Salakaar Review
Director: Faruk Kabir
Date Created: 2025-08-08 17:07
2.5
Salakaar Review: Directed by Faruk Kabir, this spy thriller series on JioHotstar stars Naveen Kasturia, Mouni Roy, Mukesh Rishi, Purnendu Bhattacharya, Ashwath Bhatt, and Surya Sharma. The series unfolds in five tightly fitted episodes, all around 35 minutes, and is set in two timeframes — in 1978, on Pakistan’s clandestine mission, and in 2025, when a new generation must confront a resurgent nuclear threat. The web series toys with espionage, political tension, and emotional conflict — does it get it right everywhere?
Salakaar Review
One thing that worked for me right away in Salakaar series is how fast it gets us going. The show does not mess around too much with filler setup, and I appreciate that. With the first episode, you feel the threat, the secrets, the urgency. There is something so satisfying about a show that respects the audience’s time and doesn’t leave the story stagnant.
The two timelines — one on the earlier mission of Adhir and the other on the current situation involving Srishti — add richness and interest to the story. It gets you interested in watching more to know how the two narratives merge. Although the basic plot of a spy who is trying to prevent a nuclear attack is not new, how it is handled in the series Salakaar was fresh to begin with.
What really sets JioHotstar’s Salakaar apart is its cast. Naveen Kasturia is great as Adhir, and he brings the right measure of calm, intelligence, and emotional depth to the character. He does not overact the character, and that makes his character realistic. Purnendu Bhattacharya is also excellent, and his scenes are the ones that make the show dense.
Mouni Roy, as lovely as you’d expect, doesn’t have much to do, which is disappointing. Her character had potential with the personal investment in the story, but wasn’t fleshed out. Mukesh Rishi as Zia Ulla contributes some danger to the role appropriate to the character. Surya Sharma does the best he can with what he has. If you are watching Salakaar for its acting, then you will not be disappointed. The cast provides some degree of life even when the script does not, and that’s a big plus for a show of this type.
Now, where things get complicated. Although the show is meant to be a suspense thriller, there are also some parts where things get even slightly too melodramatic or too improbable. In the last episode, for example, some aspects of the mission, namely the blowing up of the nuclear power plant and the airport escape sequence, appear to have been written more for drama than for sense.
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I am not one who demands utter realism in a spy thriller. A bit of dramatic license is fine by me. But JioHotstar Salakaar crosses the limits of credibility at places so excessively that you are pushed out of the narrative. Such as how a huge explosion leaves light injuries only, or how a facial-recognised spy steps across enemy territory. These aspects made me raise an eyebrow or two.
But I can appreciate what the show is attempting; it is trying to tug at heartstrings and patriotism. And it manages to a large degree. There’s redemption, sacrifice, and patriotism, and if you can relate to those, you will undoubtedly have a great time.
Salakaar’s production standard is also fine. The show is finely polished, action sequences are finely shot, and cutting from the past to the present is smooth. Locations, attire, and background score all help in setting the mood as well. It cannot be said that the makers did not put effort into making the show look and feel cinematic.
But what it does not have is emotional depth. With a show that is all about personal loss, betrayal, and patriotism, I wanted to feel a little more. We are informed of the pain of the characters, but we do not feel it. There are some moments that must be emotionally heavy, but go by with no impact. This was especially true for the story of Srishti and Jyoti, whose own personal struggles were short-changed. Their stories were important but felt like an afterthought to the story of Adhir.
JioHotstar Salakaar Review: Summing Up
Overall, Salakaar is worth seeing if you need a short, actiony, slightly nationalistic movie. It’s got its faults, principally in logic and emotional content, but compensates for them with decent acting and a decent rhythm. It’s no great espionage thriller, but it’s not a waste of time either. The story is enjoyable, but it does not stay with you. I didn’t find myself mentally replaying it after it was over or rewinding scenes so I could see them again. And for a tale with such high stakes, that is somewhat disappointing.
