If I did not know beforehand that 'Sherdil: The Pilibhit Saga' is indeed based on a true story, or rather stories, I probably would have scoffed at what transpires throughout the movie. Written and directed by National Award winner Srijit Mukherji, the plot of 'Sherdil' is often too ridiculous to follow.&nbsp;

But then, truth is often stranger than fiction. A few things that happen in our daily, quotidian lives would confound even the most prolific of human imaginations.

Starring Pankaj Tripathi as sarpanch Gangaram, the film is set in an unnamed village located at the edge of a tiger reserve. Beset by wild animals like boars and nilgai, who stampede through crops and destroy the only source of livelihood for the villagers, the place is unable to sustain itself and there are frequent deaths from starvation. Things are grim.

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/pathaan-first-look-shah-rukh-khan-shares-poster-as-he-completes-30-years-in-bollywood-491615">&nbsp;‘Pathaan’: Shah Rukh Khan drops first look as he completes 30 years in Bollywood</a>

Gangaram takes a trip to the city to complain to government officials, but to no avail. Then he spots a pamphlet in the office depicting the government's promise of Rs 10 lakh compensation to the family of a person who is killed by a tiger in an agricultural field.&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yN_4cFkqin8" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

To solve the troubles of his village, he takes matters into his own hands. He concocts an unhinged plan to sacrifice himself to a tiger by venturing into the wild, defying the protests of his wife (Sayani Gupta). He also leaves instructions to his friends to transfer his remains to a field, so that compensation would be ensured. The government's money might help the villagers survive, at least temporarily.

Mukherji's script does not move as much as leaps in-between moments of utter quietude. There are indulgent, stretched shots of Gangaram lost in the dense jungle, searching for the apex predator who remains elusive. The narrative is non-linear and switches between his amateur tracking of the big cat and his conversations with his family and other village elders.

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment?page=1#:~:text=%27Bhool%20Bhulaiyaa%202%27%20declared%20blockbuster%3B%20decoding%20Kartik%20Aaryan%27s%20success%20story">&nbsp;'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2' declared blockbuster; decoding Kartik Aaryan's success story</a>

'Sherdil' balances its surrealist elements with themes as varied as institutional rot in Indian bureaucracy and the perpetual conflict between man vs nature.&nbsp; 
Conserving ecosystems and letting endangered animals thrive in protected sanctuaries is undoubtedly necessary but at the cost of human life?

'Sherdil' does not always work. Sections of the film seem to have a disconnect at times and do not always watch like part of the whole. The time Gangaram spends in the jungle feels like a spinoff story of what is happening in human civilisation, such as it is.

What makes this bizarre mishmash work is Pankaj Tripathi. It would be unfair to call his craft effortless because it must really take a lot of effort, but he does make it look so. Not many would have played a preposterous character like Gangaram with such panache. In his hands, notwithstanding his hare-brained ideas, Gangaram feels like a living and breathing person and you will end up empathising with him.&nbsp;

Watch 'Sherdil: The Pilibhit Saga' for Pankaj Tripathi.

If I did not know beforehand that 'Sherdil: The Pilibhit Saga' is indeed based on a true story, or rather stories, I probably would have scoffed at what transpires throughout the movie.

