Cast: Bhumi Pednekar, Aditya Rawal, Samara Tijori, Geeta Agrawal, Chinmay Mandlekar, Sandeep Kulkarni
Creator: Suresh Triveni
Director: Amrit Raj Gupta
Streaming On: Prime Video
In an era flooded with whodunnits, Daldal chooses a far more unsettling route—it becomes a whydunnit. Very early in the seven-episode series, the audience is shown both the murder and the murderer. By the second episode, the modus operandi, the dual lives, and the truth behind the killings are laid bare. And yet, Daldal never completely loses its grip.
Suresh Triveni’s series is less interested in suspense and more invested in choices, trauma, and fate, asking an uncomfortable question: What turns ordinary people into killers?
Daldal follows newly appointed DCP Rita Ferreria (Bhumi Pednekar), who is assigned to track down a serial killer targeting victims by slitting their wrists. Like many fictional cops, Rita is battling personal demons—past trauma and substance abuse—while trying to stay afloat professionally.
Running parallel is Anita (Samara Tijori), a journalist with a deeply scarred past of her own. Along with her confidant and soulmate Sajid (Aditya Rawal), Anita begins to punish those she believes exploit and wrong others. As Anita’s backstory unfolds, the show cleverly positions her and Rita as mirror images—two women shaped by trauma, standing on opposite sides of morality and law.
The show is firmly carried by its lead performances.
Bhumi Pednekar anchors Daldal with a portrayal that avoids turning Rita into a stock “angry cop.” Rita is loud, erratic, irresponsible, and often unlikable—but also painfully human. Despite the character being written with traditionally masculine traits, Bhumi infuses vulnerability and sensitivity, making Rita relatable even when she’s flawed.
Aditya Rawal once again proves his ability to humanise morally questionable characters. As Sajid, he brings out deep-seated pain and suppressed rage with restraint, making the audience empathise with someone they shouldn’t.
The real standout, however, is Samara Tijori. In a role that could have easily slipped into caricature, she delivers a controlled, chilling performance. Her Anita simmers with rage, gradually descending into madness—conveyed largely through her eyes and understated dialogue rather than theatrics.
The thematic contrast between Rita and Anita—their childhood trauma, their mothers, and how differently life treats them—forms the emotional spine of the series. Even when Daldal spells out this parallel a little too bluntly, it remains effective.
For a show rooted in crime, Daldal sometimes forgets the thrill of the investigation itself. Its deep dive into psychology and motive lowers the stakes of the actual murder case. Deaths begin to feel like statistics rather than shocks, and violence becomes numbing over time.
The tonal shifts—from bleak to relentlessly traumatic—also weigh the narrative down. While the short runtime prevents fatigue, the series does lose focus midway. It is ultimately a heart-wrenching finale that pulls the story back on track and offers emotional closure.
Daldal had all the ingredients to be a standout Hindi streaming series. Its bold narrative choices, layered performances, and psychological depth set it apart from routine thrillers. However, its uneven tone and diluted suspense keep it from greatness.
Still, it remains a solid, thought-provoking watch—one that lingers in your mind long after the final episode ends.
