#SpoilerAlert: Here’s what we loved of the first three episodes of ‘Shantaram’

Having done a research dissertation on the comparison of elements used to portray and represent the central character of a book with its film adaptation, during my masters in journalism, the avid cinephile that I am has always been fascinated by movies that are based on a books. Watching fictional characters from pages being played by some of the most charismatic actors and seeing them on the big screen and now on the phone has been an absolute delight. For me, Al Pacino from The Godfather is Michael Corleone, and I don’t think anyone calls Daniel Radcliffe by his real name anymore. He’s a wizard named Harry Potter after all. And that’s the best part about film adaptations, they present the best of both worlds by not only delighting an avid bibliophile, but a cinephile as well. While comparisons between the original work and the film (or vice versa) will always be made, I’d just say that we must appreciate art in all forms. This is exactly why I was excited when I knew that Shantaram, was finally streaming on Apple TV+. Based around on the novel of the same name by Gregory David Roberts, I was back to watching one of my favourite kind of content⁠—adaptations. 
Just like its chapters, I enjoy the episodes with equal enthusiasm if not more. Here’s what I loved. Read on.  

Making you fall in love with Bombay

You must have heard the saying, ‘Mumbai is a city but Bombay is an emotion’. If you need proof of it, all you need to do is watch Shantaram. A story about a protagonist starting a new life, with new dreams—it doesn’t get any more Bombay than that. Having lived for close to 32 years in Mumbai, I’ve always been in awe of those who lived life in the city before I was born. And I don’t leave a single opportunity to consume cinema that takes me back to the era of yesteryears. This is exactly why I enjoyed Shantaram and urge every single person who’s lived, been, or heard of the city to watch it. Mumbai, more than any character, is the hero of this story and one that will introduce you to the 80s, and the chaos amidst it that is as raw and real as possible. Each one of them, although lost, is filled with ideas and dreams that push them to want a better future. This was the pre-liberalisation era after all. You watch the gangsters, drug lords, hookers, shop owners of that decade and wish you could be a fly on the wall. A part of me wished I could be on the sets of this web series that was so deftly crafted that I was immediately transported to a time and era long before I was born. Be it the slums of Sagar Wada, the narrow lanes of Colaba, or a scene where Lin, the central character has to make a phone call and we witness a random guy seated high on a telephone connection pole patch an illegal connection. You see so much of the city of Bombay, its good and bad, and yet, are left wanting more. This sweet and spicy flavor of Bombay is surely one that you want a taste of. 

The lovely “Linbaba”

Played by Charlie Hunnam, Dave aka Lindsay Ford (also called Linbaba, great penis) is someone I fell in love with in a matter of minutes of the first episode. Here was an Australian criminal, arrested and imprisoned for armed robberies, who escaped and now lived his new life in Bombay under a new identity. How could one not be fascinated? Based on the life of Gregory David Roberts, the author of Shantaram, Lin wears his heart on his sleeve. Over the course of three episodes, we get ample moments where we see how badly he wants to walk on the road to redemption. In a city of nobodies, he wants to be a somebody. He does seem to be at a crossroad where he realises that his life is filled with angels as well as demons in a world where the lines between good and bad are easily drawn. While he dreams of a better tomorrow, there is also a sense of chaos that weighs heavily on his mind. 

The sidekick, Prabhu

If Lindsay is a character I fell in love with instantly, Prabhakar aka Prabhu is one I cannot wait to see more of. He’s the friendly tour guide I wish everyone new in Mumbai gets to meet. Having won hearts in A Suitable Boy, Shubham Saraf once again gives us a performance that is a scene-stealer. He’s real, funny, honest, and a friend we all want and need. A popular and rising name in the British theatre circuit, it’s no surprise to see Saraf use his hands and expressions to do most of the talking. Days spent on stage and commanding it with confidence are well reflected here as he gives a performance that makes the audience want to know him better. 

The game of chess

No matter how poor, rich, or influential a character is, everyone in Shantaram is driven by one thing and one thing alone—ambition. In a vicious circle of lies and deceit, friends, foes, gangsters, and humble shanty residents come together to make a cast that is the most diverse that we have seen. The first three episodes hit the sweet spot. Intentions are slowly revealed and we soon realise—in what is one of the best build-ups we've seen of late—that people are everything but what they well and truly claim to be. 

Watch new episodes of Shantaram on Apple TV+ every Friday.