The much-awaited spin-off of the super hit gangster series, Rangbaaz released this December 2019 on ZEE5 Originals. Rangbaaz Phirse, starring Jimmy Shergill in the lead, is set amidst the backdrop of Rajasthan’s casteist and the politically exploitative core of the state’s earlier days. One of the most fascinating elements of the series is its remarkable display of true incidents without altering its authenticity. Even though the nature of the series is part-biopic and part-fiction, it majorly revolves around the life of Rajasthan based Gangster, Amarpal Singh.
The story begins with a very compelling tale of an able young man who falls prey to political manipulation and caste supremacy. Despite sincere efforts, he gets dragged into the political game leading him to lose his life-long dream of clearing the UPSC. The series provides striking details that narrate a ringside view of the gangster who did not intend to take the uncouth path to fame. The focus of the series remains on throwing light on the filthy tricks played by power-hungry politicians who maneuver not only gangsters but also the police. Naturally, the viewers sympathize with the anti-hero and almost wish for a contradictory ending than most gangsters have in fate.
Even though the essence of Rangbaaz Phirse is quite similar to that of the first season, the story in the second season unfolds in the distant district of Rajasthan whilst the first season starring, Saqib Saleem was shot against the rustic background of Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh.
Talking about the actors and their acting, Jimmy Shergill in the lead perfected the role of a much loved ‘gangster’ with very strong morals and principles. As the story unfolds, we see him transform from an innocent college student hoping to clear the UPSC to a callous gangster.
The antagonist, Raja Phogat helps in adding objectivity to the storyline. His performance complimented by superior dialogues enhance vigor in the show. At the same time, Sushant Singh who can be seen as the partisan of the protagonist comes on-screen during his moment of disappointment without any dialogue.
Hence proving that a fine blend of perfected acting and good dialogues makes the show a must-watch!
Another striking feature of the series is the women in it. Starting from Gul Panag playing Anupriya who acts delightfully in the supporting role to Amarpal’s wife who accepts and supports him despite his infidelity.
This was, however, in contrast to his strained relationship with his daughter. Supra Joshi was another female character who although had little to contribute to the direction of the show, still managed to bring legitimacy and incorruptibility to the sequence of events.
Supporting actors like Harsh Chhaya and Sonam Arora also have scope to prove their worth and in turn-add life to the show.
‘Rangbaaz’ refers to a person who splatters colour, perhaps referring to the colour ‘red’ signifying ‘blood’ here. This makes the title of the series quite apt for its theme. The sound of shots getting fired and well-written dramatic dialogues contribute to the thumping in our hearts.
All said and done, referring to Rangbaaz Phirse as the sequel of the super hit show, ‘Rangbaaz’ can be a debatable topic. Undoubtedly, one can view Rangbaaz Phirse without having seen Rangbaaz. The two series offer a great variety in terms of casting, location, plot, and drama. However, despite the show being set in Rajasthan instead of Uttar Pradesh or despite the obvious difference in the cast, the basic storyline and idea behind the two series remain the same i.e., they’re both adaptations of real-life gangsters who achieved a cult following due to their epic stories back in the day. They both are also similar in the sense of openly calling out brutalities undertaken by politicians thriving for power.
The Indian crime drama has usually been very invigorating to watch and the audience base for the same has been expanding tremendously in recent years. To sum up, Rangbaaz Phirse portrays the story of a gangster and the motivation behind the crimes he commits. It promotes the idea of how no one is born ‘evil’.
With the correct balance between action, emotions, and drama, it makes a fine series for you to binge-watch next.
