Taaza Khabar review: Bhuvan Bam's debut OTT series commences as a comedy, ends up being a horror

3.5/5

Story:

Vasant Gawde works a small job of cleaning toilets. He deals with many situations on a day-to-day basis including his mother stealing money and a father who works hard but can only earn to feed one mouth. Vasya dreams of being able to afford a bungalow someday to take revenge for his mother. His passion and destiny get him to the point but at what cost?

Review:

Taaza Khabar is high on music and the feel of action. We say the feel of action because there is very little action in the show but when it does finally come, it is great. It is mainly the music that takes the series to a new level.

Bhuvan's entry, of course, is heroic and dazzling, literally. In the role of a deadly gangster, he does a great job. However, Vasant Gawde is not a gangster, not at first. It’s how the world treated him and his loved ones, that made him who he is.

There is in fact a big surprise in the first episode itself. The show is Bhuvan Bam style and its finest.

Mithilesh Chaturvedi as Vasant Gawde's neighbour is just fair. He has nothing new to offer and we have seen this kind of character many times.

Shilpa Shukla has a surprise appearance on the show. She does a fair job at it.

Shriya Pilgaonkar's entry as Madhu will remind you of Shruti Haasan from D-Day. Her bond with BB is cute right from the word go.

JD Chakravarty as the antagonist named Shetty leaves quite an impression with his expressions alone. Of course, the music aids his character much like BB's Vasant Gawde.

The series shows everything from the start, including the story of Vasya's scar. His bond with his aai and the love he carries for her is also well-explained through sweet scenes and gestures in the show.

Vasya and Madhu's love story is well-explained too. Right from their innocent first meet to where they end up, all of it is covered in the series.

However, the main concept will make you dizzy. While the whole series is based on a reality, that one aspect isn't. If you can accept that one aspect, the show does get interesting.

Deven Bhojani as Mehboob chacha of Shazia bakery is adorable and not your usual sweet Deven. His previous version, however, is.

Bhuvan in action is both impressive and hilarious. While he nails action scenes, they end up in hilarious situations too.

Dialogues like 'Kidhar Jaa Rahe Hai? Aukaat Ke Bahaar,' make this show a little more beautiful. The dialogues, even if fewer than expected, are good enough.

Mahesh Manjrekar as Kismat bhai makes a cameo appearance. He has very little to offer but still, does a good job of it.

The series has an episode where God complex is addressed. Just as one can expect, as soon as the God complex comes in, there's the lowest point.

The show is as commercial as it can get. However, it has the BB charm to it.

There is a world in the mirrors in Taaza Khabar. It says stories, especially when it comes to Madhu's time.

The last episode will get your heartbeats racing and make you hate Vasya. The show cannot get more raw than the Aane de aane de rap.

Taaza Khabar shows you two worlds and how both of them revolve around Vasya. There's a major twist by the end of the show.

As shown in the promos, Vasya goes back to his roots. However, he is not even the same person. In fact, by the end of the show, you cannot even recognize if he's the person who the story was all about. That's the real magic of Taaza Khabar.

Verdict:

Remember Shah Rukh Khan in Darr? That cute and innocent face turned villainous and how! Himank Gaur’s directorial aims to do that. However, since this show is a mix of many things, it treads on the fine line between amazing and horrendous. Watch it only if you love BB and his concepts.