Web-series is an opportunity to experiment, visualize and present the unexplored that might not be viable or possible to justify in a time frame of just two hours of a commercial film. Hence web-series ought to bring us new themes, plots and subjects which BREATHE successfully does as a fresh, novel series based on crimes committed by a father, out of sheer love and desperation to save his young kid.
Yes, this might sound weird and unethical to many as a plot moving beyond the extreme disturbing the very foundation of our social structure. But in reality its quite natural and our basic human nature that if a person waiting for an organ transplantation comes to know about a few people who have registered themselves for such donation, then the first thought in his mind has to be that when one of them will be dying or how much more time they will take to die?
BREATHE builds its premise on this very idea leading to some desperate brutal crimes committed by a father wishing a longer life for his son and thus explores an innovative idea giving you something new to deeply think upon. Writer-director Mayank Sharma presents BREATHE as a taut thriller which largely gets supported by an engaging narration, quick events in succession and impressive performances led by Madhavan (as the father), Amit Sadh (as the cop), Sapna Pabbi (as the cop’s ex-wife), Hrishikesh Joshi (as the sub-inspector), Nina Kulkarni (as the grandmother) and more.
Madhavan puts in his heart and soul as the helpless father and carries the complete series on his shoulders getting great appreciable support from Amit as a cop addicted to liquor. Amit’s individual sequences as a lonely, disturbed person work pretty well without becoming any hindrance to the ongoing progression. In fact his conversations with the sub-inspector are entertaining. Despite being a male oriented show both Sapna and Nina along with the kid, make their presence felt and contribute their bit in the intriguing proceedings.
Technically well-made with a fine cinematography and engaging background score the series actually falters in its writing and doesn’t come up with any kind of flawless or perfect crime thriller. Tackling the emotional part well, the writer-director strangely conceives all the murders with a questionable ease and it all appears too convenient and unconvincing with big loopholes left unattended.
For instance, Madhavan keeps storing everything related to the victims in a hide-out just for nothing, whereas the material should have been destroyed after every single murder. Further, using no masks to hide his actual identity, no mention of CCTVs normally installed in all such locations, easy admission in the hospital with no identification, getting admitted and discharged from an ICU within a day and more, never let you enjoy the series as any well-written crime thriller.
Hence, it’s no doubt a fine attempt with interesting characterisations bringing in something fresh to watch, but could have been a lot better with more attention given to the crimes and their execution taking care of the loopholes. In the present form, it keeps heavily relying on the sudden co-incidences saving its lead character.
Moreover with such a significant premise of Organ Donation, this could have become an entirely different series with a lot more depth in its presentation forcing the viewers to think and go for their own organ donation. A missed opportunity if we think that way, BREATHE still deserves to be seen as a brave novel attempt featuring all sincere performers trying to deliver something different as a team.
Rating : 3 + 0.5 / 5 (with the additional 0.5 for at least breaking the set pattern, thinking out of the box)
