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Samantar Review Star Rating: 3/5 stars ( Three Stars)
Samantar Movie Review: How refreshing is it that regional filmmakers are trying to create content that will speak to Pan India audience. Starring Swwapnil Joshi, Samantar adapted from a book by same name is partially predictable, partially intriguing but a good note to open doors for regional content.
Cast: Swwapnil Joshi, Tejaswini Pandit, Ganesh Revadekar and Jayant Savarkar.
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Available on: MX Player
What’s Samantar about?
Made in Marathi, dubbed in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu, Samantar is an adaptation of the book by Suhas Shirwalkar that goes by the same name. The series follows a man Kumar Mahajan (Swwapnil), who is fed up of his socio economic condition and the problems that follow. His friend Sharad one day takes him to an astrologer who reveals that Kumar is living a destiny that has already been lived by someone a few decades ago.
What begins ahead is Kumar’s quest to find this man. His deep dive into superstition and the puddle that pulls him deeper accommodates the majority runtime. Will Kumar meet his doppelganger? Is the prophecy true? Will he be able to win the race with destiny? Samantar satisfactorily answers all these question.
What’s Good?
Firstly, I have seen the show in Marathi, anything not similar to this in other dubs, heads up in the comments please. Okay let’s begin. As said this is a good step to the brighter and flourishing future for the regional content. Directed by Satish Rajwade who also makes his web debut with Joshi, Samantar manages to invest in its mysteries and its twist as much as it involves its characters.
We meet Kumar his wife Neema played by an impressive Tejaswini Pandit, their surroundings are lived in. All you need to do is know these characters who’s house you have entered through those narrow lanes. Production design needs the credit for bringing the much needed real element in the show.
Satish Rajwade and Swwapnil have already collaborated on their massively loved 2013 Marathi film Duniyadari (which is my favourite too) and Samantar sets the two together in a different genre altogether.
Acting performances by the main cast is decent and enough to get the job done, nothing out of the box, maybe less. The one who stands out is Tejaswini though, this is point of debate that her character is pitched too high but for me she took the plot up whenever it started to dip a bit. Swwpanil gets the atheist, always pissed and abusing when needed note right, he follows the brief religiously.
After first 2 slow episodes, Samantar catches its pace and sets off on a quest to crack the prophecy. The 9 episodes long series ends on a cliff hanger where a man is trying to rule his destiny, promising second season and a employment chance for everyone involved.