'Sacred Games': Saif, Nawazuddin's web series is an edgy thriller that's worth your time

In the very first shot of Netflix' first Indian series- 'Sacred Games'-a Pomeranian is flung off a high-rise building - seconds later a gory shot of the dog lying in a pool of blood greets the viewers setting the tone of the dark, edgy thriller just right.

Featuring Saif Ali Khan as a Sikh cop who suffers from anxiety issues and a gangster played by the ever dependable Nawazuddin Siddiqui who believes he is God, 'Sacred Games' is the first of its kind in India. It's a web series made by a bunch of Bollywood veterans and Netflix aims to not just screen it for the Indian audience but also in several othercountries- taking a story that's very rooted in the Indian milieu to the world.

Based on author Vikram Chandra's bestseller by the same name, the first episode just gives a glimpse of the mayhem that is to ensue in the coming 7 episodes. Ganesh Gaitonde - a maverick, ruthless gangster calls up cop Sartaj Singh one balmy night in Mumbai. He claims the city will destroy in the next 25 days and even if Singh wants to save the city he won't be able to.

Singh and Gaitonde engage in a long tedious conversation on the said night. Gaitonde, in his semi-drunk state, narrates the story of his childhood, how he made his way into the underworld and how he realised early in life that religion can manipulate people's sentiments. And while Gaitonde in his leisurely manner narrates his story- Singh sets off on a wild-goose chase across Mumbai's deserted streets looking for his anonymous caller. The Mumbai police are alerted and try to track the call. Meanwhile, at the RAW headquarters, Singh and Gaitonde's call gets intercepted.

With a very edgy narrative and a bit of gore, 'Sacred Games' gets you hooked to its dimly lit scenes as you set off with Singh on a chase across empty, dark Mumbai streets. There is an aura of mystery around, the time's ticking and one cansense the urgency that Singh has.

Directed by Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane, the first episode has a non-linear narrative. So there are lots of flashback scenes where Nawaz's character explains his story but it keeps you engaged throughout.
Considering the series is directed by two prominent filmmakers, the series boasts of a solid cast. Nawazuddin plays an edgy, self-consumed gangster who is assured that he is God. The actor, who has played similar characters in films earlier, becomes the cold-blooded Gaitonde well. In his cool- nonchalant voice, he discusses the mayhem he is about to unleash on the city. Saif Ali Khan's character Sartaj Singh appears to be a contrast to Gaitonde.

While Gaitonde is self -assured even though he belongs to the wrong side of the law, Singh being a cop has too many demons to fight and suffers from anxiety and is a nervous individual. Gaitonde and Singh are the fulcrum of 'Sacred Games' and it's through these two individuals that the story goes forward. The only issue is that in the story, Gaitonde is supposed to be much older than Singh. But despite makeup, Nawazuddin does not look older than Khan. Khan in his Khaki uniform looks stocky and his actual age and definitely not younger than Nawazuddin.

There is also Radhika Apte who plays a RAW agent. But the first episode does not throw much light on her character. Neeraj Kabi and Amir Bashir are also part of the ensemble cast.

Very early into the episode, one gets to see Surveen Chawla, bloodied, crawling on the floor trying to escape her killer, Gaitonde. Moments later she is shot dead. Then there is Luke Kenny, armed with two guns, on a killing spree at a local eatery. These two characters come and go and there are no mentions of them later. Guess, one will have to wait to watch more episodes and know more about the two characters. The other character which intrigues you is Singh's assistant Katekar played by Jitendra Joshi. Something tells me these characters will play key roles in the coming episode.

I've just watched the first episode of 'Sacred Games', but the thriller holds promise with a cliffhanger ending in the first episode. The shroud of mystery remains intact till the end and makes one curious about Gaitonde and his connection to Singh.

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With more and more people slowly shifting from TV to online video streaming apps for their daily dose of entertainment, the release of 'Sacred Games' is crucial. It targets an audience that binge watches shows made in the west and perhaps crave for quality content from home turf. With a pitch-perfect cast, high drama and an intriguing story, 'Sacred Games' should be on your weekend watch list.

All episodes of 'Sacred Games' will be available on Netflix from 6th July.