In a city where power, money and influence dictate terms, is it possible to get justice? Ashfaque Nipun’s latest web series on the OTT platform ‘Hoichoi’ titled ‘Mohanagar’ is based on this premise.
The series follows Harun Ur Rashid and Moloy Kumar, Officer in Charge and Sub Inspector of Kotowali Thana respectively. Harun Ur Rashid and Moloy Kumar are two sides of a coin. In the very beginning moments of the series, it is established that Harun is a morally corrupt officer whereas Moloy is an honest officer who wants to ensure justice. The conflict between Harun and Moloy is present throughout the series and eloquently portrays how tough it is for honest personnel to do their job in the corrupt system.
The first season depicts the story of one dark night in the city of Dhaka around the mystery of an alleged hit and run and its aftermath.Afnan Chowdhury, the son of Alamgir Chowdhury, an influential industrialist and politician, hits a cyclist while drunk driving back from a party. Later, he is taken to Kotowali Thana.
However, as is often the case, Afnan Chowdhury and his family try to sweep the entire case under the rug. This is where Harun comes in. Harun intimidates witnesses and tampers with CCTV footage to make it look like Afnan is not implicated in the case. Harun even sets up an innocent man, Abir as a patsy to take the blame for the case. In his pursuit, Harun has to constantly fight against the righteous Moloy who tries to unearth the truth. Later in the series, Shahana Huda, AC of Kotowali Thana, is introduced. She also tries to get to the bottom of the incident.
Hence, there is an internal conflict within the thana throughout the show which is a treat to watch. Viewers will not be able to stop watching the show before finishing it to learn who emerges victorious in the end. Some of the revelations at the back end of the series will also genuinely shock them. However, these revelations could have been explained better if the clues were weaved more intricately throughout the show.
The web series is an enjoyable watch depicting the dark realities of our capital. The resemblance to real life incidents also makes the show extremely relatable. Hence, it makes the audience think about how scary and fragile life really is in Dhaka. The accidents, occurrences, and intimidation that the general people face in this series can happen to anyone.
The series has a stellar cast that includes Mosharraf Karim, Zakia Bari Mamo, Lutfar Rahman George, Shamol Mawla, Mostafizur Noor Imran, among other. Mosharraf Karim has shown his class as Harun Ur Rahid. He has portrayed the character of a morally corrupt police officer to perfection. His expressions, dialogues, and body language are calculated and cunning. Mostafizur Noor Imran’s Moloy is a perfect foil to Mosharraf Karim’s Harun. Shamol Mawla’s portrayal of an arrogant, entitled, hot-headed rich industrialist is also enjoyable to watch.
This series shows that our actors can deliver noteworthy performances if there is a good story and a good script. The best news is that the series ends on a cliffhanger which means that we will get a season 2!
