Discussing the Concepts of Power & Authority through 'Sacred Games'--Aakruti Singh

Sacred Games is undoubtedly a fine work of doing justice to a written work. Netflix’s first Indian original series, Sacred Games, is an adaptation of the novel by acclaimed writer Vikram Chandra. Jointly directed by Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane, it is now India’s first successful original web series.

There are various aspects through which one can analyze this web series. It has deep political connotations and the study of each of them brings out a different dimension to the series. One of the most interesting aspect that one cannot miss out is the brilliant way in which the concepts of power and authority are brought up in the series. The dynamic change of power and whom it lies with or who really is in authority to use power is one great component of the entire series.

The opening scene of the eight episode series questions the viewer whether they believe in God as a canine is falls off a multi-storeyed building. Ganesh Gaitonde asking ‘Bhagwan ko mante ho?' makes us realize that we may be directed towards thinking that power lies with the one who knows how to use it. Every character brings out the dynamics of power and authority throughout the series then. 

Sartaj Singh

Sartaj Singh is an honest inspector, caught in the midst of a corrupt police officers headed by DCP Parulkar. He is ridiculed and shrugged off by his colleagues, who feel he is good for nothing and a liability. He is hell-bent on testifying against them in a case of extrajudicial killing of an unarmed boy. Sartaj has now power against them. With no substantial cases to his credit, a failed marriage and no emotional support, Sartaj is shown to crumble personally in the face of the professional pressures. His frustration stems out of this under-utilization of his capabilities and a constant attacks on his self-esteem despite his high professional ethics.

This may be the reason why Sartaj wants to prove his worth and stand vindicated. Gaitonde's case then becomes his case to prove himself when he was asked to step back by his higher authorities. Gaitonde recognizes this hunger for power, appreciation, reward and recognition in Sartaj. In fact in the course of the episodes we see Sartaj over-stepping his authority several times. He procures criminal records which were otherwise out of bounds; visits crime scenes and uses evidence like Jojo Mascerenhas' car keys, all this while he was suspended from duty only because he was in the position of authority... 'in the uniform'.  

Power is situational. This is evident when Sartaj is found by Bunty's men while sneaking into his house to ensure the safety of Nayanika. Sartaj is beaten, his phone destroyed and car damaged. His legitimate authority does not match up with the brute power of the men. Malcolm Murad to mutilates Sartaj's thumb at a later stage while Sartaj is in the process of unraveling the mystery behind the tankers. Brutal and shifting power gets brilliantly presented in several such instances.  

Anjali Mathur

RAW officer Anjali Mathur works for one of the highest intelligence agencies in India. Despite her competence and commitment to her work, she is still denied the kind of authority that is enjoyed by her male counterparts due to her gender. She is advised to take up desk jobs over field. There is a certain mystery that shrouds her father’s disappearance which would also be critical in the nature of cases assigned to her.  

Anjali Mathur uses all her legal-rational authority on several occasions and makes use of power legitimately where required to help Sartaj escape the goons to solve the case. In her hunger to prove herself, and solve the case, Anjali does not have qualms to consider Nayanika as collateral. She does not misuse authority but she does not keep her promise to Sartaj.

Ganesh Gaitonde

At one point in time, Ganesh Gaitonde was the uncrowned king of Bombay. Police, politicians, Bollywood stars all knew about him and payed obeisance to him. He held not legitimate authority but bare power. From the Gopalmath garbage dump to some of the most heinous underworld businesses to several enterprises, Gaitonde controlled everything in Bombay. His name wielded power in the city for many years before he vanished into obscurity. With 158 murders and several other criminal cases against him, Gaitonde was on the radar for the city police as also RAW and ISI.

His quest for power was unlike Sartaj or Anjali. He wanted to become as powerful and become god himself. He believes he is immortal like Ashwatthama and at one point even addresses himself as “sarv shaktishali eklauta Bhagwan” of Gopalmath. He knew how to use religion and communal politics to gain his power. He even stated that religion was the biggest business in the world that could be used to manipulate and control people.

In the present, he tells Sartaj how Mumbai quenched his thirst for power. He admits to the presence of ‘three fathers’ or fatherly figures who paved way to his growth into the powerful man he has become. His poor biological father just gave him his life. It was Salim Kaka who taught Gaitonde to take risks, wrench power from impossible situations to the point that he unseats his tutor himself. Gaitonde then rules over money, drugs, gold and arms.

