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There is a website that asks you increasingly absurd questions related to the trolley problem, a moral and ethical dilemma introduced by philosopher Philippa Foot. The questions also test
whether you’d change your answer if the circumstances change, if the sacrifice becomes more personal, more greed-driven, among other things. Netflix’s latest _Kaala Paani _is a much darker
exploration of similar themes. The year is 2027 and Chief Medical Officer Dr Soudamini Singh (Mona Singh) warns everyone of an impending danger, a mystery disease rearing its head in the
serene landscape of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. While Dr Singh tries desperately to gather information about the elusive disease, other authorities are focused on the upcoming ‘Swaraj
Mahotsav’ – a festival that is supposed to bring an influx of tourists to the island. As the bacterial outbreak (named ‘LHF-27’) spreads across the island, several storylines emerge. One of
Ketan (a wonderful Amey Wagh), a shady IPS officer driven purely by his need to return to the ‘mainland’. He is the film’s anti-moral compass in a way; his motivations are, more often than
not, motivated by personal gain. But he is not the only one. _Kaala Paani _uses the tension of a population pushed to the brink in survival mode to expose the cracks in an otherwise civil
human society. For a world still reeling from the COVID pandemic, this show acts both as a gloomy refresher of how human nature can evolve both for the better and the worse when faced with
danger. > The show explores how aid and empathy are unfairly distributed, > often benefiting the rich and privileged before anyone else. There is also a tour guide Chiru (the show’s
highlight, Sukant Goel) who can’t quite understand why his entire family stands by the Oraka tribe (a fictional addition to the tale) and also becomes the guide for an innocent family on
vacation. His and Ketan’s stories are some of the show’s most engaging when it comes to the questions it aims to posit. When it comes to emotional turmoil however, the ‘innocent family’ in
question takes center stage. Santosh Salva (Vikas Kumar) and his wife Gargi (Sarika Singh) form the beating heart of _Kaala Paani. _Their fight to survive and be reunited with their two kids
often tugs at your heartstrings (while I have always disliked this phrase, there is no better way to describe their impact). Kumar and Singh are some of the show’s best offerings,
especially because of how believable they are as the kind hearted father struggling to bridge the gap with his son and the wife who acts as an unflinching anchor. A show like this is going
to rely on the efforts of healthcare professionals (as it should). In that space, we have Jyotsna Dey (Arushi Sharma), a former nurse who carries a guilt that she is forced to reconcile with
and medical intern Ritu Gagra (Radhika Mehrotra) who soon becomes a reluctant leader. Through these stories and several other narrative threads, _Kaala Paani _expertly explores several
pressing themes in the setting that they’ve created – how deep-rooted casteism is in society, how the powerful view others as dispensable, and how administrative corruption often has
widespread effects. One of the show’s best features (kudos to director Sameer Saxena and writer Biswapati Sarkar) is the way the screenplay deals with the Oraka tribe and their relationship
to nature and the people around them. Much like _Avatar: The Way of Water, Kaala Paani_ introduces ‘Tinnotu’, an innate ability the tribe possesses to be so in tune with their surroundings
that they’d notice even the slightest signs of change. With this, the show makes an argument for ecology and environmental activism and for the rights of the Oraka people who are indigenous
to the islands. Despite the fact that the Orakas are being viewed from an outsider’s lens, the story treats them with sensitivity. There is a clear, sinister power dynamic between them and
the other residents of the island and _Kaala Paani _doesn’t shy away from the statement. While trying to give all characters a space in the narrative, shows and films risk becoming tiresome
and that is something that does plague this show as well. While every character gets their due and has enough going on for them to create an engaging show, there are often moments that feel
dragged out. In the seven-episode run, each spanning over 50 minutes, the show would’ve benefitted from a tighter edit. The show is, however, saved by the engrossing cinematography – the
islands are painted in almost mystical hue, making this a story more fitting in folklore than the distressing reality in which it is rooted. The mysticism surrounding the setting adds a
sheen to the entire endeavor that is brilliantly contrasted with the edge the later episodes revel in. Admittedly, I am still asking for more Mona Singh, across shows, across formats, and
even here because in the screen time she does get, she leaves a mark. Every member of the cast exceeds expectations, tying together a show that does seem like an ambitious feat, both in
scale and substance. _Kaala Paani_ could allude to a lot – to the name the Cellular Jail often goes by, to the murky waters that surround the islands, and even to the way seemingly
dangerous water becomes a leitmotif in the film. In these multiple allusions, characters are often rushing in and out of frame – there is no single protagonist, only the stench of grief
looming large. It is in this language of grief that _Kaala Paani _finds its rightful pulse. Published: 18 Oct 2023, 6:33 PM IST