Haasil Review: An Interest Piquing Solid First Episode
Show Title: Haasil
Channel: Sony TV
Timings: Monday to Friday 9:30 pm
Haasil replaces the very popular Beyhadh on Sony TV. This new serial is a thriller romantic drama starring Zayed Khan, Vatsal Seth and Nikita Dutta. In the serial, Zayed and Vatsal play brothers who fall for the same girl.
I was very excited for this show because it marked actor Zayed Khan’s first appearance in a television show. I had a huge crush on Zayed Khan when he had debuted in Chura Liya Hain Tumne. My friends would go gaga over Fardeen Khan and I was the only Zayed supporter. I sat through movies like Vaada and Fight Club only for him. hehe… I had my fingers crossed through the first episode and this is what I feel about it.
Haasil (2017)
Episode 1
In a deserted lane, a battered and bruised girl is thrown out of a car. As she lays helpless on the road, a jeep full of men comes to a halt followed by a motorcycle. The biker then throttles his bike and the girl lets out a yelp.
Cut to, in a high rise building, Aanchal opens her eyes with a start when she senses someone enter her room. Aman then tries to choke her but she bites his hand and he retracts in pain. He scolds her saying that her bite is painful and she laughs saying that he must try a new way of waking her up in the morning.
He starts praising her out of the blue and she gets straight to the point and asks him what he wants from her. He tells her that their mother and he made dals and she has to judge the better cook. He promises a few sweet dishes if she favours him. She declines all the offers but relents when he offers her chocolate pudding. He then happily hugs his sister and leaves after teasing her some more.
Next is Aanchal’s mother’s turn who does some emotional drama to have Aanchal on her side. Aanchal assures to help her win over her brother Aman if she gives her some money. Aanchal’s mother complains about the bribe but eventually agrees to pay her.
Competition time. Aanchal looks at Aman and her mother intently before tasting their respective dals. (Did anyone notice the awesome bookshelf behind Aanchal? Its shape is so cool.) Aanchal then states that Aman’s dal tastes of his dreams and their mother’s dal tastes of her love. Aman and his mother look excited. Aanchal then adds that a mother can never belittle her kid’s dreams and a child’s dream cannot grow without a mother’s love which means that they are both incomplete without the other. She then mixes the two dals and says that the perfect dal is a combination of the both. Aman and his mother look disappointed and Aanchal says that she kept her word and did not let either of them lose.
Aman is amazed at her tactfulness and asks if she has ever been in a situation where she has not been able to get out without displeasing either of the two parties.
Aanchal’s mother then switches on the TV and they see a special coverage on industrialist, Ranvir Raichand’s birthday. (And here enters the tall and handsome Zayed Khan. Woohhooo!!)
Aanchal’s mother then says that Aanchal has been taking care of Aman and her since her father’s demise and its time she looks for someone who will take care of her. She then asks what she thinks of Ranvir Raichand as a groom. Aanchal teases her mom saying that this time her dream seems too farfetched. But her mother retorts that dreams must be big and wishes should be small. Dreams can become future’s reality but wishes are today’s problem. She promises to fulfil her mother’s dream and leaves for her NGO.
At the Raichand household, which is a plush bungalow, Mrs Raichand overlooks all the arrangements for Ranvir’s birthday celebration.
The priest informs her of all the preparations and asks her and Mr Raichand to personally touch all the gifts for the poor. Mr Raichand intercedes that from now onwards, all the charity stuff will be touched by their son Ranvir. Mrs Raichand tells her husband that Ranvir has already started offering a bonus to his staff.
Next, we see Ranvir wave at his ‘staff’ members (the people I thought were some crazy fans) from his house. The gates to his bungalow are opened and his staff rush insides with placards stating their love for Ranvir. A news reporter reports that, on the occasion of his birthday, Ranvir is gifting each of his staff members a cheque of ₹1 crore and a brand new house as he wants to seek the blessing and good wishes of his staff members. (Whaaaaaaaaaaat? Is the income tax department seeing this? Did this happen before demonetisation?)
Mrs Raichand assures Mr Raichand that Ranvir will be there on time for the pooja and Mr Raichand is sure about that and enquires about Ranvir’s younger brother Kabir. Cut to, in a jetboat, Kabir Raichand makes his way to a yacht. The owner of the yacht looks displeased at Kabir’s forced entry and Kabir very calmly states that he had told him before that the yacht was meant for his elder brother. He then asks the man who he would like to deal with the calm and good-natured, Ranvir or menacing, Kabir.