The third father is shown to have saved Gaitonde’s hellish life in jail. However, the viewers do not learn of his role in Gaitonde’s gaining power in Season 1. In fact it is Kanta Bai, who runs the country liquor shop and eatery, who plays an instrumental role in steering Gaitonde into taking over the Gopalmath garbage dump from Momin. Gaitonde builds his powerful underworld empire from here, killing or decimating his opposition and setting aside all legal-rational authority of police, Municipal Corporation and the like. This is his first taste of real power.

A very riveting showcase of power is when we see Gaitonde asserts his status at a club where he was previously denied entry for having no money. Winning over Kukoo from Issa is another episode of his assertion of power.

Despite his tremendous control over the underworld, Gaitonde then realizes that the real power lies in politics. He therefore tried his hand at funding an election campaign for Bhosale as his stooge.

Constable Katekar

A part of misuse of power which is sorrowful in the series is when Constable Katekar refuses to listen to the complaint of Shamshul’s mother who said her son is missing but Katekar gives no ear. It is later discovered that Shamshul was killed. Had Katekar taken action earlier the boy wouldn’t have died nor would Katekar. It effectively shows how a person in authority performing or not performing his duties has repercussions in the society.

Parulkar & Bhosale

Despite all the power and authority dynamics in the show, the most engrossing one is the present and past change of power and authority. We see that earlier it was Gaitonde that rose from the garbage dump on his own. He is obeyed by people around out of fear or obligation. This false showcase of obeisance changes the moment people stop deriving benefits from them.

Parulkar and Bhosale are seen foraging for power and therefore they approach Gaitonde. But Gaitonde knowing what kind of men he would be dealing with if he shakes hand with these two, distances himself from them. While Gaitonde was busy dealing with personal losses over time with Kukoo’s death, his marriage, his close friend Paritosh Bhai’s death, the world outside was changing. Politics had increasingly turned communal. Bhosale was going all out to make the most of the situation while Gaitonde lost his close confidants one after the other.

Bhosale and Parulkar wanted to use Gaitonde’s power for their own gains. So when Gaitonde was arrested it was the best time to get even with him for having insulted Parulkar and Bhosale for their corrupt and communal behaviour.

Power is dynamic and changes over time. Gaitonde’s power was negated and Parulkar subjected him to torture to prove his position of power. His former dependents now avenge all their insults.

Some other aspects of power    

One very gripping aspect of power in the series is where the stardom in its literal sense comes up. Zoya Mirza is shown as famous star in the B-town but it confuses the audience as to why a star or how a celebrity is connected to an underworld don like Gaitonde. Later we see how Zoya uses lust, emotions to gain sympathy from Parulkar and uses his authority so as to keep her association with Gaitonde hidden. She also sends her boyfriend behind the bars by plotting against him. Here it is shown in a subtle yet an amazing way how one can use lust as a very different way to attain the desired outcome. She manipulates Parulkar as a helpless victim of abuse and gets her way.

Zoya’s past shows how she had to compromise on several fronts and join the escort service racket run by Jojo Mascerenhas simply because she was powerless. She had to do things that she perhaps otherwise would not have chosen to do to attain her ends. Each person then adapts to power in one’s own way.

Conclusion  

Sacred Games is a brilliant work and it kept its viewers engaged till the very last episode. The vigorous way in which power and authority is presented is worth appreciation. The power play and dialogues in it are remarkably worked on.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Netflix Original Series: Sacred Games

Internet links: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_Games_ (TV_series)

Bombay--A Character by itself in 'Sacred Games'--Preetika Slathia

Mumbai is the city that never sleeps or the city of dreams or say India’s own New York City, bustling day and night with life. Call it whatever, it all eventually brings to light the powerful nature of the city which gives people their dreams or takes away a lot from them. But one thing that it surely gives a person is the opportunity—to realise their mettle and prove it. It’s a city of paradox, amidst slums you can see a high rise building. This paradox to an extent is a sad reality of the city which has Asia’s largest slum and at the same time has “billionaire raj” yet it has a silver lining which is that there are stories of rags to riches in this city, where people have freed themselves from all the shackles of class, caste, and their background, and have been able to make a fortune for them. This city gives them the chance to write their fate unlike most of the cities where, one’s birth decides one’s life and limits. As said by Napoleon Hill, “your only limitation is the one you set up in your own mind.”

