The Netflix original series is all about a zombie actioner and an elite paramilitary trying to simply drag the duration of the series. Betaal has showcased a gruesome battle between the British Soldiers zombies who have some unfinished business and the elite paramilitary force that will go to any odds to protect its people. The battle takes place in the central Indian jungle. The battle also comes down to a guardian spirit and weird black magic. A long lost dead colonel of the British army in trapped in the jungle called Campa. The tile has been given with a subtle humour, which you will understand after watching the series.
Betaal Series is an amalgamation of zombie fantasy in a village, folklore of mother country and horror scenes, which act as a cliff hanger. The male lead is called as Vikram, so the series raises a question whether Betaal is near? Along with several deaths in the series the logic and rationalism dies. The grotesque fight seems just illogical to watch with all the communication devices, obsolete muskets and automatic weapons. All these weapons simply make no sense with the background of the series. The bites of the zombies have definitely created a deadly impact on the audience but the Indian forces are just bark and bull. Their leader keeps on repeating about threat that looms large over their tiny minds. The zombies have red glittery eye balls and wear deadly red coloured coats. In the series they are called Crimson heads for absolutely no good reason. There are so many aspects to the series which simply have nothing good to do with the screenplay and make zero sense. In an absurd manner, throughout the series they can be seen stomping their feet and marching towards the old barracks of the British Army. Now that is the exact same place where the Indian forces seek refuge. The series is all about bloodshed and murder for no good reason.
Betaal Series has been created by Patrick Graham, who is very popular for his Ghoul series. The series in no small measure starts with a strong note but however does not keep up with the pace and then tends to digress the story in a complete different zone. In the beginning the expectations of the audience are raised and then pops as the series begins to take a proper mould. The series has however tried to convey two contrasting messages, one that deals with the terrible plight of all the tribal communities and the second deals with capitalistic greed of a particular sector.
In all honesty, only the first two episodes of the series are 45 minutes long and have several nerve cracking scenes. The horror genre in the series has been addressed relatively well. However, once the zombies come out in the open there is nothing much to look forward to. There are several characters in the series which have tried to deliver a good performance; Suchitra Pillai has played the role of a Baaz Squad Commandant; Vineet Kumar Singh plays the role of second-in-command VikramSirohi and AhanaKumra has played the role of deputy commandant Ahluwalia. The series has tried to grip onto the serious parts but tries to fail a number of times.
The series Betaal has been scripted by Graham and SuhaniKanwar. They have tried to explore contradictory levels and you will know once you finish watching the Red Chillies Entertainment series. One level tries to seek the strand of formal relationships that come due to the security force. It addresses the concept of an honest and loyal soldier and showcases what happens when one has a lot of power. The other level tries to address the balance of power. A builder showcased in the series simply wants to clear the green lush forest as soon as he can because the state minister has to formally inaugurate the road, which passes through the cursed mountain. The way is paved through heavy bulldozers and the terrain is cleared. A handful of soldiers seem to march towards the tunnel to flush out the ones hiding there. And they have a heavy price to pay it seems. Betaal series is basically a half-hearted series where in the first part of the series, there is a TV show with a news anchor trying to accuse a Muslim over some issues. And later he tends to question the idea of model of development which is given to the tribal people. A senior woman has been showcased in the series with uniform and comes forward to talk about the human rights. She thinks that what the professor is doing here if he is madly in love with Pakistan. This thread in the series has not been addressed so well. As soon as it appears in the episode it tends to disappear without any clarity. The remaining story makes you wonder about what more issues the series will deal with but it is nothing more than the bloodshed and zombies in red coat. However, the series has addressed one good issue and that is the peace loving people love to protect their traditional land and will not give it away just because the nation has decided to turn towards development.
Vinnet Kumar Singh has played an outstanding role in the series and delivers quite a steady performance. The other roles in the series do not seem to be fleshed out properly and could have used some more work. The concept of the series is definitely new but the way of addressing is surprising. If you want to see a nettle between the dead zombies and people who simply love their nature, then this is the right pick for you. Go and see the Netflix original series today in case there is nothing else for you to do. With all the time in the world you can watch the series!
