Tabbar Review: Pavan Malhotra Led Thriller Is As Dark As It Gets Without A Minute Of Ease

Tab Bar Rating: Star Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0 stars4.0

Cast: Pavan Malhotra, Supriya Pathak, Ranvir Shorey, Gagan Arora, Sahil Mehta, Paramveer Chima and Ensemble.

Creator: Harman Wadala

Director: Ajit Pal Singh

Stream to: Sony Livo

Language: Hindi

Duration: About 40 minutes per episode.

Tabbar Review: What It’s About:

A middle class family lives happily in a busy place in Punjab. One fine day, an unwanted guest is thrown into their house by a shuffling bags and is killed by bad luck. Their world is turned upside down when the blood is on their hands. What the man is going to do to save his world from destruction and make his ‘Tabbar’ live long is the story.

Tabbar Review: What Works:

For starters, let’s appreciate new-age filmmakers for their sensitivity and pursuit of authenticity that we have now left behind in the stereotypical ‘sarson ke khet’ Punjab, looking at the real, raw and partly brutal reality of the country. Thanks to flag bearer Abhishek Chaubey with his Udta Punjab, that also gets a passing mention in Tabbar.

When you come to the show, a family can be depicted in many ways. In recent times, shows have taken advantage of the importance and drama amid families on many occasions. Sometimes the conflict is emotional (Potluck), social (Grahan), and about love (Gullak). But what if one of the relatives kills a stranger to save his family? Tabbar means family. And the show is about a man who puts his family above all else and saves them from the world.

It is a kind of Drishyam (Ajay Devgn/Mohanlal), but 10 shades darker. Writer Harman Wadala, who is also the creator of Sandeep Jain and Mr. Roy, writes a story about a family who, in their worst nightmare, never thought of harming even a human being. But one day, their existence is put to the test and the adventure of survival begins. Call it a family drama, a thriller or a survival drama, Tabbar fits successfully into all subgenres.

I’m trying too hard not to spoil the show for you. Rate me! Tabbar on the Surface is about a murder and a family trying hard to save themselves from death or falling into the hands of the law. But deep down, the writers talk to director Ajit Pal Singh about a lot of things. The drug threat in Punjab, the youth who consume it, the misunderstood pop culture and the rage to take over the world. Of course, the power play and the corrupt system can also be seen.

In this mess, the focus is always on the family. The father makes plans after plans to avoid getting caught. He kills people and fakes scenarios. But while this is all wrong, his intent is not to brutally kill his innocent children and wife. What wins in the writing is the attention to consequence. Every action is right or wrong, depending on the perspective. If it’s wrong, one has to face the consequence, and every character in Tabbar who does wrong will have to deal with it at some point. Even the ones you think are the most innocent.

Helping elevate this story is the direction of Ajit Pal Singh that appeals to his viewers. He creates lists that let you enjoy the arrangement. By the end, you’ll know where every drop of blood fell, or how the landscape works. DOP Arun Kumar Pandey creates a high level of tension with his camera. He only shows you what is enough to understand that particular scene, which makes you feel claustrophobic, just like his characters. Beware of his frames as he goes wide, capturing the essence of the landscape and the emptiness of the family universe.

Sneha Khanwalkar adds more depth and eerie intrigue with her haunting music supported by the magical vocals of Rekha Bharadwaj and Daler Mehndi.

Tabbar Review: Star Performance:

Pavan Malhotra plays the father Omkar, a character from which the entire show stems. He has a huge responsibility and difficult shoes to fill. The actor with vast experience manages to become the character as complex as Omkar. Supriya Pathak supports him with all her finesse and adds the perfect emotional flavor to the show. Both of you together in the last frame will haunt you for at least a while.

Gagan Arora as the oldest son Happy is perfect and brings what it takes to the table. Sahil Mehta as Tegi is a silent player. He has a complex character that creates conflict in the background and he does it skillfully.

However, my heart in Tabbar belongs to Paramveer Chima who embodies Lucky. He plays a police officer who has to do things against his will at work and even at home. He has innocence naivety intact, while the rage to prove himself burns within him. The actor knows how to hook the viewers to him so well that his absence is palpable. Also, I stumbled upon his Instagram and the guy has a voice! brownie points.

Tabbar Review: What Doesn’t Work:

Nothing more important than thinking about not watching Tabbar. Nupur Nagpal, plays Palak who is dragged into a love triangle. While her conflict is emphasized again and again until the 6th episode, the conclusion forgets her.

Supriya Pathak is a seasoned actor and even knows how to put the best foot forward in Tabbar. But her accent turns out to be a roadblock quite a few times. And when the majority of the cast is actually Punjabi, a non-Punjabi who talks in a different tone if he is easy to spot.

Backstories of the characters are suggested, but never enough to have a layer added to the already seasoned screenplay. More emphasis could have been more nuanced.

Tabbar Review: Final Words:

Don’t expect lighthearted moments, Tabbar is as dark as can be. The story is about survival and there are no lighthearted moments where you try to survive. Get in and be ready to come heartbroken.