If I did not know beforehand that 'Sherdil: The Pilibhit Saga' is indeed based on a true story, or rather stories, I probably would have scoffed at what transpires throughout the movie. Written and directed by National Award winner Srijit Mukherji, the plot of 'Sherdil' is often too ridiculous to follow. But then, truth is often stranger than fiction. A few things that happen in our daily, quotidian lives would confound even the most prolific of human imaginations. Starring Pankaj Tripathi as sarpanch Gangaram, the film is set in an unnamed village located at the edge of a tiger reserve. Beset by wild animals like boars and nilgai, who stampede through crops and destroy the only source of livelihood for the villagers, the place is unable to sustain itself and there are frequent deaths from starvation. Things are grim. Also Read: ‘Pathaan’: Shah Rukh Khan drops first look as he completes 30 years in Bollywood Gangaram takes a trip to the city to complain to government officials, but to no avail. Then he spots a pamphlet in the office depicting the government's promise of Rs 10 lakh compensation to the family of a person who is killed by a tiger in an agricultural field. To solve the troubles of his village, he takes matters into his own hands. He concocts an unhinged plan to sacrifice himself to a tiger by venturing into the wild, defying the protests of his wife (Sayani Gupta). He also leaves instructions to his friends to transfer his remains to a field, so that compensation would be ensured. The government's money might help the villagers survive, at least temporarily. Mukherji's script does not move as much as leaps in-between moments of utter quietude. There are indulgent, stretched shots of Gangaram lost in the dense jungle, searching for the apex predator who remains elusive. The narrative is non-linear and switches between his amateur tracking of the big cat and his conversations with his family and other village elders. Also Read: 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2' declared blockbuster; decoding Kartik Aaryan's success story 'Sherdil' balances its surrealist elements with themes as varied as institutional rot in Indian bureaucracy and the perpetual conflict between man vs nature. Conserving ecosystems and letting endangered animals thrive in protected sanctuaries is undoubtedly necessary but at the cost of human life? 'Sherdil' does not always work. Sections of the film seem to have a disconnect at times and do not always watch like part of the whole. The time Gangaram spends in the jungle feels like a spinoff story of what is happening in human civilisation, such as it is. What makes this bizarre mishmash work is Pankaj Tripathi. It would be unfair to call his craft effortless because it must really take a lot of effort, but he does make it look so. Not many would have played a preposterous character like Gangaram with such panache. In his hands, notwithstanding his hare-brained ideas, Gangaram feels like a living and breathing person and you will end up empathising with him. Watch 'Sherdil: The Pilibhit Saga' for Pankaj Tripathi.

'Sherdil The Pilibhit Saga' review: A brilliant Pankaj Tripathi saves this uneven film

As Friday ushers in the weekend, Anushka Sharma’s production house Clean Slate Filmz on Amazon Prime has just about the right thing for all those looking out for fresh content to binge-watch. A crime thriller that is full of twists as it makes you want to finish off all episodes in one go, ‘Paatal Lok’ is more than what meets the eye in a run chase story about cops nabbing four suspects over the attempted assassination of a prime-time journalist.&nbsp;

High on drama, ‘Paatal Lok’ is an Indian story with roots in Chitrakoot and New Delhi as the central characters keep going back and forth, almost with a synergy that symbolises spirituality and politics. While Jaideep Ahlawat (Hathi Ram) plays the role of a cop who leads the investigation of an assassination attempt on a news anchor, Neeraj Kabi (Sanjeev Mishra) plays the journalist who was to be attacked.

Directors of ‘Paatal Lok’ Avinash Arun Dhawre and Prosit Roy (‘Pari’) and writer Sudip Sharma (‘NH10’, ‘Udta Punjab’) offer an intense crime thriller that has its heart in the right place.

Watch trailer:

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="446" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cNwWMW4mxO8" width="793"></iframe>

What works?

‘Paatal Lok’ is promising. It has all it takes to become the next big thing on OTT in Hindi language -- drama, suspense, edgy story and good acting. Jaideep Ahlawat shoulders the show brilliantly as he shines as a police inspector who is out on a personal and professional mission to make amends in life. Neeraj Kabi supports him equally as a self centered high profile journalist who gets the shock of his life when told that he was saved by the police from an assassiantion attempt. Gul Panag, Abhishek Banerjee and other cast members are brilliant in their parts as they help keep a tight knit story together.

Each character has their story well laid out with individual&nbsp;episodes dedicated to the four suspects, tracing their history in crime with paths converging to the present. The show has linear storytelling but each of the four character’s is linked to the other like a spider’s cobweb. The episodes are binge-watch material.&nbsp;

What doesn’t?&nbsp;

If you get past the first episode, ‘Paatal Lok’ is a roller coaster. The story takes time to build in the first episode where it could lose some viewers as the makers take too much time to hook the audience. A few scenes could have been avoided like the one involving an elderly woman getting raped by several men of a village as part of revenge. Also the use and abuse of Hindi slangs, sometimes even when they sound forced and have no desired effect.

The ending, also some would argue, is less adventurous or maybe creator Sudip Sharma is thinking of season 2?

