Not an Indian but am completely hooked. Better watching this in Indian with subtitles than the English dub. Great story, great actors and the way they finished the season, just when it starts getting more interesting makes me mad because I've got to wait how long until the next season haha.
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First of all, if you're not from India, please do not watch the dubbed version, it's not necessary at all. Subtitles will do fine, and the unfamiliar tones of languages spoken in India only add to the amazing feeling of the show. I've heard people say the show is confusing and they couldn't follow the plot - try a little harder. Map out the characters if you must, replay a scene if you didn't understand. Most likely you were unable to understand because (sadly) western people are not used to Indian names or faces: it takes a little more effort to remember who is who. Take that effort. It's more than worth it. After a few episodes, I had no trouble following the storyline. I hope Netflix will create more shows from places all over the world, and that in time, this won't be an issue anymore.
Some reviewers say Sacred Games can't be compared to Narcos. I think it can. Enough twists and turns, just the right amount of violence, engaging, political, touching... Characters are not good or bad, they're in between, and you're not sure whether to love or hate them. I truly cared about some of them, which I can't really say about the characters of Narcos. Gaitonde is a man who killed more people than you can believe, but the show still makes you love him, all credit going to the great actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui.
I didn't rate it a 10/10 for three reasons:- I did not always find Anjali Mathur's performance convincing
- Kukoo's story was dragged out too long in my opinion
- The final episode seemed rushed, although I'm glad they gave us somewhat of an answer
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theyuvrajtyagi7 July 2018This is first Indian netflix original series directed by Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwani.
The second season was a bigger disappointment than what I'm to my parents. Well, jokes apart, S02 was not as bad but S01 actually raised the bar so high that matching upto that level was never going to be easy. They just made the Gaitonde's character a mere joke. Guruji's character doesn't have the potential that we expected. The more they digged into other characters, more cartoonish they looked except Zoya, Malcolm and Jojo's character. They kept an open ending in S02 also but I hope they better come with a killer script else...
First 30 seconds in the first episode and you'll get to know that this series is going to be dark, edgy and controversial. This series starts with bold statements on religion, and then continues with same on political figures like Rajiv Gandhi to a lot of cuss words, violence and drug use. If you're a person who gets offended very easily then I advise you to keep yourself away form it.
Sacred Games is just an example of what Anurag Kashyap is capable of. This is his real potential. Now screw CBFC. I maybe am a bit biased towards Anurag Kashyap or Phantom productions in general.
The whole cast did a great job, while we saw Saif Ali Khan in a good role after Omkara and Being Cyrus. Radhika Apte has a quite short but impressive role. In my opinion Neeraj Kabi, Jatin Sarna and Nawazuddin are the backbone of the series. -
With a solid start to the drama,with every episode makes you heart beat faster. The rawness of the drama is surreal and gets you hooked. Every episode leaves you with a question unanswered? and doesn't answer them till the very last. Great acting by the whole cast.Not only do the "star" actors shine but the an amazing supporting cast make keeps you engaged.Lastly, Dont watch the first episode if you have your exam the next day or i promise you you will be locked in your room for 8 hours straight.
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First of all, hats off Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditay Motwane, how did you manage to put this together is an amazing feat. I am saying this because they both have directed the show but for different characters (Anurag for Nawaz Storyline and Vikram for Saif's). The performances are amazing and Varun Grover deserves all the applause for writing down street smart dialogues. With every character having a grey role in the show, all the characters have layers of sketch going into it. Eagerly waiting for Season 2!
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Having fallen in love with the book 10 years ago, I had a lot of reservations of how its screen adaptation would be. In the book, Vikram chandra had explored each character in so much depth with different layers that to make a 3 hour Bollywood Flick would have been foremost a daunting task and secondary an injustice to the plot.
Enter, Netflix. Having changed the Tele scene world over, no other production house would be more suited and daring than Netflix to take this Plot head on and do justice to it. And no other duo of Directors than Anurag Kashyap and Vikram Motwane to direct it with such finesse, style and daring.
The series is gripping, fascinating, dark, thought-provoking, chilling and so much more. It is also very relevant in today's India with its tense social and religious under-current.
