Mumbai-based gangster dramas have always been intriguing. There have been plenty of films made on this subject by various directors in the last two decades. Mumbai gangsters are a big part of the city’s history and pop culture. Company, D, Shootout at Lokhandwala, Once Upon a Time in Mumbai, Black Friday, D-Day, and Daddy are some of the films that extensively covered their stories.
Created by Shujaat Saudagar and Rensil D’Silva, the Amazon Prime Series is a period drama that chronicles the rivalry between two threatening gangsters who are adamant about controlling the city and the smuggling business on their respective terms.
Story And Plot
The trailer gives away just enough to keep the audience intrigued about the subject matter. The biggest takeaway from the trailer is the general plot of the show. It is based on the true stories of the kind of gangsters who once ruled the city of Mumbai using violence and terror. The names of the characters are fictionalized, but their essence remains the same. The story will also take us through the life of the protagonist, Dara Kadri (reminiscent of Daud Ibrahim), who is the son of a righteous police officer. Everyone watching the trailer is aware of the personality this plot is based on. There are plenty of movies (especially Once Upon a Time in Mumbai) that have explored these characters in the past. Hopefully, Bambai Meri Jaan will give these stories an angle that is different from what the audience has watched and consumed in the past.
The gangster rivalry between Hajji and Dara is at the core of the show. The makers will focus on the clash between an established gangster and a rising smuggler. Dara’s life story will be explored, which will be drastically different from what his father had dreamed of for him. Bambai Meri Jaan will also explore the father-son dynamics that will set the tone from the beginning. Dara’s father wants him to be an honest citizen, but the young man will be ambitious and seek a better lifestyle than he has led since his childhood. His idea of a good life is different.
The show is expected to be an intense period drama that will take the audience through Bombay. It will be interesting to understand how the smuggling network was established in the city and grew exponentially. There could be a clash of ideologies between the gangsters as well. Hajji will want to set boundaries when it comes to the kind of contraband that can be smuggled into the city.
Meanwhile, Dara will eschew such restrictions and probably get into narcotics smuggling and set precedents for the boys working under him. The conclusion of the show will be about Dara becoming invincible and a ruthless gangster who will not think twice before funding terrorist outfits and eventually escaping from the country to safeguard his interests. The trailer also gave a glimpse of Dara Kadri’s sister, who eventually defied all the norms as a woman and joined his business. Habiba Kadri is based on the real-life gangster’s sister, who eventually took over her brother’s business. All the lead characters are based in Bombay, and the audience is intrigued to watch how the actors adapt to the Bambai Hindi slang. The story will be dramatized for entertainment purposes, but since Bambai Meri Jaan is presented by the makers who gave us Mirzapur, authenticity is expected.
Cast And Characters
Kay Kay Menon is an institution himself in the Hindi film industry. He has delivered some power-packed performances over the years, and he still surprises the audience with his nuanced take on many characters. Kay Kay Menon played the role of Officer Rakesh Maria in Black Friday, who investigated the Bombay blasts case of 1993. In Bambai Meri Jaan, we get to see him as the father of the infamous Mumbai-based gangster who wanted his son to be an honest citizen and take up a regular job instead of becoming an overly ambitious man. Kay Kay Menon is expected to deliver a great performance as the father who is conflicted between putting his son behind bars and letting him go because Dara Kadri will be terrifying after a point.
Avinash Tiwary is on a spree. Bambai Meri Jaan is one of two shows he stars in that are releasing this weekend. He is the star of Bejoy Nambiar’s crime drama Kaala as well. It is delightful to see actors like Avinash given the stage and the opportunity to showcase their talent. Avinash is set to take up the role, which many actors have done in the past. The audience will want to know his take on the character, which has been revisited by many filmmakers in the last two to three decades. I look forward to Avinash’s performance as Dara Kadri.
Kritika Kamra is a well-known television actress and has delivered some good performances in the OTT space and movies combined. Bambai Meri Jaan presents her as the ruthless sister of Dara Kadri, who will not be willing to compromise on the business he has established. This is the first time Kritika Kamra has taken up a role with such gray shades. The audience is keen to see how the makers present her arc.
Shujaat Saudagar is an up-and-coming Hindi film director who has previously given audiences the sequel to the much-loved Rock on! which is an excellent entertainment film as well. We hope to see the grittiness in the narrative of Bambai Meri Jaan, which was absent from many of the movies based on this subject.
Renzil D’Silva is the co-creator of Bambai Meri Jaan, and he has worked as a writer on many prominent films such as Rang De Basanti and Aks. All of which were critically acclaimed. We hope to see some of the good work in Bambai Meri Jaan as well.
Hussain and Abbas Dalal are the most sought-after screenwriters and dialogue writers. In the last few years, the writer’s duo has delivered some good work in the OTT space. Bambai Meri Jaan is the story of the Mumbai underbelly, and the dialogue is very dialect-specific. We are expecting the two of them to deliver some really good writing.
Where To Watch
The Excel Entertainment-produced series is an adaptation of Hussain Zaidi’s Dongri to Dubai. In the past, we have seen a plethora of Zaidi’s works adapted for the screen. Black Friday and Gangubai Kathiawadi are some of the most critically acclaimed films of our time. Bambai Meri Jaan is slated to be released on September 14th, 2023, on Amazon Prime Video.
Conclusion
Excel Entertainment has ventured into giving the audience another tale of Mumbai-based gangsters. For the viewers, this is just another show that will talk about the bitter and ruthless conflict between gangsters, which led to street fights and gang wars. The expectations are quite high because there is an anticipation that the makers will not glorify the lives these gangsters led or try to justify their actions. The makers should present the story as it is without sugarcoating anything. There is also an expectation that the filmmakers will make the characters realistic instead of presenting a caricature version, as has been done in many films in the past. Looking forward to Bambai Meri Jaan.
