Written by Sowmya Gopi
Needless to say, Sacred Games is one of the best Netflix originals in years. Breaking the barriers of conventional cinema with gruesome graphics, non-obscure references to India’s murky political history, and a clear indication of how religion is used as a tool to further communal tension in India—all of this and more proves that, whether they may desire to or not, Bollywood will never be able to pull off a bold narrative like the one Netflix uses with Sacred Games.
Sacred Games follows a policeman, a criminal overlord, a Bollywood film star, politicians, cultists, spies, and terrorists—the lives of the privileged, the famous, the wretched, and the bloodthirsty interweave with cataclysmic consequences amid the chaos of modern-day Mumbai. The series is based on the critically-acclaimed best-selling novel Sacred Games by author Vikram Chandra.
The story focuses on Sartaj Singh (Saif Ali Khan), a seasoned and cynical Bombay police officer, summoned by an anonymous tip one morning, a voice which promises him an opportunity to capture the powerful Ganesh Gaitonde (Nawazuddin Siddiqui), criminal overlord of the G-Company. As the stakes mount and Sartaj seeks knowledge of his prey, it becomes clear that the game the two players thought they were engaged in is in fact part of a much larger scenario, one that expands beyond their city.
1. The Graphics and Dialogues
From the very opening scene and dialogue, where a white dog falls down on the floor from a multi-storey building and a voice says “Do you believe in God? God doesn’t give a fuck.”—the bar was set. From that point itself, Sacred Games wants you to know that this is going to be beautiful yet bloody ride ahead.
2. The Depiction of Nudity
If you’re a Bollywood fan, you would know how the whole sexual tension between the lead pair is romanticised to an extent which is mostly exploitative towards women. Here, sex is shown in a natural and practical way.
3. Representation of Transgender In A Broad Light
To date, mainstream films in India have shied away from portraying transgender characters in any other role than what they usually be seen as, what society has cast them into. This series depicts them in their true form and even highlights how people see them only as lucky charms and never given the respect they deserve and forced to hide their identities.
4. A Not-So Invincible Hero
Unlike most films and TV shows where the lead hero never gets hurt even by a bullet, Saif Ali Khan here is not your typical mainstream hero my friend. He is just an average Indian cop, who is anxious, overthinks, and even gets his thumb cut off by a terrorist.
5. Reference of Indian Politics
The series doesn’t shy away from mentioning how Indian history was shaped by Indian politics. There are no obscure references, but a realistic description, with the use of archival footage, to show what India went through at the time. Sacred Games manages to showcase the effect that political decisions have on a common man’s life.
6. The Drug Addiction of Stars
Mainstream cinemas shy away from the depiction of drug use, especially by stars themselves. Here Karan Wahi, who assumes the role of a Bollywood celebrity, is shown as the spoilt star kid who parties and a drug addict.
7. The Religion Card
The series clearly depicts how religion is used as a tool to wedge a gap between people. No singular community is highlighted, as it never has been any one community’s fault. The creators point out how little it takes to incite a religiously charged person.
8. The Villain We Love
A notorious Mumbai gangster with a god complex named Ganesh Gaitonde, played brilliantly by Nawazuddin Siddiqui. He tells the story of his bloody rise from the gutters to a Godfather and this is a story worth listening to.
9. The Intriguing Storyline
Just like the 900 page novel that it is based on, Sacred Games is a one of kind thriller with so many plotlines and characters that’s it’s impossible to keep track of if you don’t watch closely. Luckily, the show looks good and the cast is great. In addition to the aforementioned male leads, there are strong performances by Kubbra Sait as Kuckoo and Radhika Apte as an Indian intelligence officer. Almost every shot is beautiful to look at, even when it’s a gigantic pool of garbage being set aflame. You can’t take your eyes off-screen.
Sacred Games is available now to stream on Netflix.
