Tanaav episodes 1-6 review: Manav Vij's web series keeps you gripped from the word go

Despite the gripping plotline, Sudhir Mishra's Tanaav has a long way to compete with Fauda.

Tanaav - Manav Vij.

Story:

Kabir assumed that he had the most dreaded terrorist Asim Riyaz Panther killed. However, one day he comes to know that Asim is still alive. Thus, he gets back on his mission – to kill Asim once and for all.

Review:

Being a hero isn't always easy. It requires a lot of sacrifices. Tanaav is a constant reminder about that. Interestingly, at the same time, it reminds you that a villain is created thanks to his circumstances.

Based in Kashmir's 2017 insurgence, Tanaav has the typical yet believable tradition of Kashmir right from the start. Thankfully, Tanaav also gets the dialect absolutely correct. There is no accent or flaw in particular so no complaints on that front.

Satyadeep Mishra's Uday enters the frame instantly. In the little time frame he has, Satyadeep is on point.

Arslan Goni as 'Mattu' Kunal also makes an entry with him. He appears a little out-of-place sometimes but eventually grows on you.

The show sets the environment of tensions and pain right at the beginning, almost preparing you for what's coming next. Things get gruesome but not to the extent that you cannot watch it anymore.

Rajat Kapoor's Malik saab is obviously introduced in a grand manner as the head of Indian Intelligence Group (IIG). His entry promises to change the scenario. Music, sure, helps build his character to a great extent. Of course, his actions are what make him an actor to look out for.

Tanaav gets gripping with every moment that passes. Contrary to many projects out there, the music really adds to the series’ story.

Arbaaz Khan's is introduced soon after. He rarely has a memorable moment on the show but contributes to it nonetheless.

With the same frame, Manav Vij's Kabir makes his way into a fresher scenario. When in action, his crazy passion is what makes Kabir so worth watching.

His graph is what will keep you gripped to Tanaav. The stress is not only around Kashmir but also in his life and the makers have brought that out pretty well. Even though Kabir is way too much like Tiger from Ek Tha Tiger, Manav gives his own charm to the character.

Sukhmani Sadana plays his wife Nushrat. She is seen in a glimpse before actually coming into the whole picture. The actress slips right into her role as a mother and wife dedicated to her house alone.

The story moves forward almost in fast forward, making it hard to grasp what's really happening. However, thankfully, a few important scenes do slow the pace and you do understand what the flashbacks are all about.

Sahiba Bali as Special Task Group (STG) member Toshi leaves an impression right from her entry. Her action is something to look out for. It is brilliant to see this woman fit right in and perform stunts like her male counterparts.

Rocky Raina's Kabir Farooqui and Amit Kaur's Muneer Jeelani bring calm to the tense story. Arryaman Seth as Danish joins the story later. The latter becomes pivotal to the story in more ways than one and almost nails the role.

Shashank Arora leaves a lasting impression right from his entry as Junaid. He keeps on growing on you with every scene. As an actor he is anyway someone to look out for but here there’s no way you can miss him, even in a passing shot.

Sumit Kaul's entry hints that he is the most-spoken-about and dreaded, Umar Riyaz Panther. He leaves a lasting impression, especially as someone who's not a terrorist, till he actually terrorizes everyone. However, he has more emotional moments than terrorizing ones. Sumit actually pulls off such scenes effortlessly.

Sheen Savita Dass' Fatima plays a major role but eventually. She shows what happens when a woman decides to take action.

Walsucha D'Souza plays Umar's wife Zainab in the series. Meanwhile, Zarina Wahab as Panther's mother plays quite an interesting role. The two women stick together much more than you could possibly imagine. They make for some memorable scenes together.

Saloni Khanna is back. She appears in the second episode and is revealed to be Kabir's to-be sister-in-law.

Ekta Kaul finally appears in the series in the third episode. In the role of Farah, she is adorable. This individual is the prime example of what happens when stuck between government and rebels.

MK Raina as Mir sir is believable. As an organization leader, he brings a lot to the table. Since he comes at the end of the series, there’s a lot more he is going to offer later.

The wives in Tanaav play as much an important role as the husband. That is the beauty of the show.

The story gets complicated but in the simplest way, which cannot be said for many projects out there. This makes it easier to follow the storyline.

Applause Entertainment's Tanaav has only touched the brim. There’s a lot more to come and the cliffhanger promises something newer each time.

Verdict:

Sudhir Mishra’s Tanaav is a good watch. It keeps you gripped for the most part. In a long time, a show’s story and music work hand-in-hand to make the series a better watch.

Of course, the show isn't at par with Fauda if you compare the two but if you look at it with a fresh perspective, this series is good enough. If the minor flaws can be ignored, Tanaav is definitely worth watching.

Go for it now or wait for all the episodes to release. The first six sure are binge-worthy.

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