The man looks confused and Kabir flips a coin and he gets Ranvir for an answer. Kabir says that since Ranvir has won, he will first try to convince the man nicely just like Ranvir would do. He joins his hands and requests the man to leave the yacht. The man orders him to ‘get lost’. Kabir then grins and tells him that if he leaves, the man will have to leave with him. We then see the man accompanying Kabir, call Ranvir and plead him to come soon as Kabir seems to have gotten into a fight.
Kabir states that “Jis cheez pe meri nazar hoti hain. Usse koi aur dekh nahi sakta. Aur jo cheez meri nahi ho sakti, usse mein kisi aur ke layak nahi chodta.” (The things that I eye, cannot be eyed by anyone else. And the thing that I cannot obtain, is rendered useless for anyone else.) Kabir then takes off his jacket and leaves it on his bag placed on the seating on the yacht and leaves in his jet boat. The man nervously opens the bag and sees a bomb ticking in it. He quickly plunges off the yacht as we see the bomb blast in the yacht.
In another jet boat arrives Ranvir. Kabir jumps into Ranvir’s jet boat and wishes him on his birthday. Ranvir (in a weird strained voice) scolds Kabir for his reckless ways and Kabir says that he does not worry about anything as he has a big brother to take care of him.
In a hospital, we see the girl who was pushed out of a car earlier in the episode. Aanchal is by her bedside and asks her who did this to her. The incident flashes before the girl’s eyes but we do not get to see what she says.
In the Raichand house, Ranvir and Kabir perform the havan (a religious ritual) while Aanchal helps the girl record her complaint with the police.
As the Raichand family continue to perform the havan, Aanchal makes her way to the Raichand house with the police and lawyer with her. She barges into the Raichand house where the whole Raichand family looks stunned to see police at their doorstep. Aanchal tells Ranvir that his personal secretary, Meenu Mudgal is admitted to a public hospital following a sexual assault on her. Mrs Raichand immediately orders her assistant to have Meenu shifted to a private hospital and ask the police commissioner to look into her case.
Aanchal interjects that she need not work so hard as Meenu has already registered her complaint and now they only have to arrest the offender. She names Ranvir as the man behind the assault and everyone looks shell-shocked at her.
Mr Raichand sternly asks the police if they know what they are doing and the inspector defends that the victim herself has named Ranvir as the assaulter. Mrs Raichand and Kabir intervene but Ranvir agrees to comply with the police. He says that he has faith in his truth and wants to see how strong is Aanchal’s determination. Kabir promises to get Ranvir out of jail as soon as possible. Mrs Raichand tells Ranvir that he must not be so good that people take advantage of him. Ranvir walks closer to her and says that he is content being useful to someone. Mr Raichand calls an attorney while Mrs Raichand walks over to Aanchal and threatens to not spare her for having her son jailed.
Aanchal looks unfazed and walks out with Ranvir and the police.
First Episode First Impression
Wowie! The first episode looked interesting. I did feel disturbed by the plot because I am sensitive when it comes to issues related to crime against women. I do not appreciate the way heinous crimes are presented on TV just to garner eyeballs. I remember there was a time in the early 2000’s when several shows started to have tracks with sexual assaults and as a kid, I used to be deeply disturbed by it. So, now I keep away from such shows. I was excited for Haasil, but when I saw its first trailer, I was a little apprehensive about the treatment of the crime. Actually, I still am a little sceptical about it. I almost dropped the idea of watching the show but then managed to watch it and thankfully nothing unbearable was shown in the first episode. The first episode was a good one as it had me curious by the end of it.
What looked nice?
The ‘star’ studded cast is what compelled me to watch the show. Nikita Dutta’s controlled acting was good. A good choice for the female lead. Does anybody else feel that she resembles Vaani Kapoor? Zayed Khan looked dapper and dashing as the calm and composed elder son in the Raichand family. I wish he works more on his expression because he still looks handsome and suits the role. Vatsal Seth is not new to thrillers and I am sure that he will do a good job with this one too. The dialogues in the first episode were power-packed and I hope they maintain that throughout the show because the show will have a lot of conflicts and we all can do with some sensible and inspiring words. The OST was nothing outstanding in the first episode but I hope the subsequent episodes have a better background score.
What did not look nice?
Nothing in particular. I genuinely liked the first episode of Haasil. However, I do not see myself wanting to watch more of it only because it deals with a very sensitive issue and I am not at all curious to know ‘whodunnit’. In fact, I do not want to know anything about the case. Had it been a murder, I would have definitely been more comfortable watching it. But sexual assault is not a case I am interested in seeing unravelling.
Haasil has a good cast and an interesting storyline. The first episode looked solid. Do watch it if thriller based romantic dramas are your thing.
You can watch this online on SonyLiv.com.
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