Indian
rural
folklore
is
filled
with
bone-chilling
stories
of
superstitions,
witchcraft
and
occult
practices.
While
the
terminologies
or
details
may
vary
with
pin
codes,
what
remains
constant
is
the
paralysing
fear
of
the
unknown,
which
often
pushes
one
to
humanity-defying
extremes
and
unbelievable
crimes.
SonyLiv’s
latest
Web
series
Manvat
Murders
is
about
a
similar
story
of
occult
killings,
based
on
the
horrifying
murders
that
shook
Maharashtra’s
Manvat
village
in
the
‘70s.
In
a
span
of
two
years,
brutally
butchered
bodies
of
11
girls
and
women
were
found
in
the
village,
with
blood
drawn
from
their
private
parts,
hinting
at
a
ritualistic
connection.
The
eight-part
Marathi-language
thriller
begins
with
the
killing
of
a
woman
working
in
a
field
by
two
masked
men,
who
take
an
axe
to
her
head.
She
is
just
one
among
many
victims.
The
entire
region
is
gripped
in
terror
and
women
are
scared
to
step
out
of
their
houses
alone.
We
are
then
introduced
to
Ramakant
Kulkarni
(Ashutosh
Gowariker),
a
decorated
police
officer
with
an
impressive
track
record
of
solving
all
his
cases.
Once
the
bodies
pile
up,
Kulkarni
is
sent
off
from
Mumbai
to
Manvat
to
find
the
culprit
behind
the
hideous
killings.
Sonali
Kulkarni
has
done
a
stellar
performance
in
the
series
Kulkarni
is
the
polar
opposite
of
his
corrupt
colleagues.
He
has
a
keen
interest
in
criminal
psychology,
has
his
own
tactics
for
extracting
information
from
people,
and
picks
up
even
on
the
smallest
of
details
from
the
case.
While
the
team
around
him
is
impatient,
clueless,
and
rogue,
the
poised
officer
has
all
his
moves
calculated
in
advance.
As
the
investigation
proceeds,
one
of
the
prime
suspects
turns
out
to
be
a
local
couple:
Uttamrao
Barahate
(Makrand
Anaspure)
and
his
consort
Rukmini
(Sonali
Kulkarni),
who
run
a
secret
illegal
hooch
business
and
have
the
entire
community
riddled
under
their
debt.
Even
when
they
are
banished
from
the
region
by
law,
their
business
—
now
being
handled
by
Rukmani’s
sister
Samindri
—
goes
on
without
a
hitch.
Meanwhile,
the
couple
is
working
on
a
petition
to
reclaim
their
house.
Through
the
next
seven
episodes,
as
the
investigation
continues,
we
get
served
with
frequent
flashbacks
of
previous
murders.
And
as
more
killings
take
place,
the
case
grows
into
a
tangle
of
old
leads
and
new
suspects.
Themes
of
poverty,
illiteracy,
and
addiction
are
also
touched
upon
while
keeping
the
prime
focus
on
occultism.
The
crime
thriller
portrays
the
topic
with
the
care
and
sensitivity
it
deserves.
Its
unfiltered
representation
of
the
murders
and
paedophilia
is
hair-raising
and
disturbing,
but
rarely
gratuitous.
The
show
manages
to
explore
the
fragility
and
vulnerability
of
the
human
mind,
easily
manipulated
and
pushed
to
dark
corners.
It’s
frightening
to
see
how
trivial
and
indispensable
human
life
might
be
for
those
blindly
following
the
herd.
Ashutosh
Gowariker
plays
police
officer
Ramakant
Kulkarni
who
is
inspecting
the
case
of
occult
killings
in
Manvat
Sonali
Kulkarni,
in
particular,
has
done
an
exceptional
job
of
portraying
this
unabashed
faith
in
an
immoral
cause.
Here,
she
plays
an
infertile
woman,
ready
to
go
to
any
extent
to
bear
a
child.
Her
persona
is
powerful
and
dark,
and
she’ll
make
you
uncomfortable
every
time
she
is
on
the
screen.
