Taish: A crime drama with a difference

Taish, the film, helmed by Bejoy Nambiar and streaming on Zee5 is a crime drama with a difference. That is not surprising, Those who have seen Shaitan, David and Wazir know that the 41-year-old director detests all things predictable, a wonderful quality in an industry notorious for packaging stereotypes and marketing them every other week.

Taish has been released in two formats, one of which is a film and the other a web series. The web series won't be binge-watched by those who watch the film first, The film is gripping, which cannot be said about the web series that tends to drag at times, making one wonder why it was made in the first place.

The story is set in the United Kingdom. A wedding is about to take place. The younger son of an affluent family is getting married. Elaborate celebrations are on the menu of the ceremony that will take place in an estate in the countryside.

Rohan Kalra (Jim Sarbh) whose brother is getting married and Sunny Lalwani (Pulkit Samrat) are best buddies. Sunny goes to attend the lavish wedding ceremony, which promises to be a great occasion for catching up as well. The Kalras have left no stone unturned to ensure first-rate enjoyment for its guests. And a grand event is about to take everyone's breath away.

Nambiar’s directorial trademark is unpredictability. Taish is no different. The plot has a parallel track that acquaints us with a family of money-lending criminals who wield enormous clout in Southhall.

The family is headed by Kuljinder (Abhimanyu Singh), who has two brothers, Pali (Harshvardhan Rane) and Jassi (Armaan Khera). Pali is in a relationship with Kuljinder’s wife Jahaan (Sanjeeda Sheikh). What does this romance lead to?

The story of Taish takes a turn after Kuljinder goes to attend the wedding party. Rohan sees him, which is followed by a shocking revelation that concerns Kuljinder and him. Sunny, who is impulsive and short-tempered, cannot control himself and ends up assaulting Kuljinder inside a bathroom. What happens thereafter?

Answering these questions in the review would ruin the charm of watching Taish, which keeps us engaged with its well-rounded characters, unusual story and some fine performances.

Jim Sarbh is brilliant as the doctor who has had a shocking experience in his childhood. Harshvardhan Rane is equally impressive as Pali, a ruthless goon in love with his brother’s wife Sanjeeda Sheikh as Jahaan has been entrusted with the task of playing a complex character, which she does with remarkable spontaneity.

Taish has romance, violence, dance rehearsals for a wedding ceremony – and a lot more – as part of an exciting plot. The film will surely add to the fan following of Bejoy Nambiar, who has impressed with his latest offbeat film once again.