Los reyes de Bombay

"In 'Bambai Meri Jaan,' the Mumbai underworld takes center stage as we delve into the intriguing life of mafia don Dawood Ibrahim. This series masterfully uncovers the origins and growth of underworld gangs in Bombay, offering a detailed and immersive experience.

The narrative also follows the journey of Ismail Khadri as he's transferred to Bombay, dedicating four episodes to his family's complex dynamics. These emotional scenarios and character relationships add depth to the storyline, making for a captivating watch. Witness the transformation of KK Menon's character, Ismail Khadri, and his remarkable portrayal of emotional scenes.

Hussain Zaidi's rendition of Dawood Ibrahim adds a layer of intrigue, keeping the audience engaged with well-paced action sequences and profound emotional depth. Episodes 5, 6, and 7 shed light on Dawood's evolution into a mafia don, exploring the dynamics between him, his brother Sadiq, and sister Habiba. The series doesn't shy away from the emotional complexities in Dawood's relationship with his mother Sakina.

KK Menon's outstanding performance as Ismail Khadri continues to shine in the portrayal of family dynamics, adding depth to the Khadri family's emotional turmoil and relationships. 'Bambai Meri Jaan' is a fresh take on the Mumbai mafia empire, unraveling the enigma of how Dawood Ibrahim became one of the world's most wanted criminals.

Directed by Shujaat Saudagar, Bambai Meri Jaan is a 10 episodes web series with 30-50 minutes running time.

It depicts the life span of Dara Kadri (Avinash Tiwary), the D Company founder, from his childhood days till he leaves for Dubai to escape his arrest warrant by Mumbai Police.

Ismail Kadri (Kay Kay Menon), an honest and devout Mumbai cop turned gangster Haji's (Saurabh Sachdeva) accomplice turned spiritual recluse, plays his father and narrator of the series.

Kay Kay has a crucial role and he has played it brilliantly, mostly with stoic silence and one liners. His acting in the series is beautifully layered and perhaps the best of his acting career!!

The web series has multiple important characters and all have been casted wonderfully and enacted effectively. In fact their combined acting prowess has surpassed the storyline and script!

The entire series is embedded with Mumbaiya expletives and at one point the blood and gore becomes too much to handle.

Overall, the series is familiar, engaging, entertaining and well edited with top class production design.

The tempo, acting talent of the stars were all very good. Feel like giving 7+ rating. But the entire film is in darkness, can't understand why. We miss out on some expressions of artsts, the surrounding etc. But for certain night sequences, there was no necessity for it to be so dark. But for the storyline and direction, we would have skipped the series.

We are a big fan of KAYKAY and he did complete justice. Liked how Dara emerged and his loyalists along.

It was a period series fine, but electricity had come by then, right? Then why the petromax light effect in most part of the film? The flow did slowdown several times, but that was still fine in a 10 episode series. Please next time, we need lights.

I understand few folks are comparing this to gangs of wasseypur. Well, no offense, these millenials need to know the history before writing a review. The greatest rivarly that ever existed in Mumbai between Haji and D Company was well showcased in this 10 episode event. Hats off to the director and writers. Although, my review is also based on the news and movies I have seen over the years on this feud, nonetheless, this was a great entertainer. Nicely written combined with pace. Anybody who knows Mumbai knows what this story was. I hope this series receives much better ratings in order to encourage those fearless writers and producers to come forth and convert little known facts into public knowledge.

In the tumultuous backdrop of 1965 Bombay, "Bambai Meri Jaan" unravels a gripping narrative of Ismail Kadri, a principled police officer and devoted family man. Tasked with exposing the dark alliance between underworld kingpins Haji and Pathan, Ismail's unwavering integrity faces relentless challenges. Simultaneously, he grapples with domestic turmoil, particularly disciplining his son, Dara. An unexpected crisis ensues when Ismail's brother-in-law accidentally kills a fellow officer, leading to Ismail's expulsion from the police force.

Struggling to provide for his family post-dismissal, the weight of poverty begins to shape Dara's perspective. Haji tightens his grip on Ismail, eventually forming a trio of criminal overlords with Anna. Fast forward to 1977, and Dara emerges as a formidable rival, sparking a personal feud with the Pathan gang that escalates into a blood-soaked vendetta.

Dara's pursuit of vengeance leads to alliances with Dubai Sheikhs, giving birth to the notorious D-Company. As his empire expands, family tensions rise, and a revenge-fueled Pathan threatens to dismantle everything. A ruthless war unfolds, resulting in brutal showdowns, and Dara's ultimate sacrifice - leaving his family under the care of his sister, Habiba, as he ventures into an uncertain future in Dubai. "Bambai Meri Jaan" is an unrelenting journey through Mumbai's underbelly, where loyalty, betrayal, and revenge shape destinies, birthing the empire.