On the other hand, Rohan Joshi (not the stand-up comedian) succeeds in showing inner-conflict, innocence, and presence of mind all at once something that any good actor should be able to do but rarely tries. But Rajesh Tailang takes the cake for his performance alone he’s got this Rajasthani accent down pat while also being mysterious throughout; you never know what’s going through Rajesh’s head! Saurabh Shukla too is equally baffling with just one look from him making your mind go blank. lastly there is Mukesh Tiwari playing Bhairo Singh who makes his OTT debut with Dahan.
Now Ankur Nayyar, Rahul Tewari, Lehar Khan, and Hima Singh have done their best to infuse life into these characters but unfortunately, they fall short due to poor writing or lack of depth given by creators/showrunners.
Dahan has an amazing screenplay coupled with impactful dialogues that alternate between Hindi and Rajasthani dialects which adds flavor without losing authenticity or watering things down so much that it becomes boring for viewers who don’t understand either language fully and let’s face it most people won’t understand both languages well enough anyway so why bother? The makers deserve credit because they haven’t dumbed down the local language aspect just so everyone can follow along easily. It brings realism into scripts & avoids taking shortcuts via expositions which can kill immersion instantly too.
What sets this show apart from others though is its art direction hands down some of THE BEST I’VE SEEN IN RECENT TIMES! Every detail seems carefully planned out, every set piece chosen with utmost care be it the creepy mines and chasms of Shilashpura or the lofty hilltop shrine at Shilasthal where gods themselves would tremble or even those ancient caves hidden within mystic town apparatuses and not forgetting vast stretches of deserted lands filled with countless enigmas oh yeah all these things form part & parcel of a much bigger story here. Racy VFX rides on impeccable prosthetics/makeup work while creepy sound design coupled with a background score brings everything together finally for immersive cinematography that’s been given full attention.
Overall Dahan is a good watch but falls short at certain places trying to break more iconoclastic themes for the Indian audience. That said, it’s still scary as hell sans supernatural elements so by the time the end credits roll in front of your screen after the final episode you’ll probably be shaking like a leaf! Drama, mystery, and conflict all tied up neatly with unpredictable twists thrown in evenly throughout leaving no dull moment save one fact they do require some patience from our end though.
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