Season 1 – Guns & Gulaabs

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Rajiv P 01/06/2024 This show has retro nostalgia of 80s and 90s. Good story and great direction by Raj and DK. Super performances was Rajkumar Rao, Gulshan and Dulqeer Salman as well. Kumar Sanu having a song which is soulful and brings 90s vibes… Overall a decent watch you will not bored or disappointed See more sid K 12/03/2023 Hugely entertaining. Blends dialogues, drama, and comedy near perfectly. Above all, it has several memorable scenes that leave you tickling weeks, even months, after. Kudos to the makers for bringing a breath of fresh air to Indian Webseries See more Hemant S 09/29/2023 A twist to the classic hard rock band title from the ‘80s, this show could have well been named "Atmaram Ki Amar Katha" or "The Immortal Case of Atmaram". Cheeky alternative it is and those who may have watched it will catch the irony. But it's aptly suited to the comic that's spread through the first season of this saga. It's a Raj and D.K. venture, it carries that dark, bloody tone with the funnies that they have mixed in their stories. "Guns & Gulaabs" is set in a fictional Gulaabgunj and its sister town which are both knee deep, no – more like chest deep in crime and shady narcotics. Probably their first full-fledged dive into a primarily rural setting, but it's dealt well – especially with a cast that delivers right into it. A funky cocktail of Rajkummar Rao, Dulquer Salmaan, and Adarsh Gourav. Yep, Dulquer's the trademark "Southern belle" in this show. Wait, there's Gulshan Devaiah too. Some Vipin Sharma on the side. A sprinkle of Rajatava Dutta for a Kolkatta touch. A bit of Shreya Dhanwanthary here and a bit of Varun Badola there. A couple of Sharma twins as well. I also think it is the late Satish Kaushik's last streaming release. Pooja Gor is quite likeable as the cop's faithful better half. T.J. Bhanu makes a great turn as the local English class teacher and Rajkummar Rao's object of affection. I personally loved how the director duo inserted the Rock ballads from Foreigner and Bryan Adams into the story, briefly albeit. It's innovative, especially for an Indian show in a rural setting but it's done sans any abruptness. Also a subtle nod towards what period the story is based in, which isn't otherwise explicitly mentioned. No surprises, I have always been a sucker for how music tracks, especially the classic ones are incorporated into a soundtrack of an English series with significance. Of course, there's a few retro Hindi tracks that flavor the setting aptly. The comedy, it's not laugh-out-loud, and there are some dry spells right after the first episode. But it's very grin-and-chuckle-worthy, especially if you can see the lighter side in a frenzied fight or chase scene. Rajkummar Rao has been building a great repertoire of dark comedies, right from his brief stint in Anurag Kashyap's "Gangs of Wasseypur" to the more recent Vasan Bala film, "Monica O My Darling". This angry young simpleton with a heart and a flair for vendetta is a win. Dulquer Salmaan projects a complex character. A seemingly righteous man of the law, but he's got some demons in his closet. Adarsh Gourav is as layered as the local drug Mafioso's son, but he makes you wait for it. His second waltz with Rajkummar Rao, after "The White Tiger" (2020) and he keeps up to his potential. I almost forgot Gulshan Devaiah again. He floats around with his knife and a Sanjay-Dutt-meets-Van-Damme-of-the-90s hairdo; funny, vile, a little bit like Tinnu Anand's icy cold assassin in the brilliant but silent "Pushpaka Vimana" (1987). But I had a feeling he was underutilized. The lead up to the climax can be mazey, but it's not something that can't be untangled with time and a few rewinds and forwards, give or take. A few double-negatives in that statement, but the point is made (I think). The titles and the credits of the episodes carry a creative touch that blends in perfectly with the tone. It's not what carries the show, but I love the aesthetic there; like an appetizer and dessert – I remember some impressive graphic magic from "The Rocket Boys" and even in "The Jengaburu Curse". I hope the trend rubs off. Sometimes you just want to see diamonds, unicorns and graffiti on text book covers instead of the usual plain brown papers. Text book covers remind me – the young actors playing the teenagers give in a class act. Tanishq "Gangram" Chaudhary, Suhani "Jo" Sethi and Krish "Nannu" Rao. It's a more refined piece I've seen amongst that age and is as funny as the rest. Adrija Sinha of "Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai" fame makes a peekaboo appearance as Jo's classmate Mamta. Tipu, Arjun, Jugnu – all three musketeers get a epilogue at the end of the season and those are worth waiting for. Especially the one for Arjun played by Dulquer Salmaan. It may or may not resonate with the audience, but it has factual weight. It is profound. Wait (again), I might be forgetting one tie-up of an open end. But I think it's better to watch it through than spell it out. And I think it's definitely worthy for true admirers of dark humor. See more Read all reviews

Guns & Gulaabs — Season 1

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