The Verdict

‘Paatal Lok’ will stick with you. With sincere acting chops displayed by the actors and honesty in the story that looks and feels real, ‘Paatal Lok’ deals with important issues that the Indian society is dealing with -- bureaucracy, stigma associated with being a Dalit, hatred towards Indian muslims, absurdity of pressure on journalists and police, the age of fake news and more. ‘Paatal Lok’ has undertones and it delivers a strong message with subtlety.

The biggest hero of the show, however, is Hathi Ram and his determination to become a ‘hero’ in the eyes of his teenage son and Hathoda Tyagi (Abhishek Banerjee) who deserves a special mention for giving us a range from ‘Stree’ to ‘Paatal Lok’.&nbsp;

As Friday ushers in the weekend, Anushka Sharma’s production house Clean Slate Filmz on Amazon Prime has just about the right thing for all those looking out for fresh content to binge-watch.

As Friday ushers in the weekend, Anushka Sharma’s production house Clean Slate Filmz on Amazon Prime has just about the right thing for all those looking out for fresh content to binge-watch. A crime thriller that is full of twists as it makes you want to finish off all episodes in one go, ‘Paatal Lok’ is more than what meets the eye in a run chase story about cops nabbing four suspects over the attempted assassination of a prime-time journalist. High on drama, ‘Paatal Lok’ is an Indian story with roots in Chitrakoot and New Delhi as the central characters keep going back and forth, almost with a synergy that symbolises spirituality and politics. While Jaideep Ahlawat (Hathi Ram) plays the role of a cop who leads the investigation of an assassination attempt on a news anchor, Neeraj Kabi (Sanjeev Mishra) plays the journalist who was to be attacked. Directors of ‘Paatal Lok’ Avinash Arun Dhawre and Prosit Roy (‘Pari’) and writer Sudip Sharma (‘NH10’, ‘Udta Punjab’) offer an intense crime thriller that has its heart in the right place. Watch trailer: What works? ‘Paatal Lok’ is promising. It has all it takes to become the next big thing on OTT in Hindi language -- drama, suspense, edgy story and good acting. Jaideep Ahlawat shoulders the show brilliantly as he shines as a police inspector who is out on a personal and professional mission to make amends in life. Neeraj Kabi supports him equally as a self centered high profile journalist who gets the shock of his life when told that he was saved by the police from an assassiantion attempt. Gul Panag, Abhishek Banerjee and other cast members are brilliant in their parts as they help keep a tight knit story together. Each character has their story well laid out with individual episodes dedicated to the four suspects, tracing their history in crime with paths converging to the present. The show has linear storytelling but each of the four character’s is linked to the other like a spider’s cobweb. The episodes are binge-watch material. What doesn’t? If you get past the first episode, ‘Paatal Lok’ is a roller coaster. The story takes time to build in the first episode where it could lose some viewers as the makers take too much time to hook the audience. A few scenes could have been avoided like the one involving an elderly woman getting raped by several men of a village as part of revenge. Also the use and abuse of Hindi slangs, sometimes even when they sound forced and have no desired effect. The ending, also some would argue, is less adventurous or maybe creator Sudip Sharma is thinking of season 2? The Verdict ‘Paatal Lok’ will stick with you. With sincere acting chops displayed by the actors and honesty in the story that looks and feels real, ‘Paatal Lok’ deals with important issues that the Indian society is dealing with -- bureaucracy, stigma associated with being a Dalit, hatred towards Indian muslims, absurdity of pressure on journalists and police, the age of fake news and more. ‘Paatal Lok’ has undertones and it delivers a strong message with subtlety. The biggest hero of the show, however, is Hathi Ram and his determination to become a ‘hero’ in the eyes of his teenage son and Hathoda Tyagi (Abhishek Banerjee) who deserves a special mention for giving us a range from ‘Stree’ to ‘Paatal Lok’.

'Paatal Lok' review: Anushka Sharma backed web series is a must watch

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'Sherdil The Pilibhit Saga' review: A brilliant Pankaj Tripathi saves this uneven film

'Paatal Lok' review: Anushka Sharma backed web series is a must watch