Mumbai gives this kind of freedom and empowerment. No wonder then that thousands of people migrate to this city from all walks and strata of life, to make a life and living in this city which is known to be the land of opportunities. Mumbai has gained a reputation to change lives through books, articles, movies and other media. These have thrown light on how the city builds or ruins lives. There are success stories of migrants who make it big in the famed film industry while there are others who are lured and engulfed in the trap of glamour and the price it comes at.  

The new medium of web series addresses these aspects of society commonly ignored by the mainstream films. Netflix recently unveiled its first Indian series, a compelling, cops-and-gangsters epic, Sacred Games. With Sacred Games, Mumbai—called by its older name of Bombay  throughout the series—is a magnificent backdrop to a series about police, corruption, rampant crime and a mystery revolving around looming destruction that may or may not start with religious factions rising up to destroy the city. Sacred Games co-directors Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane take every opportunity to use the city as a functional, important character in the story, as is the case with New York or any number of smaller but distinct locales in American series. You can sense the gap in class structure, be overwhelmed by the density and broil, heat, sweat, grime and rush of activity. There are long stretches of beautifully shot scenes where Mumbai/Bombay is as magnetic and nuanced as any character in the series. The series revolves around a low ranking cop who is mysteriously contacted by a big gangster, Ganesh Gaitonde, who has been missing and thought dead for 15 years. Gaitonde tells Singh that he has 25 days to save Mumbai before everybody in it will die. It's a nice hook that sets itself and then takes a back seat to Gaitonde's story, which is narrated in repeated and long expositional phone calls to Singh.

The action then unfolds in flashback as Gaitonde rises from street beggar to feared slum gangster. Before we go forward, right here his rise to staggering power of a feared slum gangster displays the power of Bombay in its full glory. This character was a runaway migrant to Bombay and the city completely changed his fate. He knew he wanted to overthrow his life of poverty and displace several powerful people in the bargain. Bombay gave him that opportunity

Ganesh in the series recounts that he is a son of a simpleton Brahmin, who spent most of time reciting god's name and survived on alms. Ganesh disapproved of this practice and equated it with begging. Ganesh migrated to Bombay and worked at a restaurant and befriended Mathu who introduced him to the lucrative business of drugs. Fired from his job at the restaurant, he worked with Salim Kaka, a tall & strong and dreaded gold smuggler. The greed for money, ambition and power drove Ganesh into believing that if he mustered the courage to kill Salim, he would be akin to the legendary Ashwathama. He eventually killed him and started thinking of himself as invincible like god.

Gaitonde’s friendship with Paritosh Shah, a goldsmith, got him a mentor who opened new avenues of business to him. Gaitonde’s rise to power from the garbage dump of Gopalmath gives an insight into how opportunities and success came to him in the city in the most unforeseen quarters. He built his own gang and became a force to reckon with in the underworld.   

Sacred Games also takes a deep look at Bollywood in the fold. It shows an up and coming actress with a certain connection with Gaitonde and threatens someone to retrieve her file from a talent manager as soon as she learns of Gaitonde’s death. The dead talent manager in fact has her own share of mysteries which are uncovered by Sartaj Singh and RAW agent Anjali Mathur. This Jojo Mascerenhas has huge stashes of counterfeit currency supplied by Pakistan’s ISI and has been a dubious escort service supplying Bollywood and TV actresses to clients, including Gaitonde. This shows the interlinked connections of big powerful forces in a one web. The fact that ISI supplied fake currency is found at the talent managers house shows that there is not only good opportunities, the fact that what one is made of and what one is willing to do to earn money decides what one can make of an opportunity. It’s a rat race and everyone is trying to pave a way to success by sweat or by blood acceptable to oneself.

There are many characters which can be our prism, through which we can look at the various colours of this city, on how it changed so many lives. The character of Kukoo unfolded as Gaitonde’s ambition and pursuit. Events pace up as Gaitonde clinched her from the rival gang leader, Suleiman Isa after a shootout. Believed to bring good luck to the person she sided, Kukoo was believed to be the roadmap to conquer Bombay. The revelation that Kukoo was a transgender brings the role of Bombay in a whole new light. While transgender community was considered as an outcast and looked down upon with immense prejudice and live in the fringes of the society, here was Kukoo who was considered a trophy to win over. The city allowed her to start her life as a clean slate and create her own identity of the glam girl. The city gave her the life of glitter, gave her the wings to live a life of her choice and disclose only that part of her that she wanted the world to know of her.

