When I eventually watched Brown, my initial reaction was that I had already seen something similar. A slain young girl, a difficult female police officer, a gloomy city, and another police officer assisting her in solving the crime. I was instantly reminded of Search by the scenario, especially since Surya Sharma is a part of both series. However, because Kolkata itself gives this thriller a distinct vibe, I chose to give Brown a fair shot.
The narrative centers on Rita Brown, a police officer who suffered a devastating personal tragedy. After losing her spouse and unborn child, she now seems to be living day by day. It is evident to her mother and aunt that she is not truly alive. Then a murder case involving a politician's daughter arises, and all of a sudden Rita has something else to think about.
Arjun, another police officer with a difficult background of his own, joins her. He lives with his father, who has dementia, and has also lost his wife and child. Strangely enough, this murder investigation provides both police officers with something that has been absent from their lives for a long time, despite the fact that they are both shattered in different ways. An excuse to keep going.
The investigation was more enjoyable than I had anticipated. While flashbacks reveal the events surrounding the young victim prior to her demise, each episode gradually adds another piece to the jigsaw. There are also a lot of dubious characters. It appears nearly everyone has something to conceal – and some of those secrets are downright sinister. The show also does a nice job of showing how guys who appear trustworthy at first can easily prey on vulnerable women. Power, exploitation, abuse, and manipulation are recurring themes throughout the narrative. Instead of focusing just on identifying a murderer, this section provided the thriller a bit more weight.
A special attention should be given to Kolkata itself. Brown has a completely different atmosphere because of the dimly lit streets, historic structures, tiny taverns, and hidden nooks. Sometimes I felt like the city was telling its own story. Everything looks a little battered and broken, just right for the mood of Rita and Arjun. I think the best part of the show was Karisma Kapoor. She plays Rita with a minimum of drama, which I liked. Her face and body language speak of her suffering, without the need for long, impassioned words. Her character is more believable because she is tired, not heroic.
As Arjun, Surya Sharma performs admirably as well. I still liked watching him here, even though his persona did remind me of his part in Search. Especially when Arjun is coping with his own grief, his eyes speak more than words. He is wrapped in a muted melancholy, which fits the character. Also, the supporting cast is excellent. There are some lovely moments between Sonia Razdan and Helen Khan as Rita's mother and aunt. Their brief exchanges add some coziness to an otherwise gloomy performance. KK Raina as Arjun’s father too makes his mark. His persona takes on unexpected importance, despite his dementia. Another thing I liked was the camera work. Brown has that dark neo-noir look that makes an ordinary street look a little spooky. The music also fits in with the surroundings without being too loud or intrusive. Still, there are issues with the show. Some of the plot-twists are very obvious and the overall plot feels the same. Also, a few of the family subplots seemed to have no bearing on the main question. They all went away for a while but I was waiting for them to return and play a big part in the larger story.
The center section also moves along a little slowly. I felt that there were moments when the show was more interested in its characters and mood than in advancing the investigation. The conclusion could have also been clearer. After all that build up in the last stretch, I was hoping for a little more. Those problems aside, I had little trouble finishing Brown. It’s not doing anything new to the crime thriller genre but it’s engaging with its locale, performances and gloomy atmosphere. I think it works best when it sticks tight to Rita and Arjun and the investigation, rather than trying to do too much.
Brown is not a novel thriller. With a solid cast and a great Kolkata setting, I would describe it as a respectable and rather captivating mystery. Brown is worth a try if you like slow-moving crime novels with troubled investigators, sinister secrets, and a melancholy atmosphere.
