Having just been released this past 9 August on ZEE5 Global, “Gyaarah Gyaarah” is a fantasy-thriller series adapted from the 2016 South Korean hit drama “Signal”. As I had previously watched and enjoyed the original K-drama, I had high hopes for this Hindi adaptation and was curious to see how the original concept would be adapted to a different country. From how the series was set up in the first episode I’m happy to report that the show seems promising, maintaining the alluring mystery of the original while immersing it in its Indian setting.
Like “Signal,” the storyline of “Gyaarah Gyaarah” follows multiple overlapping timelines, all linked together by a walkie-talkie that connects detective Anthwal (played by Dhairya Karwa) in 2001 and police officer Yug Arya (played by Raghav Juyal) in 2016. The story starts at the scene of the crime in 2001: a young child, Aditi, is kidnapped at a festival and her lifeless body is then found a few days later. We then flash forward to 2016 where, due to a new court ruling, in less than 72 hours cases over 15 years old that remain unsolved will be closed forever- including Aditi’s kidnapping and murder case. The stakes are extremely high, both for Detective Anthwal in 2001 who is pressured to find the perpetrator of Aditi’s murder, and in 2016 where Inspector Arya wants to find justice for Aditi before it’s too late. Further connecting the two men is police officer Vamike Rawat (played by Kritika Kamra) who in 2001 is a young police officer mentored by Anthwal and then in 2016 has risen in her position and has now become the superior Arya reports to. As time runs on, the episode ends with the walkie-talkie activating and connecting Anthwal and Arya for the first time. But is it really the first time the two have spoken? Anthwal is familiar with who Arya is, yet Arya is clueless. What connects our two protagonists? And who really killed Aditi? There is so much left to be answered and time is running out!
Unlike the original Korean show, which was 16 episodes long, the Hindi adaptation is a quick watch at only 8 episodes. This makes it extremely binge-able, especially if the episodes continue like the first one where we are left with burning questions. With the addition of the 72 hours deadline until cold cases will be closed forever in 2016, there is an added sense of urgency which works to the series’ favour in keeping the stakes high. Additionally, the writers also do a great job at setting up the layers of conflict for the protagonists: it is not just time that is a burden, but also the slow bureaucracy and pressures from the higher-ups in the police force that hinder their efforts. Lastly, the element that makes this series the most compelling is definitely the time-warping element: the enigmatic connection between Anthwal in the past and Arya in the present via walkie-talkie, and Rawat, who’s story encompasses the both timelines. Praise is particularly due to Kritika Kamra, who has to play Rawat both as a rookie police officer in the past and as a veteran detective in the present.
The first episode does an excellent job in fully immersing the audience in the dark and tense world of “Gyaarah Gyaarah.” As the series progresses it will be interesting to see how the mystery unravels as we are missing the answers to so many questions. Who killed Aditi? How are Anthwal and Arya connected? And will they find all these answers in time?
Watch all episodes of “Gyaarah Gyaarah” on ZEE5 Global, available now.
Written by Dafne Mistrangelo