Again, while Gaitonde climbed his way up the ladder, he mingled with politicians and police officials. Some of these rose to formidable positions of power through the years. A small time sycophant and stooge to the gangster secured political favours from Gaitonde to capture his communal votebank, over the years rising in political power and becoming the Home Minister. DCP Parulkar also rose to his post over the years despite his questionable ways of functioning.

Another character that draws attention towards the opportunities that the city has to offer is the character of Zoya. The journey of this leading actor in the film industry began from her home town in Afghanistan to the city of Mumbai, changing and hiding identities and providing sexual favours through the talent manager

The RAW agent in the series seems to have an eye for field work but she is constantly reminded of how it is expected to be a man's job. She got the opportunity to work on this case in Mumbai where she could fight male chauvinism and work as a field agent. Bunty, who used to work for Gaitonde was also another story of rags to riches.

Set in Mumbai, Sacred Games delves into the city's intricate web of organized crime, corruption, politics and espionage that lie beneath India's economic renaissance. It is an epic masterwork of exceptional richness and power that interweaves the lives of the privileged, the famous, the wretched and the bloodthirsty. Gaitonde’s rise from the garbage dump to the King of Gopalmath serves as a definitive recap of how religion and politics became mutually satisfied bedfellows in India. He narrates his story in the context of landmark events like the Shah Bano case, Babri Masjid demolition, Mumbai bomb blasts and the rise of the Hindu right wing in the country, recalling how each of these events affected his life, his gang, and his ‘karmabhoomi’ Mumbai. There are even mentions of the partition and the 26/11 terror attacks, creating a timeline of intolerance and terror that continues to add new dates to its tab. The series brings to surface the various dynamics of the city of Mumbai and how everyone is in a race for power, money and many other motives. The power of the commercial capital is portrayed in sections where it was conveyed that even during the time of Emergency in 1975 when the whole country was in turmoil, anarchy and chaos, Bombay was still growing. The city gave many characters the power to jump their social bracket and enter places they never thought they could. The city makes one come in contact with one's own self that one wasn’t aware of.

No other place could seem to give as many opportunities to the characters. There is a thing in Bombay--a phenomenon that it is a city is known to have work for everyone and that no one sleeps hungry. As mentioned earlier, the series reflects on the part where Bombay did not seem to slow down its pace, be it in response to the Emergency in 1975 or several communal challenges that followed in the 90s. The spirit of the city has helped it live through these situations with businesses running despite challenging situations.

Like they say, where this is good, there is evil and one can’t exist without the other. Similarly, if it's a land of opportunities, Bombay/Mumbai comes with its own sets of setbacks. When there is a race for power and money, one would be expected to compromise on morality.  The series contemplated this matter as well. So winning elections through communalism and using religion to divide and may be even kill people in extreme cases is one such example. Fame, glamour and success would also come at a personal price. Where there is a race, there is competition as the positions to hold as limited but the aspirants to those positions are many, likewise the resources are limited but greed is never ending. When the competition turns unhealthy, there comes a point where winning at any cost is important which gives rise to the monster that can eat up all the vitals of humanity like the series ends hinting at a chemical/ nuclear blast.

In a nutshell, there are always two sides of the coin. If Bombay offers opportunities, it also poses moral dilemmas wherein one has to choose success or morality; glamour or ethics. Choosing one over the other could lead to catastrophic events.

Bombay is a city of paradox. Billionaires, Bollywood stars and slum dwellers are all part of the same city. Bombay is a place where it is easy to die. But it is not possible, even for a second in this pulsating city with its unrelenting assault and success on the other hand to forget that one is alive. It is the commercial capital, brings laurels to the country but at the same time Mumbai also holds the dubious distinction of being home to Asia's largest slums where, according to government statistics, 60 percent of all city residents live. Bombay a city where people gain a lot, lose a lot, few love it and even fewer have left their mark on it--THE CITY OF DREAMS.

Gender Dynamics in 'Sacred Games'--Kavya Modi

In the absence of censorship on platforms like Netflix, India is expanding its horizon in terms of the content that is being both created and watched. It is no surprise then that Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane with the writing of Varun Grover, Smita Singh and Vasant Nath would create a show like Sacred Games. Based on the novel by Vikram Chandra, the show is set in what seems to be the parallel life of Bombay, a city that is typically associated with dreams and aspirations.

