Web Series: Salaakar
Director by: Faruk Kabir
Cast: Naveen Kasturia, Mouni Roy, Mukesh Rishi, Surya Sharma, others
Streaming on: JioHotstar (Hotstar Specials)
Premiere Date: August 8, 2025
‘Salakaar’ sets its sights high — a dual-timeline espionage drama spanning from 1978 to 2025, hinging on the life and legacy of a fictional Indian spymaster loosely modeled on Ajit Doval. But while the concept is ambitious and the intentions noble, the execution is uneven.
Naveen Kasturia plays Adhir, a deep-cover intelligence operative in 1978 and the National Security Advisor in 2025. His character is cerebral, emotionally restrained, and morally complex — an asset to the show. Mouni Roy delivers a layered performance as Mariam/Shrishti, bringing emotional stakes into the geopolitical narrative. Unfortunately, solid performances can only do so much when the writing falters.
Director Faruk Kabir prioritizes strategy over spectacle, emphasizing emotional intelligence and sacrifice over action — a refreshing take for the genre. The chess motif is apt, mirroring the series’ attempt at mind games and layered plotting. But many of these moves are telegraphed too early, or worse, don’t land at all.
Yet, amid the series’ uneven storytelling, one moment rises above the rest — a rare instance of imagination and emotional clarity. In a crucial scene set in 1978, Adhir teams up with a local Baloch sarpanch to sabotage a covert nuclear facility. After the mission’s success, the sarpanch questions Adhir’s true identity, suspecting he isn’t the NGO worker he claimed to be. Adhir replies only with a folded hand and the words, “Ek achcha padosi, khuda hafiz.” The line is subtle, poetic, and charged — revealing everything while saying nothing. It’s in this restrained moment that ‘Salakaar’ shows the kind of writing it could have consistently delivered.
While the series aspires to be a tribute to the unsung heroes of Indian intelligence, it often slips into a docu-drama rhythm. The pace drags, and the writing lacks the tautness required for a thriller. Only the final episode delivers a semblance of tension and thrill — and even that climax feels lifted from more polished cinematic predecessors, undermining its own originality.
Also Read: Naveen Kasturia’s Salakaar: A Gripping Spy Drama with Dialogues That Will Take Your Breath Away
The cinematography by Jitan Harmeet Singh is atmospheric at times but let down by inconsistent art direction and occasionally amateurish props. Mukesh Rishi is cast in a loud, underwritten role that doesn’t utilize his presence effectively — a missed opportunity.
In essence, ‘Salakaar’ wants to be cerebral, emotional, and politically potent. It ends up being admirable in concept, sincere in tone, but flawed in craft. It’s a thoughtful but uneven ride — more of a slow burn dossier than an edge-of-your-seat thriller.