Every actor is top-notch. The role is Bread & Butter for Nawazuddin Siddiqui and he owns every scene he is in. How badly I wanted Saif Ali Khan to prove himself once more after 'Langda Tyagi'. He is not only superb but you feel the amount of efforts he has put in the role. Also the actor playing 'Bunty Sharma' is the best among all the sub-characters.
The series is truly Binge-worthy and shows what can be achieved without the CBFC 'Big Brother' role. I am however quite sceptic of how it would be received by majority of the Indian audience who have been spoiled with mushy romantic genres and action for them is a muscular middle aged guy beating up 30 under-fed rowdies. I sincerely hope that this series results in a commercial success for all involved so that we can get to see more and more epic like this from our filmmakers. -
Never watched better pilot episode than this. (Narcoss pilot can give somewhat competition). Acting wise: Unarguably Nawazuddin Siddiqui is a gem that Indian Cinema have gotten. You just look into his eyes and you will forget that it is some actor performing a role. The way he narrated the story I don't think anyone could've done that iñ place of him. I was not expecting much from Saif Ali Khan but Ohh Boi he has suprised everyone. Best acting of his career. RadhikaApte has kept it balanced, not overdoing or underdoing anything.
I am a huge fan of Kashyap's cinema. And this time too he didn't disappoint you.
Background scores will give you chills.
Writing is top notch. You know when Varun Grover is involved in the writing then dialogues are gonna be lit. Writing is of that level that if it has to be released on TV then Indian political parties won't let it.
Kudos to Anurag and Vikram's team to let India stand with Head held high in the biggest digital platform of the world.
India's debut couldn't have been more lit than this on Netflix. -
People who doesn't understand they are giving it low ratings because when you see it clearly, 1st season has all the questions and 2nd season have all the answers, 2nd season is the answers for the people who are saying that Sacred Games is getting success because of abusive words and nudity, it can go beyond of your mind, complexity of script and small open secrets hiding nowhere but in front of your eyes. Over the top performances, well written and well directed.
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l-marwah20089 July 2018With this show Netflix has really changed the game of television and storytelling in India. Bollywood now really has to step up and stop making brain dead movies just for commercial success.
It is directed by Anurag Kashyap and Vikram Aditya Motwane and trust me there are no other directors in Bollywood who could have done justice to this show. It has that same rawness, realism and intricate storytelling like Gangs of Wasseypur and Dev D by Kashyap and Motwane.
Acting is suberb and top notch by a great ensemble cast with Nawazuddin channeling his Faizal Khan from Wasseypur with more emotional layers to it. Radhika apte, Saif Ali Khan, Neeraj Kabi, Jitendra Singh also delivers strong performances. Kubra Sait delivers a heart warming breakout performance like never seen before.
This is a must watch for anybody who likes watching stories that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Also must watch just to see how Mumbai becomes a character in a story like none other told before.
Really can't wait for the next season. Need it like yesterday.
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Achyut_Prashast_Singh29 August 2018SACRED GAMES is an intense series. The plot, the twists, the action: everything says it well.
All the episodes have something so unique that it's hard not to watch all of them back-to-back. After a long time, you get to see Saif Ali Khan, the actor and not the star. This is definitely his best performance in a no-nonsense role after a long time and he delivers on every front. Radhika Apte delivers as usual: realistic, believable performance. No doubt she's one of the best actresses we have in India. Nawazuddin... He has totally sunken his teeth and pumped life into the character of Gaitonde. Watch out for his emotional scenes and you'll be shocked by his excellence. Rest of the cast does it part extremely well.
Direction-wise, this series is splendid. Vikramaditya Motwane and Anurag Kashyap have done their part with perfection. Technically too, this series manages to impress given its not-so-grand scale. Dialogues have been written pretty well. Another round of applause for the action sequences; this series is loaded with intense action in every episode and every action sequence delivers white-knuckle fun.
Certain twists can come across as shocking, so be prepared. There is blood, sex, profanity etc everything which we could've never got to see as it is, had it been a theatrically released film. Sometimes the nudity aspect is overdone but it soon gets neglected with passage of time.
