Kaiser Review: Afran Nisho’s web series is riveting and smart

4/5

Story: Two private varsity students Saba and Jaya are found murdered in their rented apartment at a posh Dhaka locality, Gulshan. Police detective Kaiser (Afran Nisho) gets into the investigation. What initially appeared to be a simple murder mystery eventually turns into a much more complex plot dotted with sex, drugs and power.

In a parallel plot, we see that Kaiser is a divorced, loner and video game addict. He is also temperamental. He has a gaming partner Ananta (Shoumo Jyoti). Kaiser’s ex-wife Shirin (Reekita Nondine Shimu) has married his best friend Amlan (Mostafizur Noor Imran) – a journalist. Kaiser and Shirin have a daughter Nikita, who lives with Shirin and Amlan.

Review: First thing first, Kaiser is an outright smart series that excels in almost every department. The script has the right balance of thrill and red herrings to keep the viewers glued to the show. Meanwhile, it also maintains a style with a very smart screenplay.

Kaiser is a police procedural noir. The forte of the series is its dialogues. It is not just about the protagonist and the other key characters. Most of the characters deliver strongly realistic and witty dialogues. The fight between Kaiser, Amlan and Shirin at their friend Tanmoy’s (played by Shangkha Zaman, an ethical hacker who also helps Kaiser) birthday party is a perfect example of an intense conversation without going over the board.

Meanwhile, along with the police procedural and investigation, the show also deals with Kaiser’s vulnerability with distinct precision. His mood swings, bad behaviour and his constant effort to overcome his vulnerability are dealt with with great care and sensibility.

Kaiser follows the style of a Scandinavian noir. Police procedural, emotionally disturbed central character and corrupt socio-economic state are all indicative of a genre that is fairly popular on the OTT platforms. The character of Nisho is smart and efficient. Yet extremely rooted without being over the top.

Most importantly, the characterisation in the show has blended seamlessly with the acting calibre of the artistes. While Afran Nisho as Kaiser is just perfect with his swag and appeal, the other important character, including Shirin, played by Reekita Nondine Shimu, Amlan, played by Mostafizur Noor Imran, and little Nikita are outright gorgeous in their portrayal. It doesn’t seem like Reekita is in front of a camera and acting. She is outstandingly effortless.

Imtiaz Barshon as Barrister, however, seems like trying too hard to get the swag right. Meanwhile, the neat writing has made every character believable with the right amount of build-up and tension.

Verdict: It is definitely a must watch for all the thriller lovers. There are avoidable repetitions that falter the flow in the seventh and the last episode. However, the best bit of storytelling is it never overwhelms you with information and characters. It follows a nonlinear track and yet maintains complete clarity. Every episode slowly reveals certain truths that finally build the whole plot together. Despite a fairly average plot, the series attracts its audience because of its smart making. There is a possibility of a second season and we are happy to wait.