Detective Boomrah is juvenile and amateurish

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You’ve gotta hand it to Sudhanshu Rai. He has had the guts to co-direct and co-write a web series (albeit one of just 3 episodes totaling about 45 minutes) with zero experience in making a film (which web series are now in every sense), but for some ‘adventures’ on YouTube.

He also plays the protagonist detective Boomrah, who is different from conventional fictional detectives. His associate, Sam (Raghav Jhingran) is his Dr. Watson with a difference again. His main line is “Boomrah, yaar (Come on, Boomrah!)” which is like a signature tune for him!

The net result of Sudhanshu’s cinematic bravado is that the series seems juvenile as well as amateurish all at one go! Technically slipshod (naturally!), this one, called The Case of the Missing Man, files a story of a man who jumps from a heritage hotel terrace in Rajasthan and disappears.

Detective Boomrah (on the same character) is a highly successful series on radio and YouTube and he is a man who specializes in supernatural and sci-fi cases, we are told. This one seemingly falls into both categories. The story involves a mystery tunnel, a haveli’s secret and a sitar-playing girl. Enid Blyton Indianized? Watch it if you must to decide!

A rather unprepossessing Rani Sa (Priyanka Sarkar) is also at the center-stage besides the timid Sam. This Rani Sa is also different—she is no regal, dominating, impressive and well-decked persona who is the matriarch or queen in a majestic haveli. There is a seemingly psychiatric case among the staff, but he is not really mental. As for the tunnel, it has its own kinks. And, yes, Sam is dumped and brought in at convenience.

Sudhanshu Rai tries to look like both Dev Anand (from the 1950s!) and Akshaye Khanna and behaves like the former. Amateurish beyond measure in acting for a professional series, he fares worse as a director. Raghav Jhingran has no personality whatsoever. Manisha Sharma as the girl who plays the sitar is wishy-washy. The rest don’t even count.

Neither does the series.

Rating: *

Disney+Hotstar presents Saint Arts’ Detective Boomrah  Produced by: Puneet Sharma & Sudhanshu Rai Directed by: Anant Rai, Puneet Sharma & Sudhanshu Rai Written by: Puneet Sharma & Sudhanshu Rai Music: Karan Aneja & Piyush Lazer Starring: Sudhanshu Rai, Raghav Jhingran, Abhishek Sonpaliya, Manisha Sharma, Shobhit Sujay,  Garima Rai, Akhlaq Ahmad, Priyanka Sarkar & others