India is booming with back-to-back OTT content with shows made on every genre one could think of. However, horror is something that the makers have hesitated to explore except one or two mini-series. That’s where Vikranth Pawar’s Dahan comes in as a proverbial knight in shining armour with an array of idiosyncratic themes, interesting characters and an esoteric canvas teeming with fantastical elements. It is not your run-of-the-mill tale of ghouls and monsters wreaking havoc. There’s more to the plot than what you’ve bargained for.
Set in a quaint and rough-hewn fictional town of Shilashpura in Rajasthan, Dahan narrates the story of a maligned IAS officer Avni Raut (Tisca Chopra) who wants to turn things around for herself by taking on an assignment of mediating a deal between Mangon Mining Corporation and reluctant citizens of Shilashpura. The bone of contention between the two opposing parties remains to be the disputed site of the mining project. While Mangon Corporation desperately wants to start their work so they can get their hand on a rare natural mineral, the site itself is said to be the legacy left behind by the monster of Shilashpura. Avni along with her son Amey, upon their arrival to Shilashpura get acquainted with the lore of Raakan, Haadika and Mayaavi and the two mysterious factions Kaaraapalli and Nikaasiya and their blood-stained history.
In what seems to be the deeply-rooted superstitious town, Avni opens a Pandora’s Box and all hell breaks loose. Unlike other horror shows, Dahan doesn’t take you into the action right away. With nine episodes to its credit, the makers try to establish the various plot devices and flesh out character developments in the first five-six episodes.
Owing to its slow but purposeful storyline, Dahan meanders through the maze of complicated mother and son relationship with Avni and Amey. Meanwhile, Avni is on a different journey altogether as the demons from her past comes to haunt her (not literally). Amey as a young, rebellious teen is hot under the collar because he thinks her mother is concealing something about his dead father. His personal quest is backed by intriguing supporting characters that add substance to the narrative. The plot also chronicles with dexterity the clash of egos, politics, underlying corruption and rampant orthodox practices of the cursed town.
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However, despite the slow and sluggish story-telling, Dahan manages to pack a punch through portrayal of some unconventional and macabre instances. Some of the scenes are so craftily directed that it is bound to send chills down your spine. Vikrant Pawar’s fictional universe doesn’t fall prey to the usual tropes of horror flicks where there is a jumpscare every two minutes. Instead, the makers have employed other imaginative ways of bringing about the feeling of trepidation among the viewers. In essence, it breaks every rule from the horror handbook but in turn paves way for a more realistic and organic narrative to flourish.
Dahan is not consistent and drags in between hence severing the connection at times but overall it picks up the pace towards the end of the series in the form of a mind-bending crescendo. The thrilling climax would have you by the edge of your seats, gnawing at your nails with fear and anticipation.
The actors involved have managed to shine through some stellar performances. Tisca Chopra who plays Avni looks headstrong and convincing, even in the scenes when she is visibly lost and at the crossroads with her perturbing past. As an on-screen IAS officer and a doting mother, one would feel no qualms in relating to her. To compliment Tisca, Rohan Joshi(not to be confused with the stand-up comic) who plays Amey succeeded in displaying complex emotions of inner-conflict, naivete and presence of mind. Rajesh Tailang’s performance was by far the most striking one from the lot as he embodied the Rajasthani dialect and the quirks of his mysterious character with poise. The same can be said about the veteran actor Saurabh Shukla who would bemuse you with his screen presence. Mukesh Tiwari as Bhairo Singh who marked his OTT debut with Dahan has also delivered a noteworthy performance. As for the rest of the cast Ankur Nayyar, Rahul Tewari, Lehar Khan, Hima Singh have collectively infused life in their respective characters.
Dahan is an almost complete package with a stirring and engaging screenplay, impactful dialogues oscillating between Hindi and Rajasthani dialect. The makers ought to be lauded as they have not diluted the essence of the local language by oversimplifying it for the audience. It renders realism into the script and ignores the easy route of expositions. To add to that, the art direction of Dahan has to be one of the best in recent times. The calculated use of different sets whether it’s the mysterious chasms and mines of Shilashpura, the pious shrine of Shilasthal atop a lofty hill, the cryptic caves and ruins hidden within the contraptions of mystic town or the vast expanse of deserted lands riddled with countless mysteries. Undoubtedly, they all form a major chunk of the bigger story. There’s a lot that rides on racy VFX, impeccable prosthetics and makeup, creepy sound design and background score as well as immersive cinematography that’s been dealt with in detail.
Overall, Dahan is a decent watch and an honest attempt to unravel more iconoclastic themes for the Indian audience. Even with it’s flaws and loopholes, the horror sans supernatural series has the potential to shake you up to the core by the time end credits of the final episode roll in front of your screen. The elements of drama, mystery, conflict encompassed by unpredictable plot twists is evenly distributed for the viewers to cherish. Just that, it would require a bit of patience from one’s end.
Dahan is now streaming on Disney+Hotstar.
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