It revolves around a police officer, Sartaj Singh and a gangster, Ganesh Gaitonde who are woven together by a past. Gaitonde’s death comes with an warning of destruction of  Mumbai and  This crime thriller takes the audience through both the sides of the city along with different aspects of the society and culture of the past and the present. It is dirty yet bold and realistic: the furtive sex scenes and acts of bloodshed. The underbelly of Bombay does not fit into the imagination of the common man, it is in fact far away from it. However, in spite of the portrayal of the city almost as a character in the show, what becomes more fascinating is the way in which the show treats gender. The show moves from looking into the stereotypes and what is beyond along with trying to challenge them without obviously resisting them. As marked by Amy S Wharton, “Gender is a central organizing principle of social life”, it is very important to have a look upon the gender approach and outlook of female characters by the writers and the makers of this series.

“Cuckoo ka Jadoo”

Cuckoo, played by the very talented Kubrat Sait, is a transgender cabaret dancer whose perceived charm can take over the entire city and she is very well aware of it. Gaitonde is shown to have fallen in love with her at first sight but is it really love or his lust for power and sex? He knew that to have Cuckoo beside him will help him to replace Suleiman Isa or anyone for that matter. She willingly runs away with Gaitonde despite knowing the consequences. She comes out as a very strong character as it is set in the 1980s.  Our society and culture doesn’t accept transgender, lesbians, bisexuals and Cuckoo’s boldness then stands out as does her vulnerabilities once her identity is disclosed. The revelation of her gender identity was a particular strong point of the show. In fact, accepting one’s own identity, being comfortable with it is the first and most important task. Later, both are shown to be immensely in love with each other but Cuckoo knows her actual place in the society and asks Ganesh to leave her and move on in life as it would be the only way he can rule Bombay and at the same time be a hero. She inspires him by saying “Jab Teri picture banegi, log Deewar bhool jaenge”.  Sadly, she commits suicide as she knew the future holds nothing for her and that Ganesh can move on only through this. This particular character has been portrayed in a very sensible manner, not with pity or mockery for transgender as shown in other Indian cinema or television.

Using religion to demolish notions

The writers have subtly shown how people use religion to uplift the status of women. Bunty, a member of the gang, is a very ruthless person. He is characterized as communal and an outright male chauvinist who abuses women and treats them as objects. He is shown to verbally and physically abuse his sister for her romantic liaison and likens her to a prostitute. The character of Kanta Bai stops him from his violent behavior one dat and tells him to respect women as they are Goddesses, “Devi Hoti hai aurat”. It is interesting how they are using the stereotypical notions about religion to assert the position of women. Should we respect the ‘weaker’ sex only when it is compared to or held up to the status of a “high spiritual power”?

Internalization of Patriarchy

“You think that men should be at the field and women behind the desks’’

The show also reflects on the internalization of patriarchy in our society. It is embedded everywhere. Time and again Anjali Mathur, a RAW agent, is asked to do desk work though not overtly told that it is because of her gender. Her friend and ex-boyfriend asks her to focus on her analysis which is her forte and not to get into the field work. Anjali refutes it by saying that, “Agar mard field pe kaam karna chahe toh passion, aur agar aurat karna chahe toh bhoot?”  Our society always thinks that women should work within the four walls, do the household chores, take care of the children or do the 9-5 office desk job. A woman is the flag bearer of the family honor and going out on field work raises serious concerns about her security in general and her ability to fulfill her domestic responsibilities. One can see the frustration on Anjali’s face when Sartaj asks her not to come to the warehouse. It infuriates her that men think it's their duty to save all the women. It shows that how patriarchy prevails in every sphere of our society. But she is not ready to sit within the four walls and work according to her superiors as she knows that this way the case will never be resolved. She is fierce and takes it on her to go after the information received. When attacked by the goons at the warehouse, it is Anjali’s presence of mind and courage that helps Sartaj pursue the mission.

Not a gender binary 

This show is not portraying gender as a binary. All women are both determined and vulnerable at the same time. The scriptwriters haven't tried to make Subhadhra as only a submissive wife or Anjali as a full-fledged kickass lady who kills bad people or gangsters. They both are shown as human beings, having emotions, tackling situations in their own way.  What then remains is the individuality of the characters and not their genders. Anjali is still trying to get a closure about his missing father. But that doesn’t make her weak or affect her work adversely. She deals with it and is determined to get the case solved. She doesn’t care about Nainika or anyone for that matter. She doesn’t mind lying to Sartaj about keeping Nainika safe as it was already a collateral damage for her just like it would have been for any other agent. She is practical and professional as a RAW agent.

