Monsoon of 2020, South Korean actors Lee Joon-gi and Moon Chae-won had the world going weak on their knees with the Flower of Evil. By the time the 16th episode aired, fans couldn’t get enough of Lee Joon-gi and Moon Chae-won’s on-screen chemistry. So it comes as no surprise that K-drama fans, especially in India, were surprised to learn that the hit show is being adapted in India as Duranga with Gulshan Devaiah and Drashti Dhami in the lead.
Released on Friday, Duranga — much like the original — revolves around Ira (Drashti Dhami) and her husband Summit (Gulshan Devaiah). While Ira is an ace officer in a Mumbai Police branch, Summit opts for a simpler life — doubling up as an artist and an at-home husband. Time and again, the show reminds us that Summit is someone who doesn’t feel emotions but is trying hard to bring changes to his personality.
The couple is happily married for 11 years, with a daughter as well, but life takes a dark turn when Ira begins investigating a murder that resembles the gory serial killings that took place 17 years ago. During the investigation, Ira learns that while the particular case in the investigation was a bad copy of the original killings, there is someone out there trying to revive the serial killings in the city. However, it isn’t the OG serial killer Bala Banne (Zakir Hussain) for he died of suicide following the killings.
This forces Ira to reopen the 17-year-old case and as a result, her personal life crosses paths with her career. Soon she learns that her husband Summit has a connection with the killings which turns her life upside down. As more and more secrets unveil, Ira’s trust in Summit wavers, leaving her at the crossroads of love and responsibilities.
Duranga, like the Flower of Evil, is packed with twists and turns. For someone who hasn’t watched the show, the ZEE5 series offers something new to the table. The series’ biggest advantage is its length. Unlike the original, which takes time to brew and spends over one hour per episode, Duranga cuts to the chase and limits each episode’s length to 30 mins or so. It is a welcome move for the series and gets the viewers hooked almost immediately.
Another thing that works for Duranga is their decision to break the series into two halves. Given the length of the original show and the numerous events taking place one after the other, Duranga decides to end the first season on an interesting cliffhanger which is bound to bring viewers back for the season.
The show takes in the best of the original and tries to patch them together. This leads to problems in consistency. Duranga is confused about what the focus should be — the couple’s relationship, the investigation, or Summit’s troubled past. In an attempt to tick all the boxes, the show doesn’t let you invest in any of them.
The series also battles with continuity errors. For example, in the second episode when the makers are showing how Mrs. Bootwaala (the victim of the first case) died, her outfit already had blood stains in the long shot but as the camera grew closer, the red spots magically disappear.
This uneven selection of scenes and moments from the original also impacts the chemistry between Gulshan Devaiah and Drashti Dhami as well. Individually, Devaiah and Dhami shoulder the show well. Devaiah pulls off the emotionless man running away from his past well. Dhami, on the other hand, holds your attention as Ira. In scenes involving her work, she oozes confidence. Whereas, in scenes showing Ira’s personal life, Dhami softens enough to show that she cares but doesn’t compromise with her bold character, a balance that Moon Chae-won’s character Flower of Evil struggled with.
However, as an on-screen couple, Devaiah and Dhami lack chemistry. Blame it on lack of depth in characters or limited scenes between the couple, I needed a little more from Devaiah and Dhami as a couple to allow me to root for them. Marathi actor Abhijit Khandkekar plays the role of an online journalist in the show and he brings much relief to scenes he shares with a cold Devaiah.
Unfortunately, the show — at least what appears to be season one — doesn’t utilize Zakir Hussain. The series has roped in the actor to play out the spine-chilling killer Bala Banne but has limited his role to moments in the flashback. Hopefully, there is more for him in the second season.
In comparison with Flower of Evil, Duranga remains faithful to the original. Besides changing the background and Indianising the characters, Duranga doesn’t steer away from the original — mirroring scenes and even dialogues from the K-drama loyally. While this offers something new to people who have not watched Flower of Evil, it is a tad off-putting for the ones who’ve seen the original.
Duranga had the potential to become an out-and-out Indian show, given the similarities in conditions and characters in India. But like Money Heist Korea, Duranga too ends up becoming yet another copycat series.
Bottomline: For someone who has not seen the original, Duranga offers a good thrilling ride but be prepared to sail through the rough tides in the initial few episodes. But for fans who have watched the show, regardless of loving it or not, I’d recommend giving this remake a skip.
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