Shaad Ali’s Bloody Brothers, a Zee5 original, may seem like a case of mere hit-and-run and a cover-up. But it’s the story of a killer who might just turn out to be the most innocent person in the series.
Bloody Brothers, adapted from the BBC’s 2019 mini-series Guilt, might not be the most captivating thriller you watch this year but its mysterious characters — who keep popping up in the most unexpected of places and circumstances — are what keep the series going. Here’s a disclaimer though: In all six episodes of this light-hearted comedy thriller, there is no ‘action’, no gunshot and definitely no men flying here and there.
Setting the scene
As the first episode of Bloody Brothers kicks in, in a dark jungle ideal for a horror movie, Daljeet Grover (played by Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub) and Jaggi Grover (played by Jaideep Ahlawat) meet with an accident while returning from Daljeet’s ex-girlfriend’s marriage. Daljeet, being the kinder of the two brothers, wants the body of the old man they have run over to be delivered to his home safely.
Thereon begins a journey of a cover-up, led by rich, successful and problem-solving lawyer Jaggi Grover, who is trying to save his brother and himself. Episode by episode, a fairly simple story turns engaging as Daljeet and Jaggi discover that the old man killed in the accident also had a young niece — Sophie (played by Tina Desai) — in town for her uncle’s funeral.
Sophie, who had earlier believed that her uncle – a cancer patient – died a natural death, now suspects foul play because of two minor injuries on his knees.
The most fascinating character in Bloody Brothers is that of a drunkard-turned-detective, Dushyant (played by Jitendra Joshi). Jaggi introduces him to Sophie as a detective to clear her doubts about the foul play. But Dushyant, hit by a reality check after his wife leaves him, shuns alcohol and finds some real proof against Jaggi and Daljeet.
Also Read: Not a cop-out — Dulquer Salmaan’s film Salute shows breach of ethics in police force
Things get murky
Things go from bad to worse for Jaggi and Daljeet when they discover that there is also a CCTV camera at the site of the accident. An old neighbour, always sitting outside her house, is another mysterious character who adds tension to the plot.
Meanwhile, Daljeet, who was initially told by Jaggi to ‘keep a check on Sophie’, falls in love with her. His rich but occupied brother Jaggi, on the other hand, has trouble in his married life.
Without giving it away, there is much more to Bloody Brothers than just a murder. Characters you never suspect can surprise you.
Just when you think things can’t get any murkier, a don-like character in Handa Saab, played by Satish Kaushik, enters the frame with the real box of secrets about how Jaggi became rich and why he has been helping his brother throughout the series. Usually seen in comedy roles, Satish, to be honest, isn’t the best villain or maybe the dialogues by writers Siddharth Hirwe, Riya Poojary, Anuj Rajoria and Navnit Singh Raju don’t make him look like one.
Jaideep Ahlawat nails his character more than anyone. His acting is par excellence and so is Tina Desai’s. Mohammad Zeeshan Ayyub, as always, is great but does not deliver Daljeet’s poems in the best way possible.
Also Read: Hotstar’s Rudra is tailored to fit Ajay Devgn’s persona. But its villains steal the show
A big drawback
The series also comes with a big issue. The music, especially the background score, fails to create tension at critical times. Whether it is the accident scene or the tension around Don Handa, the lack of complementary music sets the scenes back.
Bloody Brothers looks like Daljit’s journey but turns out to be about Jaggi’s problems. What looks like Jaggi’s quest to save his brother turns out to be a journey of his deep-rooted familial and business problems. It is a series where everyone, except the killer, has a skeleton in their closet that they’re looking to bury ten feet into the ground.
Whether you like it or not, the message of Bloody Brothers is clear, to put it in Daljeet’s words: “Apna sukoon khoke do paise zyada bhi kama loge toh uska kya fayda?” (If you earn two pennies more by losing your peace, is it even worth it?