Human

Human, the new Disney + Hotstar series featuring Shefali Shah and Kriti Kulhari in the main roles, explores the mindset of a toxically ambitious person. Without really trying to empathize with the unapologetic sociopath, the series creates interesting conflicts by using this character who has lost all the humane traits in her. With an engagingly structured story about the drug trials in our country, Human, directed by Vipul Amrutlal Shah and created and developed by Mozez Singh and Ishani Banerjee, works in totality.

The story revolves around the drug trials of human beings. A company named Vayu Pharma is doing drug trials on human beings without their knowledge. Manthan, an established hospital in Bhopal run by Dr. Gauri Nath, has a direct association with Vayu Pharma. Gauri Nath has her own plans of growing Manthan. The focus of Human is on the events that happen in the life of Gauri Nath when a new cardiac surgeon named Dr. Saira Sabharwal joins the organization.

There are two layers to Human. One is that superficial and intricate layer of a thriller, set in the backdrop of drug trials and the power games behind that. The second layer is the one we see on an extremely emotional level. Mozez Singh and Ishani Banerjee manage to find a correct balance between these two layers. You are excited to know the next twist in the tale and how the characters will tackle the situation. And at the same time, we are given a better understanding of each character through subtle diversions. The detours they take to establish characters don’t reduce the impact of the main track, and thus when the series ends, you are left with a pool of diverse characters.

The pitch of the drama here is somewhat familiar. Almost all the thriller series that got released in Hotstar have this same visual aesthetic. The series works in careful layering, which adds to the basic story. Gauri Nath is the center of the action. But there are so many tracks that makes Human emotionally relatable. The back story of Gauri, her connection with Roma Ma, Saira Sabharwal’s truth, her relationship with her husband Neil, Mangu’s guilt over his mom’s condition, the trauma of Deepali, etc., are placed in a way that your attention is there on every track. Sirsha Ray’s cinematography enhances the dark drama, and Zubin Sheikh’s cuts are tidy and keep the series in that gripping zone.

Gauri Nath is a challenging character as she is rarely eccentric and meticulously manipulative. Shefali Shah was brilliant in her portrayal of Nath. In the beginning portions of the story, you will tend to root for that character. As Saira Sabharwal, Kriti Kulhari also delivers a commendable performance. The honesty, the outbursts, and the fragility of the character were delivered neatly by her. Mardaani 2 fame Vishal Jethwa delivered an impressive performance as Mangu. Seema Biswas as Roma Ma gets a character that demands the aura of someone like her somewhere. Riddhi Kumar was good as Deepali. Atul Kumar as Snehal, Ram Kapoor as Pratap, Aditya Srivastav as Ashok, etc., are some of the other names that delivered quality performances on screen.

Human uses the backdrop of Bhopal’s history to create a compelling thriller. From the common man to the chief minister, the story depicts the injustice in the social hierarchy. And through character development, Human also covers the complicated and dangerous shades of the actual humans. The 10 episodes long thriller series is a tightly-packed engaging thriller.