Lukkhe Review: Familiar But Decent Anti-Drugs Story

BOTTOM LINE
Familiar But Decent Anti-Drugs Story

PLATFORM
Amazon Prime Video

RUNTIME
5 Hours 27 Mins (8 Episodes)

What Is the Show About?

Undercover cop Gurbani hunts the creator of a lethal new drug called Demon. Her investigation pulls Lucky into the orbit of Badnaam, a rising rapper locked in a feud with his rival, OG. Lucky must navigate his love for Sanober while surviving Badnaam’s rise in the criminal world. As the investigation intensifies, the battle gets bloodier. Lucky, Badnaam, and Sanober must choose sides before it gets too late.

Performances

Two performances stand out in particular: Lakhvir Singh Saran (The Fame Game kid) and Raashi Khanna. Lakhvir poignantly mirrors the vulnerability of a youngster on the brink of a reformation and plays his part with warmth, a kind of tenderness we miss in new faces lately. Raashi’s performance is authoritative in a well-defined role, and it is a solid advertisement of her capabilities when pushed in the right direction.

Palak Tiwari is strictly okay in a role that promised emotional density. Real-time rapper King’s presence adds authenticity to the music portions. Still, his acting chops dilute the overall impact, lacking the intensity of a musician struggling to find his niche in a toxic industry. Yograj Singh’s casting, in particular, is a masterstroke (for a role that feels intentionally similar to his real-life persona). Ayesha Raza appears wasted in a brief cameo. Akarsh Khurana makes a mark as a friendly cop.

Analysis

There is always a debate about the use of cinema as a medium to dole out ‘messages’ and why it should stick to its primary purpose of entertaining and not school its audiences. Yet, with a potent storytelling audio-visual tool known for its socio-cultural impact, why can it not do both? Lukkhe, Amazon Prime’s anti-drug show, does both effectively as a cautionary tale on drugs that preaches, but largely engages too.

Lukkhe begins like a familiar companion piece to Udta Punjab, with its intent and the approach to its narrative, as an incisive take on the toxic nexus between the drug supply chain and Punjabi rap music culture, where love serves as an antidote. Three of its pivotal characters – the much-in-love couple Lucky and Sanober, the cop Gurbani – are introduced as direct victims of the drug menace.

Lucky and Sanober’s love story unfolds at a drug rehabilitation centre, providing a healing touch to the show that digs deep into the dirty drug mafia and its ripple effects on masculinity. Sanober’s brother, Nihal a.k.a. Badnaam, is a musician on the rise, who engages in a bitter professional rivalry with OG, which takes toxic turns with time. Badnaam is also the mastermind behind a destructive drug, Demon.

Officer Gurbani, while battling her own demons, is in place to keep a check and finds a loyalist in Lucky. Though it may appear that men largely run the show here, the women make their presence felt in different hues beyond the lens of victimisation, both as a protector (Gurbani) and a destroyer (as a mafia queen). While the setup remains simple and familiar, the characters and subplots are fleshed out very well.

In most anti-drug narratives, the story is told through an outsider – perhaps a cop, journalist or someone with an active social stance, who goes all out to destroy the drug syndicate either due to their conscience or past trauma. Gurbani is no different, but the story never becomes about her alone. Its emotional anchor is, in fact, a guilt-ridden Lucky, willing to transform and clearly develop his sense of right and wrong.

With both Lucky and Sanober, the show establishes that rehabilitation is a slow, gradual process where there is no guarantee of the light at the end of the tunnel. However, the way both find each other and try to heal their wounds strikes a chord. Though the bond between Sanober and Nihal (once an orphan) has a strong emotional link, what surprises you is the backstory that explains his rival OG’s monstrosity.

OG grows up under an abusive father who consistently forces him to ‘man’ up, and it transforms him into a beast that neither can identify with. What the boy perhaps needed was some care and nurturing. In the case of Nihal, it is slightly problematic how he is portrayed as a musician who has risen from the ‘gutter’ and ultimately says he has not overgrown his roots, as if his poverty were the start of the problem.

While one cannot ignore how Sanober ends up being the damsel in distress in the process, caught in a flux amidst the actions of the many men around her, it is impressive that Gurbani, even while standing up for the right causes, is treated as no saint. Within her arc, you witness glimpses of a broken system that fails to appreciate a woman with a voice and struggles to gain the trust of her male superiors.

By the end of the show, you understand that everyone has a price to pay for the choices they make, but the crucial aspect remains whether you are willing to redeem yourself and start afresh. Beyond the talk of drugs and their repercussions on society, it is the emotional threads and interpersonal relationships that lend impetus to the storytelling.

Lukkhe is a crime saga with familiar beats, empowered by layered writing and strong characters. It is five hours of long-format storytelling that feels worth it.

Music and Other Departments?

For a show largely centred on music and the influence of rap on Punjabis, it is disappointing how the soundscape (by King and team) leaves behind a middling impact. It does not create the aftertaste or the adrenaline rush for the hard-hitting themes it is trying to address.

Himank Kaur’s cinematography is a true highlight, minus any flashy, indulgent visuals and doing just what the mood of the situation dictates. The raw action choreography creates enough tension, whereas the edits offer enough room for the narrative to breathe.

Highlights?

Strong characters, performances

Impressive detailing, sensitivity

Few casting choices

Drawbacks?

Familiar beats

Some convenient, problematic writing choices

Did I Enjoy It?

Yes, mostly

Will You Recommend It?

Certainly, for the layered characters and strong emotions

Lukkhe Web Series Reviewed by M9 News

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