So if you want to see a powerful web series with plenty of story and loads of action, SACRED GAMES is just the right stuff for you. I watched this crime-action series just out of curiosity and now I will await its next season with a lot of excitement. -
sunny-3673715 August 2019I watched the whole season 2 and finished all 8 episodes in 7 hours. Unfortunately it does not live up to the expectations.
The maker main focus was on profanity rather than the storyline.
Its a deliberate effort of stretching the series. -
Kavikulaguru7 July 2018The first original Indian series from Netflix; had a lot of expectations. I can safely say that most were adequately met, even exceeded.
While admittedly the story has nothing new to offer, this Bombay gangster series is stylishly shot and executed with finesse. Bombay becomes a character in the series and the chasm between the classes which is so in-your-face in Bombay is captured beautifully. All major cities have class differences but none of them are as stark and apparent as they in Bombay. I was also happy to see it called by its old name of "Bombay" in English and "Bambai" in Hindi -felt authentic.
The story itself is a cat and mouse game involving a variety of characters - mob bosses, religious figures, a gender-neutral character, corrupt cops, the inevitable honest cop, a female cop from a central police agency. While stereotypes are rift, there some funny touches. The nick names given by the female CBI officer to store numbers on her cell is an example as is the track of the police constable trying to get an intimate moment with his nagging wife.
The ending leaves plenty of scope for a sequel - I do not wish to get into spoilers but what is a thoroughly satisfying series seems subject to an abrupt end.
Saif Ali Khan is top notch and quite unlike an Indian hero for he keeps getting beaten up with alarming regularity but his character is the moral compass of the show. Nawazuddin predictably owns every scene he is in - it is an extension of his character from Gangs of Wasseypur. How you miss Manoj Bajpai though.
A great thing about Anurag Kashyap is that he is able to find character actors who leave such a strong impression on the screen. And "Sacred Games" is no different. All the character actors are uniformly excellent.
I tried listening to the track in English and it is atrocious. Not only does it take away from the authenticity of the proceedings, it is also badly dubbed. Imagine watching Narcos in English. Whoever took a decision to add a dubbed English track needs to given some counseling.
If you want a better experience, watch the show in Hindi with English sub-titles.
Vikram Chandra's novel "Sacred Games" was a critically acclaimed book, but it was a commercial failure. The writers have done a good job salvaging what is a middling novel at best. How I wish these same writers would employ their considerable skill to a nice World War era Indian thriller.
I look forward to more original Netflix Indian series soon. -
online-892-41212612 September 2018At the time of writing, this show has an average rating of 9.1, making it grossly over-rated compared to other TV series and Netflix shows. I would say a fair reflection of its quality compared to other international shows is 7.5 to 8 max. I've only given it 5 stars to lower the average but I would probably give it 8 as 7.5 is not an option!
I'm not very familiar with other Indian TV series but this seems to break new ground in a number of ways including its depiction of religion and sex. I enjoyed it but it never made me stay up all night binge watching as I have with numerous other TV series.
I watched over half of it in the default UK audio setting which is (dubbed) English and found the differences in the dubbing and subtitle translations to be amusing but also distracting. It was much better when I switched to the native Hindi dialogue with subtitles. -
First of All congratulations to Anurag and Vikram,I have always loved their work.It is an excellent start to original netflix content in India. Opening scene is enough to show you that this is not your typical Indian show. Nawab and Saif are excellent in the show,but I felt Radhika's character was underdeveloped. Cinematography and those long shots bring alive the MUMBAI (an important character in the show).Gaitonde identity and 25 days threat makes it excellent thriller. I loved this season, can not wait for season 2.
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One of the finest actor in Marathi Film Industry grabbing the opportunity .Amazing Performance Saheb !
