BOTTOM LINE
Engaging Drama Plays Too Safe
PLATFORM
SONYLIV
RUNTIME
400 Minutes (8 Episodes)
What Is the Film About?
After Manik Sen’s party backs out of the alliance, PM Joshi approaches Bihar’s matriarch Rani Bharti for support. When she refuses, coalition politics flare up, and Rani finds herself entangled in a murder investigation. To clear her name and establish a foundation for a future in Delhi, Rani steps back from local politics and announces a new successor, much to her party’s dismay.
Performances
By now, playing Rani Bharti comes too easily to Huma Qureshi (she has lasted four seasons now). She delivers a neat performance, doing what’s expected of her, but it could’ve worked better with more vigour and enthusiasm. Among others, Vipin Sharma, Shardul Bharadwaj, Shweta Basu Prasad and Kani Kusruti make a firm impression, lending an edginess to their roles above the written material.
Darsheel Safary is alright, but has very little to play with. Rajeshwari Sachdev’s arresting screen presence and Pramod Pathak’s towering physicality bring credibility to the sequences. Azhagam Perumal’s casting for Sunderraja is a relief, more so for the fact that he prevents it from being a typical South Indian caricature.
Analysis
Watching Sony LIV’s Maharani is like reviewing a highlights package of major events in national and regional politics of the late 90s and early 2000s, albeit with convenient fictional liberties. For the political enthusiast, this concoction of fiction and reality is as engrossing as taking part in a ‘spot the real-life reference’ contest. Everything about it feels familiar, yet equally captivating.
The drama and tone of Maharani, across all the seasons, remain measured, never over the top. It is always internalised and strategic, akin to a mass film opting for class treatment. Spiritually, the core of the fourth season, directed by Puneet Prakash, is no different: time and again, the resilience of Rani Bharti is tested. And when the chips are down, there can be no better tactician than her.
While it is ideal for viewers to watch the previous seasons to know the full stakes for Rani Bharti, show-runner Subhash Kapoor and team do enough to entice a first-time viewer into the messiness of these political and personal wars, both on a local and national level, without cluttering the narrative. Apart from the slow-burn treatment, frequent references to the character’s past actions also help.
The season opens with palpable tension in PM Joshi’s camp due to coalition instability, with allies threatening revolt at every opportune moment. When Joshi seeks Rani Bharti’s help and their equation sours, the focus immediately shifts to her next successor in Bihar (unsurprisingly, a choice from her own bloodline), leaving close aides like Mishra and Kaveri stranded.
Within the family, Bharti’s three children are caught in their own separate storms. A neglected, rebellious Jai Prakash seeks a stronger identity within his mother’s party. Roshni, facing unexpected responsibility, is judicious and focused on doing the right thing, staying in the good books of her mother. Meanwhile, Surya is at ease with his life abroad, until a tragedy forces his return to India.
On the wider political front, new scams emerge, each driven by a personal vendetta. Down South, the loyalty of Sunderraja dillydallies between Joshi and Bharti. Joshi’s personal life comes into sharp focus, as does Jai Prakash’s, who falls for a rival’s kin (Bal Mukund’s daughter). Finally, Kaveri is repeatedly distanced from the party’s core affairs and is forced to re-evaluate her priorities.
After the underplayed intensity in the early episodes, the show goes all guns blazing in the latter half with vengeance. There are rapid political developments, setbacks; it’s like the director saying, ‘enough of the mind games, sophisticated Hindi and the subtlety, let this get messier now.’ The climax plays by the book, ending with a cliffhanger, where Bharti seeks to avenge the loss of a loved one.
At its best, Maharani Season 4 is perfectly tailored for binge-viewing, but one wonders if it is really being ambitious enough for the explosive material at hand. You can’t point a finger at it, but sense that the makers want to play it safe, surrendering to audience expectations and viewership demands. Perhaps that is what OTT has become – too sanitised, sugar-coated, without displeasing anyone.
Another limitation with the season is the absence of a strong competitor to Rani Bharti. While Joshi, Sunderraja, Gauri, and Bal Mukund look capable, no one looks menacing enough to challenge Bharti’s political acumen (it’s probably why the show doesn’t feel hard-hitting at all times). Even among the family members and insiders, no character is allowed to outgrow Rani.
Maharani has all the ingredients of a blockbuster show, but what it needs is more fire in its belly, greater conviction in the storytelling. On paper, you wouldn’t want to tweak it much. If you liked the earlier seasons, the slow-burn political drama and seek more of the same, go for Maharani Season 4 without much hesitation. The performances, technical finesse are truly its strengths.
Music and Other Departments?
In times when overbearing music scores try too hard to assert their presence on the viewer, composer Anand S Bajpai’s work is a breath of fresh air, not going overboard and building the tension in the proceedings slowly yet steadily. The cinematography (by Anurag Solanki), the unhurried editing (by Kunal Walve, which is both a strength and a weakness) and the sharp costumes add authenticity to the ambience.
Highlights?
Good Performances
Neat Execution
Impressive Political Drama
Drawbacks?
Gives the same vibe as the other seasons – without trying to be different
Character development not always effective
Despite the solid plot, not explosive enough
Did I Enjoy It?
Mostly, yes
Will You Recommend It?
If you like political dramas (and even if you haven’t watched earlier seasons), go for it
Maharani Season 4 Series Review by M9
