The nine-part web series Sultan of Delhi on Disney+Hotstar which is co-written and co-directed by Milan Luthria and Suparn S Verma, is based on the novel “Sultan of Delhi: Ascension” by Arnab Ray.
Arjun (Tahir Raj Bhasin), a young child who escaped the atrocities of the Partition, arrives in Delhi, a city gripped by political and militant unrest. His desire to overcome the pains of the past drives him into the criminal underworld, where he begins by working in the gun trade alongside his companion Bangali (Anjumm Shharma). Under the guidance of Jagan Seth (Vinay Pathak), they venture into the world of illegal enterprises together. ‘Sultan of Delhi’ has the struggle for power, a genuine relationship, and the allure of the 1960s.
Betrayal, power struggles, ego clashes, and the building of empires are all prevalent in the series, which is rife with noir’s traditional components. Arjun and Sanjana’s love tale (Mehreen Pirzada) gives the crime epic a warm and human element amidst all the brutality and intrigue.
The story
As clichés, unnecessary skin-shows, and a fixation with criminals have become so boring, one can already foresee the outcome of a discovery before it even happens. Milan Luthria, the maker of the influential Once Upon a Time Expectations for Sultan of Delhi, the new series based on the same-named book by Arnab Ray published in 2016, was high in Mumbai ten years ago. Sadly, it all collapses in a dismal jumble.
Uninspired acting and a clichéd plot
Even the seasoned actors in the Sultan of Delhi cast engage in a lot of gore, violence, and over-the-top acting. For a gangster show, the action is plain chaotic and fails to keep the audience’s interest. You will also occasionally watch a full-fledged song sequence, as if that weren’t enough. Maybe this was an attempt to bring back nostalgia for the 1990s, but it didn’t succeed.
When viewers have so many options and are choosing to support complex shows like Kohrra and Guns & Gulaabs, dull and basic content doesn’t work.
The anti-hero, Rajinder, a very ruthless rich brat played by Nishant Dahiya, is only marginally superior to Arjun and Bangali. Shows like this blur the line between hero and villain’s bad behavior. Rajinder has feelings for his late father’s manipulative mistress, Anupriya Goenka, who is portrayed by Anupriya Goenka. She is possibly the most quickly written character in a show that just isn’t interested in comprehending them, dressed in bizarre, provocative clothing.
In between the mindless bloodshed and lousy sex scenes, Mouni Roy gyrates to the tune of “Tra la la” while sizzling in a club.
What did not work?
The performances in “Sultan of Delhi” aren’t much better either. They seem mediocre, failing to give the characters personality or elicit real feelings from the spectator. This adds to the feeling of dissatisfaction and hopelessness.
The series’ writing and direction both fall short of expectations. Due to the narrative’s unclear and inconsistent structure, it is challenging for viewers to fully immerse themselves in the drama.
The web series shows a lack of creativity. The characters don’t have anything that gives them an authentic appearance or voice. Nothing about the show’s backdrops indicates that this is Delhi in the 1960s. Instead, Qutub Minar is regularly seen from above to act as a continual reminder to the audience that this particular crime drama is situated in Delhi.
As Preeti, Arjun’s friend from the refugee camp, Harleen Sethi, who had such depth in Kohhra, is squandered.
In the end
Unfortunately, “Sultan of Delhi” is a web series that fails miserably. It is an unsatisfying experience to watch because of its lack of innovation, bad dialogue, slow pacing, predictable plot, subpar acting, and weak director and writing. This series, alas, is a total waste of time for people looking for interesting and thought-provoking information.
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