Farzi review: exceptional In service to Shahid Kapoor, the show's star, rather than the plot, Vijay Sethupathi brings life to it.
Review of Farzi: Shahid Kapoor doesn't offer anything novel, aside from the sporadic scene in which he shows vulnerability. This is just one more Shahid Kapoor role in a long line that is solidifying his star persona.
Do you recall how frequently "jaali-note-ka-dhanda," or counterfeiting, appeared in Bollywood blockbusters? After watching Raj and DK's produced and directed film "Farzi," you might not develop a keen eye for fake currency. However, the new eight-part Amazon series, in which Shahid Kapoor makes his OTT debut, does provide a ready reckoner on things most of us were unaware of, including the type of paper a genuine note uses, the artistry involved in the design, the printing and distribution, as well as the deadly danger involved in the entire operation.
Kapoor portrays Sunny, a talented artist whose dedicated "naanu" (Amol Palekar) owns a failing printing press and a "patrika," more of a pamphlet than a magazine, called Kranti. Sunny, who overcame a difficult childhood, has not seen a revolution. He and Firoz, his "bachpan-ka-dost" (Bhuvan Arora), have only ever known privation. They are ripe for a fall into the snake pit where vipers like Mansoor Dalal (Kay Kay Menon), a counterfeiter kingpin, lie coiling and waiting to strike due to the constant humiliations of having too little.
The law enforcement unit, led by the irascible Michael Vednayagam (Vijay Sethupathi), is on the other main track and is occupied with finding the villains behind this "financial terrorism." One worthy declares that flooding India with "farzi" 2000 rupee notes will destroy the country's economy. More insight into India's adversaries is shared aloud.
Bloody bodies and battered bodies are left in its wake as the action alternates between the police and the "chor." But the problem with "Farzi" is that nothing ever feels necessary or new enough. What could have been completed in four or five episodes is stretched out over eight due to excessive explanatory chatter, declamation, and first-tell-then-show. The explanation is obvious.
Other actors also perform their roles. Amol Palekar plays an idealistic elderly guy who is out of step with the times with a poignant dignity; Chittaranjan Giri is fantastic as his longtime colleague and alternates between compulsion and compassion. As the hero's best friend, Bhuvan Arora enhances the scenes. With her stylish hairstyle and eye-catching clothing, Kay Kay Menon is obviously having a great time. As a stylish baddie, Kubbra Sait doesn't have enough to do; maybe, this will alter in the following round.
Farzi directors: Raj and DK