Variety of female figures showcasing different roles  

The show has a variety of female figures depicting different roles—from Ganesh Gaitonde’s mother to Anjali. Gaitonde’s mother indulges in adultery maybe because of her husband’s neglect and penury. Extra-marital affairs are perceived with extreme negativity in the society. So while young Ganesh Gaitonde gets mocked at school to the extent that he ends up killing his own mother, one would question whether the same thumb rule would apply to a man—may be his father—had he been shown to be in such a relation.

Kanta Bai, performed by Shalini Vatsa, is a very fierce and bold lady. She runs a desi bar which is like an adda to the local gang members, all by herself. She plays a vital role in the rise of Gaitonde in the underworld and stands by him throughout by being a mother-like figure. She encourages him to fulfill his dream which is to rule over Mumbai by being audacious. When two of his gang members, Bunty and Bada Badariya, get into a communal quarrel at the bar, she gets a vessel of hot piping water and throws at them and warns them that it would be boiling oil the next time. She lives among them and is not intimidated by them at all. Gaitonde respects her and touches her feet every time he goes for some important work. She hits out at Bunty for being a misogynist. She had vocally supported Bunty’s sister getting married to Chhota Badariya, who is a Muslim, as they both love each other. She pities Nainika and feeds her after she had faced one of Bunty’s violent bouts. She knew there was no way to get this girl out of the trap, therefore, she anonymously calls Sartaj and asks him to save Nainika. She doesn’t hesitate from looking out for other women and demands respect for them. She shatters all the stereotypes about women being weak and naïve as she stands strong and wise throughout the show.

Rajshri Deshpande brilliantly plays the role of Subhadra, Kanta Bai’s aide-de-camp and later Gaitonde’s too. She is very shy and submissive but when she gets married to Ganesh Gaitonde, she doesn't back out from being dominant in bed or setting her own terms on how she should be treated. She totally goes no hold barred. She doesn't hesitate from telling blunt truth to Ganesh and advises him every now and then. Yet she is like any ordinary woman, firmly believing in God for having saved her husband’s life. She becomes so important in Ganesh’s life that when she gets murdered, he kills about 80 innocent people.

Shalini, Katekar’s wife played by is another character although not much emphasis has been laid on it. She is a devoted wife who loves her family. The scene when Zoya Mirza, Katekar’s favorite actor, comes on stage to perform and she along with her children look at him and tease him is so pure. She always supports her husband yet is angry like any Indian homemaker because he doesn’t spend much time with the family due to his unpredictable working hours.

Grey areas brought about by Zoya

Other than Zoya, every woman is trying to emancipate herself without staying away from her integrity. She is shown to be one of the leading actresses but with Ganesh Gaitonde’s death, deep secrets from her past are revealed to her boyfriend who then tries to use them to get Zoya sign his father’s film. To get out of this, she devises a plan to get him arrested by playing the victim card in front of DCP Parulkar. She literally hurts herself in the face for it. It is not a question of integrity but the question of survival because if her past identity was out in public, her whole career would have burnt down to ashes. It shows the gender obligation in a way because if it was about a male actor, he could still get out of it but a woman needs to be pure and ethical in order to have the so-called respect of others.

Death of all female characters

By the end of the show we see that all female characters, from Cuckoo committing suicide to Subhadhra’s death, are killed to further the plot, except for Zoya and Kanta Bai. Each female’s life or death is shown as the motivating factor in a male character’s life. But was it really necessary? Why do women have to die to push the story ahead? Just when the character of Anjali builds up, she is shot by the assassin. Similarly, Subhadra is killed during the shootout at Gaitonde’s house. Both the deaths were the most disappointing parts of the show. The second season of the show would determine whether the female characters and their role are any different.

The show goes beyond mere binary and attempts to show greater insights into gender within the parameters of an exciting thriller. However, in spite of its apparent gender sensitive approach one cannot neglect the deaths of the women and how dispensable they are to the plot. The commodification of women could be seen in the entire series. From Cuckoo for Gaitonde or Isa to Nainika for Bunty, each man needs to “own” a woman in order to be either successful or have a place of authority. It tries to question stereotypes by portraying them and even resists them but a more serious interrogation opens up another debate on its portrayal of women.

References

https://www.netflix.com/browse
www.Google.com
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6077448/
https://www.thedailystar.net/star-weekend/sacred-games-maps-the-city-through-series-communal-riots-1611550