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Charlie Chopra & The Mystery Of Solang Valley Review: Wamiqa Gabbi Shines As A Badass Detective
Streaming Platform - Sony LIV
Charlie Chopra & The Mystery Of Solang Valley Review: We have all grown up reading and watching detective stories like Bomkesh Bakshi and Sherlock Holmes. In a world full of dark secrets and a web of lies, a detective who embarks on a journey in search of truth has always interested the audience.
Mystery thrillers are the favourite genre for many as they offer an adrenaline rush like none, and filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj, best known for adapting popular books into a film with Indian context, is back with an engaging web show of this genre, Charlie Chopra & The Mystery Of Solang Valley, which will start streaming from September 27 on Sony LIV.
Officially adapted from Agatha Christie's The Sittaford Mystery, Charlie Chopra is about a detective who takes up a challenging murder case in Solang Valley in the highlands of Himachal Pradesh and how she unfolds motives, leading to the apprehension of the accused.
Let's find out if the show has all the essential elements to keep you hooked.
Plot
In the first episode, we are introduced to a few cast members of the show who have gathered amid heavy snowfall. Dr Rai (Naseeruddin Shah) is seen performing a cult and calling upon a lady named Rose, who reveals that Brigadier Meherbaan Singh Rawat (Gulshan Grover) has died.
Soon, the lead character, Charulata, aka Charlie Chopra (Wamiqa Gabbi), a sharp and smart female detective, comes to know that her timid and quiet fiance, Jimmy Nautiyal (Vivaan Shah), has been implicated in the murder of the Brigadier, and she rushes to his aid.
Upon her arrival in Solang, Charlie finds that Jimmy is not behind Brigadier Rawat's murder and that everyone, from Brigadier's family members to his friends, was behind his money and property.
Later, when the lawyer reads out Rawat's will, we see that he has a fiance who is pregnant with his child. And to everybody's dismay, the will cannot be disbursed, as according to law, it would go to his unborn child.
Charlie knows the lurking danger around her own life but still remains firm in finding the murderer with the help of a local journalist, Sitaram Bisht (Priyanshu Painyuli). Charlie, with her sharp instinct, slowly uncovers the strange circumstances that led to the murder of Brigadier and the long-buried secrets of the family: greed, betrayal, and their equation.
Performances
The show consists of a stellar cast, including veterans like Neena Gaupta, Naseeruddin Shah, and Ratna Pathak Shah, who have once again proved why they are called gems of Indian cinema. In the limited screen space they had, the three senior actors did a splendid job.
Gulshan Grover, as a stylish, snooty rich man, adds great volume to the show.
Wamiqa Gabbi, who was last seen in Jubilee, plays the titular character, Charlie Chopra. Gabbi is refreshing to see on screen and gets into the skin of the character very easily. Wamiqa's cuteness and Punjabi accent add to the charm of her role. Her performance is extremely phenomenal and subtle, especially when she talks to the audience by breaking the fourth wall.
Another strong performance is displayed by Priyanshu Painyuli. The scenes between him and Charlie bring out the comic relief in the show, with a fine screen partnership.
Vivaan Shah, Imaad Shah, Lara Dutta, Paoli Dam, and others have a significant amount of screen presence and have performed their parts with perfection.
What's good & bad
Directed and co-written by Vishal Bhardwaj, Charlie Chopra is one of the most light and cracking detective mystery series to come out in a long time. Bhardwaj, known for translating fictional stories into life, has once again succeeded with this latest venture.
Vishal's visual portrayal is usually dark and gloomy, but in Charlie Chopra, he contrasts it with sprinkles of snow and a bit of lightness that smoothly captures the tone of the story.
Subplots are not forcefully fitted with the main story as they run parallel to the murder case.
The show's run time of six episodes, each spanning 40 minutes, keeps you hooked on the quest to know what happens next.
The background music is impressive, as it keeps the suspense alive throughout the show.
Watch the trailer here:-
Verdict
Master of adaptation, Vishal Bhardwaj, makes his grand entry into the world of web series with Charlie Chopra & The Mystery Of Solang Valley. It's a joy to watch his creation on screen.
The show's narrative perfectly delves into an atmosphere of greed, lies, murder, and suspense.
Someone who derives pleasure from watching investigative stories will greatly enjoy Charlie Chopra, as it makes for an engaging watch.
