Lootere Review – The latest web series on Disney + Hotstar is a survival drama based on real life incidents set in Somalia; high on thrills with characters that are refreshingly rooted and performances that are engaging
Lootere – if you hadn’t known the name of the series and began to watch the opening scene you would have taken it for an African one – the series opens on a racy note with this peppy African music for the background score as a group of men – many amongst them very young, brandishing guns, driving down in a van on the dusty roads of fishermen colony of Somalia alongside the ocean. They are out to hijack a ship in Somalian waters.
Drama around Vikrant Gandhi – an Indian in Somalia:
The ship has mostly Indian crew and a Pakistani engineer. On the Somalian coast is Mogadishu Port President Vikrant Gandhi preparing for elections – unscrupulous business man who can go to any extent to stay in power. And, on the ship is his precious cargo that could make or break him. There is also his wife Avika and son who are not aware of his other side but are generally miffed for not being there for them with him being busy all the time. The son is depressed from losing his friend – who suddenly goes missing. Vikrant is supposed to be on a look out and find him.
Set in Somalia – the Sights & Sounds
This Jay Mehta directorial Lootere from the word go is refreshing in its setting. It uses the sights and sounds of Somalia, which hasn’t been explored in mainstream, and this is done with authority and knowledge – sensitively and splendidly without over doing it. Be it the market place, or the beach, the people, their way of dressing – it is all interesting and you watch it like a curious tourist even while the drama unfolds with each episode bringing in more thrills.
The Pirates & the Plot:
The political plot that unravels at the port with the locals trying to pull Vikrant down, the emotional drama in the family, the pirates on the ship and the captain and crew taking care of the action part with some emotional drama thrown in make Lootere, which is in its 4th episode – a thriller that has it all.
Casting local actors who fit the bill add authenticity to this webseries on Disney + Hotstar. None of these characters are simple or stereotypical – they have layers that make them human and interesting to watch as they react to situations.
Cast & Crew of Lootere:
Rajat Kapoor, Vivek Gomber, Amruta Khanvilkar, Chandan Roy Sanyal, Martial Batchamen Tchana as the pirate boss do their parts well in this latest web series on Hotstar based on real life incidents. Jay Mehta known to have been an associate on films like City lights and Gangs of Wasseypur has a winner of his making on his hands. His father – award winning film maker Hansal Mehta is the showrunner for the series that is a good addition to this weekend watch. Now in its 4th episode – Lootere is so far so good.
Lootere Review – 3.5
