The new Amazon Prime Video series by Tanuja Chandra, Hush Hush, has an interesting premise. The entire emotional graph of the series feels like the first episode of a compelling thriller. The plot that deals with human trafficking and connections on a higher level are not a totally unfamiliar terrain. But Chandra tries to make it unique by creating female characters who are fragile and determined. With the ending of season 1 leaving us interested in knowing about who could be the kingpin, I would say Hush Hush would be a better watch once its second season releases.
Spoiler Alert! Ishi Sangamithra is a mighty name in the system and is known as a fixer for people in powerful positions. Something gruesome happens to Ishi, which leaves her three close friends, Saiba, Zaira, and Dolly, in a difficult situation. An investigation is happening regarding what happened to Ishi. There is a layer of mystery around Ishi that both the friends and the police are trying to resolve. The parallel investigations of the friends and the police to know more about Ishi are what we witness in Hush Hush.
If creating a first episode that will hook you on instantly and force you to watch the second episode in one stretch is a quality benchmark, I would say Hush Hush passes that test with flying colors. The problem is the story’s development, which is stuck in that phase in the next four or five episodes. And every mystery they have created doesn’t feel that intimidating for the characters we see on screen. And it is perhaps in the last episode the series manages to find some juice in its narrative. But there also, by shedding the grey shade it had till that point, Hush Hush loses its advantage.
Maybe the backdrop of Ishi demanded that soft-spoken rendition, but Juhi Chawla’s performance as Ishi Sangamithra was just not convincing. She was the odd one in the gang, and I am not saying it as a positive. Soha Ali Khan, as Saiba, gets to play a character with ample scope to perform, and if there is a second season, I think Saiba will have a major role in that. As Zaira, Shahana Goswami played this independent fashion designer, and it was that typical Shahana Goswami character. Kritika Kamra as Dolly plays this character who is more like a political spokesperson of the writers. Ayesha Jhulka also gets a memorable character in the series. My favorite performance of the series was from Karishma Tanna, who delivered a very nuanced performance as the determined police officer Geeta. Somewhere that character reminded me of ACP Khan, played by Vikas Kumar in Aarya.
Tanuja Chandra, Ashish Pandey, and Kopal Naithani do know how to set the mood. I liked how they created the impression of a concrete jungle by placing the story in a posh backdrop. But the writing is a bit of a problem as they are reserving too much for a tentative season two. What you expect to see by the end is a better understanding of Ishi and what you get is a whitewashed image of Ishi. Every possible antagonist lacks characteristics and depth. Even when you know who could be the one behind all this, there is a lack of tension. It’s because that character was always on the suspicious list. Where the series looked interesting for me was the way it made it an all-women thing in a believable way. The equality-driven ideology is placed smoothly in the story, and it never stood out as a dialogue piece.
Hush Hush can potentially be the Indian version of Churails in the future. But, at this point, it feels like an underdeveloped thriller that stretches a conflict far too much. With just seven episodes getting the support of some credible performances along with Juhi Chaturvedi’s dialogues, Hush Hush is not remarkable but yet passable.
Hush Hush can potentially be the Indian version of Churails in the future. But, at this point, it feels like an underdeveloped thriller that stretches a conflict far too much.
Green: Recommended Content
Orange: The In-Between Ones
Red: Not Recommended
