Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
The story of a cop and an all powerful gangster going toe-to-toe is nothing new. From American Gangster to Vikram Vedha, we have seen it in every language possible.
What makes any such story different is the presentation and the finesse. Sadly, Dharavi Bank is found lacking in both departments. The production value is very 2022, but at its heart, its an over-the-top, cringey 90s’ actioner with dialoguebaazi, slow-mo action sequences and an unusual amount of gore. Even Suniel Shetty’s swagger can’t elevate the sorry state of affairs here.
Dharavi Bank, which began streaming on MX Player on November 19, is about the eponymous criminal syndicate run from the slums of Mumbai’s Dharavi by Thalaivan (Suniel Shetty), a man who is as powerful as he is dangerous. A parallel governent, he has everybody from politicians to Bollywood stars in his pocket. The Maharashtra Chief Minister Janvi Surve (Sonali Kulkarni) wants him eliminated, not out of duty, but for political gains. And her trigger man is Joint Commissioner of Police and her old college flame (really now?) Jayant Gavaskar (Vivek Oberoi). What ensues is a bloody cat-and-mouse chase devoid of logic and sadly, drama as well.
Let’s start with the positives, because that would be quicker. Dharvi Bank does get two things right. The background score, particularly its theme music, is catchy and sets the mood quite nicely. The greyness of the characters is another thing it gets right. No character is completely white, even the crusading cop. And none is black either, including the torturous, murdering psychopath employed by the don. It makes the characters more interesting and their battle more engrossing.