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mannatjain-455148 July 2018Sacred Games is definitely one of the best thriller shows that I have seen. This is no ordinary story of a cop and a gangster, it has a twist.The show is very well written and the screenplay is amazing too . It truly lives up to its title Sacred 'Games' as the episodes are in themselves a type of puzzle each with a different name and a symbol that the viewer is trying to solve since the very first episode. Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Saif Ali Khan and Radhika Apte have done an exemplary job . The title song truly adds life to the show as it gives a sense of mystery to the viewer. I also really like how the show has this amazing narrative and the flashbacks of the 20th century Bombay . It's definitely a must watch for anyone who loves a great story!
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prabhnanak7 July 2018A masterpiece truly. Congratulations to Netflix and India on this amazing Drama Series. Based on the book by Vikram Chandra, this show slowly reveals it's dark secrets just like reading the book. Nawazuddin Siddiqui is truly a gem and his portrayal of Gaitonde is bang on. Saif and Radhika have done justice to their roles but it was Siddiqui who stole the spotlight. Finally a TV series to be proud of. There are some really great dialogues which I will not disclose so you should watch it for yourself. The depiction of Bombay is such that it feels like it's a character in itself. Dark, mysterious and thrilling! A must watch.
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I liked how the story began. This isn't a slow narrative, you basically have to run with the characters to catch up with their mind and emotions and sometimes have to see between the frames. I live on the extreme ends of storytelling arch. I love the slow narrative where each and everything is described in such a manner that you feel you are in that situation and you start feeling what the character feels and then there is the impromptu situation where you are unexpectedly put in and you have to start catching up with why the characters are doing what they are doing. Both are fun ways to sit back and enjoy a show. Sacred Games falls under the latter category. Ganesh Gaitonde is that don who has only one purpose and that is to be the city he lives in - Bombay. The show takes us through his journey from Trimbakeshwar to Bombay and how as an adult after pedaling in drugs he decides by and by that he is meant for much more than that. He dreams big and he sets his ambition into action. We see ruthlessness in him which is a pre requisite of being a don but at the same time we see him trying to make his gang walk the secular line so as not to have religion come into play. You and I and that is if you were born in the 80's will nod your head at the narrative of the story when scenes of unrest are shown in the post Indira Gandhi era that has left the nation broken and at the same time has become that "gap" that Politicians use as their mosh pits come election season.
Gaitonde claims he has three fathers and tells us about each one and how they influenced his life and made him who he is. Then we have Sartaj, the Sikh inspector who is trying really hard to battle the internal corruption in police services by refusing to give a false statement in court. His refusal becomes leverage for his superior who dangles his refusal as bait at every opportunity that Sartaj needs back up or when he works on a lead. Sartaj has his own emotional baggage. His wife has left him and he hasn't gotten over her. This I presume is what leads him to consume anxiety pills. We see a little bit of emotional instability in him but not so much that we question his judgment as he pursues his cop instincts. Anjali Mathur, the RAW agent who wants to step out into the field and not just stay behind her desk. She, like Sartaj, follows her instincts and teams up with Sartaj to save the city. Except she believes there is more to the story than just a gang war. Of course she is stopped from acting on her hunch and evidence because hey she's a girl and girls can't go out and play after sundown. Like Sartaj she also has her own reasons for being who she is and that is what propels her into going forward to uncover the roles of different people in the story. Kookoo, I think was a metaphor for the city itself and whoever had Kookoo had Bombay. That's all that I'll be saying about this character.
These are the primary characters and these characters all have very obvious roles to play and are definitely the leads but for me it was the secondary actors who did all the work in making me hate and love the plot. Kanta Bai, who is so freaking stoic even when there is chaos around her and even when things are going bad she is just there strong as a pillar and not scared of Gaitonde. Probably because she is more like a mother to him, after all it's all thanks to her that he gets his first break. Katekar, is that constable who is at Sartaj's beck and call. Even though he represents the constable in the series he is also doing the added job of being the common man's voice when he is expressing his opinions as a person. Most of us have skewed perspectives based on the news and political speeches we are fed. Malcolm Murad, was a decently surprising character. I liked him in entirety except in one place when he did something out of character. DCP Parulkar's character has been portrayed so well! He makes you hate him. He makes you want to plough through his body with a rain of bullets. I like it when actors actually make you believe they are really that bad.
