We have no dearth of investigative shows, flaunting high-octane action sequences and interrogation room conversations. However, not all have the capacity to intrigue the audiences convincingly.

Rudra is Ajay Devgn’s OTT debut. So, the hype and build-up surrounding the series were sky-high. But has the Singham of the Indian Film Industry made a stellar debut? Though the headline of my review is enough for you to understand, I will try and get into further depths as we move forward.

Moreover, the series has a blooper and a pretty big one too. Read on to find out more.

Rudra Review Summary

Though Ajay Devgn highlights this investigative hair-raiser, Rudra is carried by several other sparkling performances. It is a brilliantly executed, edge-of-the-seat thriller series that keeps you glued to the screen and leaves you craving for more towards the end.

It has a palatable mix of ingredients, enough to serve a delicious binge-watching encounter.

Rudra Synopsis

Starring Ajay Devgn in the titular role of Rudra (Rudraveer Singh), the series is helmed by director Rajesh Mapuskar. Interestingly, it is backed by BBC Studios India, which itself speaks volumes of the expectations from Rudra.

Moving forward, Rudra stars some veterans of Indian Cinema like Ashwini Kalsekar, and Atul Kulkarni combined with newcomers like Raashii Khanna and Tarun Gahlot.

The story revolves around Rudra’s personal and professional lives. He is an officer of the Special Criminal Unit and finds it challenging to maintain a proper work-life balance. However, that doesn’t make him any less sharp at his job.

Throughout the series, you get to witness Rudra and his team solve some callous murders happening across Mumbai.

What works for Rudra?

Rudra is a series well led by the entire cast. It delivers a wholesome experience containing several visual delights.

Captivating Plot

There is no one narrative in Rudra. Almost every episode carries a new and challenging criminal case, which keeps the plot novel. The crimes look raw and feel fresh to the eye. In effect, that facilitates the investigation and makes it more intriguing.

You feel tempted to know what’s coming next. This is particularly necessary when the genre pertains to crime, thrill, and mystery.

The plot reminded me of Abhay starring Kunal Khemu in the lead role.

Screenplay

Rudra effortlessly amalgamates plots and keeps you hooked through its tantalizing screenplay. It keeps switching between Rudra’s personal and professional life, which provides a balancing act.

Since the criminal cases are already high on tension, a well-thought-out screenplay was necessary.

Performances

This is something that I want to, specifically, mention in detail. Rudra has some brilliant performances, not limited to only the well-established actors.

We all know what Ajay Devgn can do. He is an intense actor and knows how to remain raw. Ajay’s subtle portrayal of Rudraveer Singh allows you to think of him as a versatile artist who can drop the Singham image for a character-driven role.

He occasionally cracks jokes, consistently remains on a vigil, and intermittently looks inside himself. Rudra’s character is based on the premise that he can get into darkness, used as a figure of speech, and think like criminals. Ajay Devgn’s screen presence is superb, and he nails his part perfectly. 

What is most exciting to witness in Rudra is Raashii Khanna as Aaliyah Choksi. She is the dream character every writer wants to have. Smart, intelligent, and full of mysteries. I don’t know who Raashii Khanna is, and I can’t recall having watched her, but she is fantastic.

If this was her first outing in a prominent role, the Indian Film Industry has a new rockstar. She has portrayed a complex character intricately without doing anything silly in the process. If Ajay Devgn brings sparkle to the story, Raashii Khanna lights it up.

A few days ago, I watched The Fame Game, which had a police officer assisting Rajshri Deshpande. I wanted to write about him for the short yet impact-worthy appearance, but unfortunately, I couldn’t find his name in the credit roll.

Coincidentally, the same guy is playing a police officer in Rudra. He is Tarun Gahlot and here Tarun is assisting Rudraveer Singh. However, he has a more prominent role to play this time around.

Tarun Gahlot is so refined and accurate as an actor that you’d simply fall in love with him and wish whatever may happen; this guy should remain safe till the end. 

Moreover, Atul Kulkarni and Ashwini Kalsekar are a treat to watch on screen. Though the screen share for Ashwini is on the lower side, she remains authoritative throughout. Atul Kulkarni gets a full-fledged role as Gautam Navlakha, Rudra’s close friend.

Kulkarni is a master of acting, with zero doubt. He is a natural actor who knows how to be expressive and restricted at the same time.

Esha Deol and Satyadeep Misra have done a decent job and delivered what is asked of them. There was no way they could do more since their characters were not meant to grow big.

Background Score

Rudra’s background score is well-stitched and blended with the plot’s narration. There are no fake build-ups, as we see in some series.

Fewer Episodes

Sometimes, the number of episodes is in stark contrast to their individual run time. Rudra is not short in length, but it only has six episodes.

There is a psychological factor at work. People may want to divide their watch schedule into two parts just because the number of episodes is on the higher side. It keeps playing in mind.

With just six episodes, you’d probably wish to finish Rudra in one go, regardless of its overall duration.

What Doesn’t Work for Rudra?

Nothing much here, but I have managed to put up some points.

A dialogue in bad taste

In Rudra, there is a scene where Ajay Devgn’s character mocks a criminal saying, “she doesn’t love you… your are impotent”. Though the character this was addressed to was a criminal, I felt it was negative and could have been avoided as a dialogue.

I would have loved to hear it if that particular dialogue had added any value to the scene or story. However, its sole purpose was to ridicule the man, which seemed odd. Everything was done, and the task was complete; the writers could have simply chosen something else, but they didn’t.

This is just an observation and constructive feedback and not a serious matter that some social media freaks would want to put in the limelight.

All about Rudra

Though it was understandable from the name that Rudra would be about Rudraveer Singh’s life, maybe the makers could have delved a bit into the lives of other characters too.

They could have traveled into Prabal’s life or given a glimpse of Deepali Handa’s background story, but nothing happened on that front.

Blooper in Rudra

Yes, after The Fame Game, I have managed to notice a blooper in Rudra too. I am not sure for how long they would keep it, but here it is:

In episode 6 at -8:40 (approx.), the character named Gautam is talking to Rudra, and he refers to the latter by his own name, i.e., Gautam.

Should you watch Rudra?

Definitely, Rudra marks an astonishing OTT debut by Ajay Devgn and ensures you get goosebumps.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is Rudra based on a real story?

No, Rudra is a fictional story.

Will there be a season 2 of Rudra?

Probably, yes, there will be a second season of Rudra. However, no official announcements have been made yet. 

What is the meaning of Rudra?

Rudra means someone who eradicates problems from the root.

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