Review by Madanaka
Kaala Paani (Black Water) is about the unraveling of a society under crisis. An epidemic strikes the island, and the show follows characters on disparate journeys as they all come to understand how civility is a thin veneer, and there are different rules for survival in a dystopia. Netflix bills this as their first Indian survival drama, and if that’s what you’re looking for, this delivers.
Kaala Paani remains rooted in Indian drama, with enough familiar Bollywood tropes and super dramatic acting to satisfy (or frustrate, depending on taste). The setting of a near-future Andaman and Nicobar adds a little freshness for seasoned viewers of both Indian dramas and english post-apocalyptic drama (why so many desert wastelands?). But if you like this show, credit is due to the writer’s clarity of idea — the human aspect of epidemic survival — and the director’s focus on execution. The team said yes to liberal use of fable & philosophy tropes, yes to time skips, yes and yes again to flashbacks (make it like Oprah’s giving them away), and no to in-depth explanations of science/procedure/things-that-aren’t-drama. The focus is entirely on the character journeys undertaken by a set of individuals from a distribution of roles across the island society. The actors all did very well, and most have juicy dramatic bits preceded by overlong childhood flashbacks (can you tell my biggest quibble? yet they are a classic Indian trope that can’t be escaped… get it?) to hammer in that character development. This is not a mystery series: there are no twists, no red herrings. But the 7 episodes are meaty with social drama, seasoned with the urgency of a thriller, and light on the boring gristle. Overall, Kaala Paani will hits the spot. And if my review hasn’t put you off it, I think you’ll enjoy it too.
A second season is possible but not required. The epidemic isn’t fully resolved (given the time frame it can’t be anyway), but most characters have reached a climax and denouement to complete their arc. If continued, here’s hoping the writing remains true to concept with new character journeys so that the energy stays high.
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@madanaka The islanders will survive eventually. But the people on the ship will most definitely not. That ship was like the Titanic.
Started out as a decent enough show. Degenerated into woke rubbish and soap opera style drama that had little to do with actual medical drama. That this crud got multiple Emmys just shows how irrelevant and broken the Emmys are.
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@perjonsson Hi, I'm just curious but why are you watching the whole show if you don't like its drama part? I mean medical drama means drama in the hospital. This show and many other medical dramas showcase the medical part of the hospital and the drama between doctors and nurses in the hospital. Its purpose is to entertain. If you want 100% medical part then why not just opt out of the show? Abandoned it. All your comments on every episode seem so negative. If I don't like a show this much as you do I just drop it and watch something else.