The dialogues are amazing, even the ones making a jibe at political situations. Don't know who Shah Bano is? Google her. I like how one-liners were used to tell months' worth of tense situations in the country.
But is this the best story ever told? No. Was the story predictable? Yes. Were we told anything different with this story? No. So what exactly is the show's USP? Acting! -
hpmomi7 July 2018Finally , 10 thousand times better than sass bahu serial , Baap of crime patrol
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thinkershive13 July 2018When we look to current TV serials shown in India, it is far better.
Best thing I like about Kashyap's direction is that I believe he used to spend 50% of his overall budget on hiring good gali galuch dialog writers :). In fact I would like to say that writer used his P*e*i*s instead of pen with a inspiring person showing his a*s*s whole time to push creativity to next level.
Overall it's a good to watch for a Bollywood or Indian TV serial watcher. Every one from actor to directors have placed their best with a good story line and narration makes it worth watching.
However if you have already watch series like Narcos or equivalent, you may find this too slow with Bollywood types slow motion introduced across direction of this serial.
Finally in era of 2014 onwards everyone seems to screwing congress from back and dialogs like changing Prime minister at the rate of changing underwear was hilarious , my best to this dialog writer.
Overall it's worth watching and my best to Kashyap. -
Amazingly directed and extraordinary performances. Classic Anurag Kashyap and Nawazuddin combo. Saif Ali khan and Radhika Apte were great too.
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cirone-8242411 July 2018So I seen that this show is getting the ratings compared to game of thrones, breaking bad, ext. so I had to check it out. After the first episode it caught my interest so I continued to watch. The show stayed consistent and was good a little boring at times but in NO WAY does it deserve such a high rating. I was disappointed watching it because I expected so much more with a 9.4 rating!!!! It is a GOOD show BUT not even close to a GREAT show with a 9.4. I use IMDB all the time and is usually very accurate with the ratings, but in this case it is WAY OFF.
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tinkuad772 September 2019I wanted to give it a try after so much of hype and paid reviews. This is so very boring from the word go. After few episodes, i got a feeling that i wasted all those hours for no reason. I did not stop watching though thinking that there will be something may be last two episodes or at least in last episode. However, no change at all. Vulgar language throughout. Director would have thought this language would change the course of indian television forever. In fact that is true, because this would be my last indian TV series. Utterly disappointed. Seriously very very slow and very very bad and very very boring. Last but not least good cast wasted for this boring and slow story. PLEASE DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME!!!!!
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jetkot20 August 2019Season 2 has blown me away .Anuraag Kashyap and Nawazuddin Siddiqui are a formidable stellar pair . Nawaz fits beautifully into Ganesh Gaitonde and delivers his dialogues beautifully. The show is mesmerizing. It has a great atmosphere and feel. Every frame is different and beautifully shot.
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Okay, the first season is very entertaining and well-made. The first two episodes alone are extraordinary and have enough substance to provide viewers energy for the next episodes even if some of them, particularly in the second season, do not quite live up to the premise of the first. The entire first season is nonetheless an eminently watchable show and its development is wonderfully handled. It's captivating, well-written, and a visual treat. The second season, while also enjoying the same benefits of cinematographic excellence and superb actors, is much less alluring, and it requires patience as it keeps wandering around its own story, dragging the narrative with less interesting characters, slow-paced subplots with spiritual tracks which hardly ring true here and are a little boring. The entire second season seems confused by its own pretensions.
The show is indeed, brilliantly photographed, and its technical excellence is matched by superior acting. Saif Ali Khan returns big time with a strong performance in a very strong character. Those familiar with Khan's resume right from his early days as a young star in the 1990s, would never have guessed his development into a fine actor a decade later with Dil Chahta Hai, Hum Tum, and Omkara; but this one is just even farther beyond imagination. Great work. The show, however, belongs to Nawazuddin Siddiqui, and he is tremendous in a complete performance where he not just acts but becomes and grows as a character. The flashbacks chronicling his life story are unquestionably the strongest part of the entire series, and his voice over is very soothing and commanding. Sacred Games is a great invention which has a brilliant first season which is well worth watching.