Killer Soup

Directed by Abhishek Chaubey, "The Killer Soup," a Netflix India Original, brings a dark comedy crime thriller to the streaming platform, starring Manoj Bajpayee and Konkona Sen Sharma in lead roles. Set in the fictional hill station of Mainjur, Tamil Nadu, the film unfolds a gripping tale of deception, doppelgangers, and culinary conspiracies.

This movie, by its very nature, caters to a niche audience-those who appreciate the nuances of dark comedy, crime thrillers, and art films. The plot, revolving around an aspiring yet talentless home chef, Swathi (Konkona Sen Sharma), and her elaborate plan to replace her husband, Prabhakar Shetty (Manoj Bajpayee), with his squint-eyed doppelganger, is both slow-paced and captivating. The story's strength lies not only in the leads but also in the supporting cast, which contributes significantly to the film's overall impact.

Manoj Bajpayee, in a double role, manages to maintain a delicate balance, but the performance might feel different from what audiences have come to expect from the versatile actor. Nassr, playing the role of senior police inspector Hassan, steals the show with a stellar performance, especially when dealing with the death of a rookie officer, ASI Thupalli, portrayed by Anbuthasan, who showcases remarkable acting skills that deserve recognition.

Sayaji Shinde as Arvind Shetty, Prabhakar's elder brother, delivers another memorable performance, reaffirming his status as a go-to choice for characters with Marathi/South Indian don shades. Anula Navlekar as Apeksha "Appu" Shetty surprises with her acting prowess, adding a delightful twist to the movie.

"The Killer Soup" may not be everyone's cup of tea, but for those who appreciate the genre, it serves as a testament to the potential of such concepts in mainstream cinema. The film prompts viewers to question why more narratives like this aren't explored in the broader film landscape, making it a standout for aficionados of dark comedy and crime thrillers.

Another series from India which is becoming a trend, a Bollywood equivalent of Indian OTT series, with typical elements of quirky characters played by good actors/actresses, swearing laden dialogues, twists and turns which stop raising curiosity after the 2/3rd twists, and try to lace the series with dark humor throughout.

The formula's individual elements sound interesting but it doesn't work just by mixing all of these together and hoping it makes an interesting watch. It doesn't. It becomes as bland as the paya soup shown in the series.

The fundamental elements of movie making, a good story, a good script, meaningful elements of humor etc. Etc., basically the ART part of movie making, cant be created through formula.

This is another OTT series, which even if you watch the entire series, which by the way will need enormous patience, you will forget about it in another week's time. Definitely worth a miss for any intelligent viewer, even for casual watch.

Regarding story, acting, or anything else nothing worth a mention, quite pedestrian overall.

Anwar Says: It's a mixture of Shakespeare and Hitchcock, which Abhishek Chaubey tried to present on OTT, more than 7 hours long runtime in 8 episodes, engaging the two all time top actors, Manoj Vajpayee and Konkna Sen Sharma. A real black comedy and almost in every episode, someone dies or is about to die. There are a number of narrative threads which emerge from the main crime story. All full of lies, deceit, blackmail and melodrama.

No word about Manoj's performance, every role looks tailor made for him. But this show belongs to Konkna, she is so calm and poised and does everything effortlessly. There is neither any desperation to shift from middle class life nor any hue and cry after a murder has been committed. Sayaji Shinde is extra loud and Naseer's ( Inspector) character is totally confused amidst hallucinations and always looks disillusioned. Others have been properly casted as per script.

I liked the way the title KILLER SOUP appears differently in each episode and also the use of some Western Classic songs appropriately. But joining threads would be difficult for you, if you don't go for a binge watch. Go for it for Manoj and Konkna.

#Netflix #anwarsays #payasoup #mushroom #webseries2024 #manojbajpayee #Konknasensharma #AbhishekChaubey #darkdrama #SayajiShinde.

Show intended to be a Dark Comedy Thriller including a series of murders and one thing leading to another and to another but the weak script and average acting(poor in some cases) took the show to nowhere. It has it's moments but couldn't lift up show's genre game. Didn't expect such below the mark acting from legends like Manoj Bajpai and a refined actress like Konkana Sen Sharma. The events of story sometimes feel like made up and predictable. I intended to finish it in one go but failed to do so even after fast forwarding through some dull and clippable moments of the show. Easily avoidable to save your precious time.

2024 started with a bang for all the TV series enthusiasts and movie lovers, with the perfect intro of this series. Manoj sir at its best, doing something very unique this time. The story revolves around a wife who wants to own a restaurant someday but her husband does not support her. What did she do to get her dreams fulfilled, and did she win in all the chaos? The cinematography is beautiful, with powerful dialogues, and each and every episode, keeps you on the edge of the seat. Konkona did so well, like she always does and all other supporting actors also played their part well. A really good mystery thriller with a satisfactory end. Recommended.