Grahan Review: New Disney+Hotstar series on 1984 anti-Sikh riots is relevant in India today

"Koi bhi hinsa ho, chaahe dange ho, balaatkaar ho, jan sanhaar ho, uski wajah sirf yahi hai, kisi ka ahankaar," says Guru, a transformed rioter, who now serves in a Gurudawara. He himself killed many during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Bokaro. He, who once set out to finish off Sikhs from the Steel city of Jharkhand, is now serving the same community, in redemption.

Inspired by Satya Vyas’ Hindi book Chaurasi, Grahan brings alive two sides of the same story, set three decades apart. Set in Jharkhand, the series begins in 2016 with the abduction and murder of a young journalist. He was trying to unearth the names responsible for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Bokaro, which led to the killing of numerous Sikhs. The carnage resulted after Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards.

It's election season in Jharkhand, so the Chief Minister sets a new Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by a young IPS officer, Amrita Singh (Zoya Hussain), to investigate cold cases from the riots in Bokaro. However, during the investigation, she finds out that her father, Gursevak (Pavan Malhotra), is accused of being one of the rioters. This makes her question a lot of things. When she doesn't get an answer from her father she sets out to unravel the truth on her own.

Parallelly, the series also narrates the love story of Rishi Ranjan (Anshuman Pushkar) and Manu AKA Manjeet Chhabra (Wamiqa Gabbi). This 1984 story has an important link to the case and Amrita. How Amrita unearths and finds out the truth forms the remaining part of the story.

Here's the trailer of Grahan:

The series deals with riots and its aftermath, while also encompassing a bygone romantic tale. The makers have dealt with a topic like a riot with utmost sensitivity. The series traverses through two different timelines, maintaining the old-world charm while showing the yesteryears. The story unfolds in a manner that keeps the viewers hooked to the series till the end. Along with suspense and action, Grahan also has drama but it never goes over-the-top.

The series clearly states how political party instigates public and get them to fight against each other for political gain. And sometimes even the state machinery is involved. Though switching between 1984 and 2016, the series is relevant in today's time. It might have been just a single dark night but for the victims, the scars and wounds stay afresh for their entire lifetime.

Directed by Ranjan Chandel with Shailendra Jha as showrunner, the series has an amazing cast where everyone fits their role perfectly. Pavan Malhotra is exceptional as Gursevak, while Zoya Hussain holds the series as Amrita. Anshuman Pushkar and Wamiqa Gabbi do proper justice while bringing alive the 80s romance to screen as Rishi and Manu. The cast also includes Teekam Joshi, Sahidur Rahaman, Abhinav Pateria, Satyakaam Anand, Sudhanva Deshpande, Sukhwinder Chahal and Nandish Sandhu.

Apart from an intriguing story, its melodious music also makes Grahan a smooth watch. Songs like Chori Chori and O Jogiya, composed by Amit Trivedi, are like a cherry on the cake. The lyrics are by Varun Grover and the songs have been sung by Asees Kaur, Shahid Mallya, Abhijeet Srivastava and Rupali Moghe. Another good song from the series is Main Hoon Teri Parchayi, which has been written and sung by Swanand Kirkire.

The makers have said that Grahan is a work of fiction. However, one can't ignore the fact that after Delhi and Kanpur, Bokaro was worst hit by the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Many families suffered the loss of life or property. The horrors of the carnage are still fresh in the minds of the victims. This series will bring back memories of the violent past.

With eight episodes of 40-50 minutes each, the series can be easily binge-watched over the weekend. This might also interest the millennial kids in trying to find out about a forgotten chapter and one of the dark chapters of Indian history, which is not often talked about.

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