When Reeta Sanyal begins, we find the titular lawyer (Adah Sharma) defending a case featuring a dog that is barking in the witness box. Such a ludicrous opening could lead the series to either improve or spiral further into absurdity, and this show precariously balances on that edge. Based on Amit Shah’s novels, Reeta Sanyal, directed by Abhirup Ghosh and scripted by Deepak Das, adopts a comic book style that seems aimed at children with short attention spans, as each episode runs for about 20 minutes. Even teens might struggle to take this series seriously, especially with a plethora of compelling crime and legal dramas available in the streaming market. If you were to compare Reeta Sanyal with Lincoln Lawyer, the former would undoubtedly appear lightweight in terms of content.
In the inaugural episode, alongside Reeta and her quirky sidekick Ishaan (Manik Papneja), viewers are introduced to a female assassin named Zi (Nirisha Basnett). Clad in a school uniform, she perpetually chews on lollipops (even having lollipop sandwiches for lunch!) and sports a maniacal grin for no apparent reason. Her character, supposedly hailing from the North East, is accompanied by vague Oriental music, adding to the overall tonal confusion.The loud background music that plagues many Indian web shows is also present in Reeta Sanyal, contributing to the chaotic atmosphere. Frustrated by handling trivial cases, Reeta yearns for a career-defining opportunity. She encounters a man named Keshav, who claims he killed politician Parav Rane, yet his mother faces the death penalty for the crime.
Public Prosecutor Thakral (Rahul Dev) is depicted as a one-dimensional villain, perhaps simply due to his ominous name. The plot raises questions, such as how a frail elderly woman could obtain a gun and why Keshav’s confession is overlooked despite revealing his modus operandi. The absurdity reaches a point where it feels like a poorly executed television show. Why would anyone want to execute an innocent woman while sending a grinning, lollipop-obsessed assassin after Keshav?The series lacks coherence, as Reeta must prove the mother’s innocence by uncovering the real killer.
