Ranneeti: Balakot & Beyond story

Santosh Singh's web series Ranneeti: Balakot & Beyond revolves around the events that happened between the Pulwama attack by Pakistan on February 14, 2019, and the Balakot air strike by India on February 26, 2019. It also sheds light on what happens in modern-day warfare and explores the story (of two nations) beyond the aforementioned events.

Ranneeti: Balakot & Beyond review

The attack on CRPF soldiers in Pulwama on February 14, 2019, shook the entire nation. Following the incident, India carried out its largest defence operation, an air strike on a terrorist camp in Balakot on February 26, 2019. What happened after that? The answer to this lies in the story of Ranneeti: Balakot & Beyond.

Jimmy Shergill as Kashyap Sinha is assigned to lead the operation against the neighbouring nation. Under Kashyap's leadership and Dutta's (played by Ashish Vidyarthi) guidance, the former's team successfully carries out the operation, as it conducts an air strike on the terrorist camp in Balakot with the help of the Indian Air Force (IAF). The twist in the tale comes when IAF Wing Commander Abhimanyu Vardhan (Prasanna) falls on the other side of the LOC in Pakistan during an air battle. After his return to India, begins the actual Ranneeti, wherein Manisha (Lara Dutta) plays a crucial role.

The beauty of Santosh Singh's web show lies in its storytelling and execution. The recreation of the two incidents seems so real that it's enough to evoke the spirit of patriotism. While on the one hand, I went through a wide range of emotions due to the loss of CRPF jawans, there was a reason to rejoice when the air strike took place. But the thing that kept me hooked to the series was the 'beyond' factor, wherein there are several surprising as well as startling elements about modern-day warfare.

Ranneeti: Beyond & Balakot sends out a message that war doesn't always happen at the border but also within everyone's minds. Perception plays an important role in modern warfare. And this is where Jimmy Shergill and Lara Dutta's series hits a masterstroke.

However, the disappointing factor of Ranneeti is that it takes enough episodes to build up the narrative. Had the makers cut the series short by a few episodes, it would've been a seamless viewing experience. Another place where the show falters is when it leaves the past of Jimmy and Lara's characters unexplored. The series hints they were romantically involved, but there's no clarity to it.

That said, Jimmy beautifully brings out the intellectual and vulnerable side of his character. Lara as Manisha is always on her toes and knows exactly when to turn the tables. Ashish Vidyarthi, seen as Dutta, stays true to his part and doesn't go overboard. Prasanna is as impressive as Abhimanyu and that makes me want to see more of him in the Hindi film industry.

Ranneeti: Balakot & Beyond verdict

Ranneeti: Balakot & Beyond is a well-made series, which offers a refreshing take on the 2019 Balakot air strike and the events that followed.

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