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)
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