by Anura Guruge
on January 23, 2023
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Watch the YouTube trailer.
It was a 7 episode SERIES (albeit each episode under 50 minutes) — & I get leery that I might lose interest before I get to the end. NO FEARS with this series. It truly exceeded expectations. By the time I got to episode 3 I was riveted.
It is based on a genuine tragedy, with the loss of 59 lives, that took place on June 13, 1997.
I had not heard of this fire or the case that AMAZINGLY dragged on for 24-years. Quite the story.
Given that series covers New Delhi society, Indian politics & the Indian judicial system for those 24 years it gives you quite a glimpse into unvarnished, contemporary Indian life. Though most of the folks shown in this series are middle class & lead a very affluent, highly westernized life at its CORE India is still India from 50-years ago or more.
There is an actual line in the show that says something along the lines of: “India will always remain a third-world country”. I am not qualified to comment on that. But, from what we see in this series India, despiste the outward trappings by the city-dwelling wealthy is still very much mired in the PAST.
Class distinction, RAMPANT CORRUPTION, bribery, graft, bureaucratic chaos still exists in bucket loads. I am familiar with much of this from my own upbringing in Ceylon as well as the amount of time I did spend in New Delhi in the late 1960s. My parents lived there from 1969 to about 1972. I was in boarding school in London. I would go home, to New Delhi, for my 3-month summer holiday & the 3-week break for Christmas. A lot of what I saw in this show, though 30 years after my time there, hadn’t changed much.
As with most Indian shows I was also stuck by how overweight or obese many of the people are. It is their carb-rich diet. In this show, somewhat atypically, you also saw a LOT of alcohol consumption.
I had expected to see more courtroom drama. There wasn’t that much. Just short & sweet snippets — but most of those were telling & clever.
I enjoyed it. But, I am sure it is not for all. Check out the trailer. If you like this kind of stuff this series will NOT disappoint. Netflix did good (again).