In
a
particularly
harrowing
scene
in
the
third
episode,
she
wails
in
front
of
a
lamp
under
the
sacred
fig
tree
for
being
barren.
Kulkarni
has
a
respectable
body
of
work
behind
her,
and
her
portrayal
of
Rukmini
sits
among
them
as
one
of
her
finest
so
far.
Also
excellent
here
is,
Sai
Tamhankar,
who
plays
Rukmini’s
sister.
She
brings
an
intimidating
aura
to
every
scene
she’s
in.
This
was
the
first
time
I
got
a
chance
to
see
her
work,
and
I
am
now
eagerly
looking
forward
to
seeing
more
of
her
in
future.
Manvat
Murders
is
also
shot
and
edited
in
ways
that
compound
the
horror
of
the
events
unfolding
before
you.
Scenes
of
every
day
life
are
portrayed
impressively,
as
well,
bringing
a
living
rhythm
to
the
village
and
its
people.
Visually,
the
show
can
often
evoke
a
quiet
serenity,
despite
the
macabre
events
unfolding
in
the
background.
Some
of
the
frames
(Satyajeet
Shobha
Shriram
handles
the
cinematography
in
the
show),
like
the
ones
with
Uttamrao’s
villa
in
the
focus,
are
filmed
so
beautifully
that
they
give
the
impression
of
a
vibrant
painting.
Director
Ashish
Avinash
Bende
has
wisely
ditched
the
overexploited
romanticization
of
the
landscape
in
favour
of
a
more
authentic
representation
of
rural
Maharashtra,
without
compromising
its
cultural
appeal.
The
series
is
available
to
stream
in
Marathi,
Hindi,
Telugu,
Malayalam,
Kannada,
and
Bengali
In
the
investigation
rooms,
the
colours
of
the
character’s
ensembles
are
in
perfect
sync
with
the
walls,
and
colour
tones
are
in
alignment
with
the
mood
of
the
scene.
It’s
these
small
technical
details
that
ironically
add
poetic
value
to
the
scenes.
But
while
it
excels
in
recreating
a
setting,
Manvat
Murders’
story
suffers
from
an
ebbing
momentum,
despite
power-packed
performances.
I
understand
the
series’
intention
of
drawing
a
contrast
between
the
intense
occult
and
simple
rationale,
but
the
approach
ends
up
becoming
a
hurdle
for
the
narrative.
The
episodic
mystery
didn’t
really
hook
me,
and
I
rarely
found
myself
aching
in
anticipation
of
what’s
to
come.
Even
though
the
show
is
based
on
a
true
incident
and
isn’t
exactly
a
groundbreaking
concept
(it
comes
weeks
after
Netflix
film
Sector
36,
based
on
2006
Noida
serial
murders),
it
could
have
avoided
being
predictable.
You
don’t
really
need
to
look
up
the
real-life
case
to
gauge
where
the
show
is
going.
Given
that
the
gruesome
case
isn’t
a
part
of
national
consciousness,
not
everyone
might
be
aware
of
the
events
that
transpired.
But
Manvat
Murders
misses
the
opportunity
to
retell
the
story
definitively
for
those
who
might
be
new
to
the
nightmare.
Despite
its
shortcomings,
Manvat
Murders
remains
a
capable
thriller
and
an
ideal
jumping-off
point
for
true
crime
nuts
to
dig
into
the
horrific
events
that
took
place
decades
ago.
It
is
a
fine
adaptation
that
stays
true
to
its
source
material
and
gives
away
the
facts
straight,
without
dramatising
or
pacifying
them
in
the
name
of
creative
liberty.
While
it
won’t
exactly
keep
you
on
your
toes
in
anticipation,
it
makes
up
for
it
with
its
chilling
portrayal
of
sacrificial
killings
that
shook
the
life
and
times
of
a
tiny
village
in
Maharashtra.
And
its
outstanding
performances
are
enough
to
carry
you
through
to
the
end.
Manvat
Murders
raises
important
questions
about
faith
and
the
grave
consequences
of
unchecked
superstition.
But
those
questions
rarely
lead
to
a
deeper
introspection.
Rating:
6.5/10