Web Series Review: Indian Police Force

INDIAN POLICE FORCE is the story of cops hunting down a terrorist. On Delhi Police Raising Day, the National Capital is rocked by a series of blasts. Kabir Malik (Sidharth Malhotra), Vikram Bakshi (Vivek Oberoi), Rana (Nikitin Dheer) and others of Special Police Unit of Delhi Police are given the charge of the case. They are joined by Tara Shetty (Shilpa Shetty Kundra), Gujarat ATS chief. The mastermind they are trying to find is none other than Zarar aka Haider (Mayyank Taandon). He’s living as a paying guest at the house of a mechanic Saeed (Lalit Parimoo), who’s also a terrorist. Saeed’s mother and daughter Nafeesa (Vaidehi Parshurami) have no idea about their involvement. Nafeesa assumes Zarar is a perfume seller and falls in love with him. Zarar, meanwhile, is planning his next operation and getting the handlers out of Delhi. When one of the handlers calls home, Kabir’s team finds out their location. They attack the safe house. All the handlers die, except one but Zarar escapes. Meanwhile, Kabir’s team loses a brave police officer. Kabir is transferred. Zarar, on the other hand, reaches Jaipur to execute another round of terror attack. What happens next forms the rest of the series.

Sandeep Saket and Anusha Nandkumar’s story is well-researched. Sandeep Saket and Anusha Nandkumar’s screenplay, too, is interesting. A few scenes stand out, more so for the action. Sandeep Saket, Anusha Nandkumar, Ayush Trivedi, Vidhi Ghodgaonkar and Sanchit Bedre’s dialogues are normal but a few of them are sharp.

Rohit Shetty and Sushwanth Prakash’s direction is decent. The directors have tried their best to enhance the mass quotient and even scale of the show. All the locations are depicted in a grand fashion as if this is a big-screen film. They ensure that the viewers are interested and invested in the cat and mouse chase between the cops and the dreaded terrorist spanning several cities. A few scenes stand out like Vikram taking a live bomb in his hand, the madness at Firoza Nagar, Jaideep Bansal (Mukesh Rishi) advising Kabir and Vikram to break the rules, the death of a cop, the police getting into a fight with Goldie Rodrigues (Sunil Rodrigues) and his men in Goa etc. The last two episodes are the best of the lot.

On the flipside, the series doesn’t present anything that we have not seen before in a Rohit Shetty venture. There are no twists and turns or cameo appearances from any character of the cop universe. The action scenes also give a been-there-done-that feeling. Moreover, the principal characters don’t have particularly entertaining characteristics.

Sidharth Malhotra looks convincing as an action hero. Vivek Oberoi looks dashing and does well. Sadly, his screen time is limited. Shilpa Shetty Kundra, too, has less screen time but she compensates for it with her acts and stunts. Mayyank Taandon is fine as the antagonist. Vaidehi Parshurami is the best performer of the show. Her character is well-written, and she does justice to it. Shruti Panwar (Unaiza) leaves a mark. Mukesh Rishi, Niktin Dheer, Lalit Parimoo, Rituraj Singh (Rafeeq), Karanvir Malhotra (Sikku), Rakshit Wahi (Moin) and Purnendu Bhattacharya (Home Minister) lend able support. Isha Talwar (Rashmi) is lovely in a cameo. Shweta Tiwari (Shruti) is great in the breakdown scene but is forgotten after a point. Mrinal Kulkarni (Ruksana; Kabir’s mother) is strictly okay. Mohak Meet (Shadab), Sunil Rodrigues, Akashdeep Sabir (Mudassar; Zarar’s father), Deepak Qazir (Khan Sahab) and Harsh Sharma (Salamat) are fair in small roles. Sharad Kelkar (Jagtap) is apt.

There are 3 songs in the film. The ‘IPF Theme’ is very catchy. ‘Bairiya Re’ and ‘Koi Aayat’ are forgettable but are shot nicely by Sneha Shetty Kohli. Amar Mohile’s background score tries to enhance the tension and mass appeal.

Girish Kant and Raza Hussain Mehta’s cinematography is spectacular. The aerial shots give a nice touch. Swapnil Bhalerao and Madhur Madhavan’s production design is appropriate. Navin Shetty, Mehek Navin Shetty and Laxman Gollar’s costumes are realistic and also appealing. Sunil Rodrigues’ action and Rohit Shetty’s action design are devoid of gore and blood. NY VFXWaala’s VFX is average. Bunty Nagi’s editing is pacy.

On the whole, INDIAN POLICE FORCE has the trademark Rohit Shetty stamp all over. Due to the abundance of action and association of Rohit Shetty, it is bound to garner a huge viewership.

Rating: 3.5 stars