Popular Bollywood actor Arshad Warsi made his OTT debut with the psychological thriller series, Asur. Part of the revamped Voot Select platform, Asur also stars Barun Sobti in the lead, with a supporting cast filled with notable names like Sharib Hashmi, Anupriya Goenka, Ridhi Dogra, Gaurav Arora, Amey Wagh and Pawan Chopra. Asur is directed by Oni Sen, and is about a forensics team in the CBI trying to catch a serial-killer who thinks himself of as an 'Asur' and is always one step ahead of them. And when I say 'always', I mean 'always'. Asur Season 1 Review: Arshad Warsi, Barun Sobti’s Thriller Series Succeeds in Keeping the Mystery Alive and Binge-Worthy.

While reviewing Asur, we found it to be a gripping saga, filled with palpable suspense and enough twists and turns. The show isn't a masterpiece, but the eight binge-worthy episodes will keep you invested. What's disappointing is that the show hasn't become a talking point yet, for not many of the OTT viewers have realised that it is available to watch. Asur's marketing has been very underwhelming, which is strange since the show was supposed to be the ace player in promoting Voot Select. And the lack of promotion does disservice to the creative team involved and the cast who does a fine job here. Asur: Arshad Warsi to Make His Digital Debut with a Psychological-Thriller Series.

So, well, here's us taking up the job of Asur's marketing team and telling you why you should not miss this show.

An Intriguing Premise

Any show involving a serial killer is bound to catch your interest, as we have this intrigue to understand the psyche of what makes a normal person go on a killing spree. The serial killer in Asur is a brilliant person who is well-versed in the puranas and has tremendous IQ, but suffers from childhood abuse. Through the start of every episode, we gets glimpses into the person's past to find out how he/she became the Asur and what is that person's ultimate motive. Whatever happens in the present is merely Asur working towards bringing the Kali yug to an end, while our team of heroes try to stop that person. Simple? Not so much... For the killer loves to through challenges at them, get one of them kidnapped and use his brains to plans his murders and ultimately, makes them take impossible life-altering choices. Mysterious, hypnotic, ingenious and dangerous - Asur turns out to be a combo of Sacred Games' Guruji, The Dark Knight's Joker and Saw's Jigsaw Killer.

The Palpable Mystery and Good Writing

TBH, I kinda deducted who the Asur is, very early in the show. Perhaps that's because I thought this actor known for his/her caliber was underused, and that could be for some very specific reason. While my suspicion turns out to be true (and perhaps, the show knows it too), the show still manages to keep you guessing as to what the intentions of the character, what's the next move and what's his endgame. On the other hand, the writing around the the investigators is also good with their own little mysteries. Like why the two heroes have problems with each other is also told across the show without rushing into. From the forensics angle to how the heroes themselves have their dark sides, Asur keeps you on the edge of your seats, wondering where it is headed to. The finale may not be to everyone's liking, but it suits the intent of the show, and makes you curious for the next season.

The Cast in Fine Form

Both Arshad Warsi and Barun Sobti are solid as the leads. Arshad Warsi effectively underplays his character as the brilliant DJ, the forensics chief who becomes the first pawn of killer's chess-game. Sobti, the former television star, is excellent as the downbeat intelligent expert in forensics, whose missteps and victories define the path of the series. I wish the female leads, Anupriya Goenka and Riddhi Dogra, had more to offer, especially Dogra, who is underutilised in the second half of the series. Sharib Hashmi is dependable as always, and Amey Wagh scores in the later episodes as the reticent IT geek. Vishesh Bansal who plays the younger version of the killer does an incredible job.

Enough Twists and Turns

When you have a series about a serial killer, you expect twists and turns, nice ones at that. There are plenty of them in Asur. The first major twist happens at the end of the first episode is quite killer, and there are quite a few ahead. From switching protagonists at the right junctures to some very morbid surprises, Asur has elements that are pretty much riveting.

Doesn't Exploit Its Platform

Most of the Indian content on OTT platforms are often accused of exploiting the freedom that the medium offers. From gratuitous sex scenes to shocking violence to aggressive use of cuss words, a lot has been said about Indian web-series uses shock-value for the sake of it. I am not saying that Asur is bereft of some of these ingredients - there are some grisly murders and there is littering of expletives - but they feel tailored in the narrative and do not needlessly have the desire to stand out.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 14, 2020 11:05 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).