Daily Times

There’s something extremely satisfying about watching a group of women annihilate all the bad guys.

In Saas, Bahu Aur Flamingo, Homi Adajania’s latest crime drama series that warrants a binge-watch, the heavily-tattooed female leads deliver some Kill Bill-worthy action as they mete out a series of gory deaths.

Deep within the fictional milieu of Runjh Pradesh, a family ruled by a powerful matriarch runs the biggest drug cartel in South Asia. With a total spin on the saas-bahu dynamic, Rani Cooperative, which fronts as a herbs and dolls-making enterprise, is a thriving business run by women.

Dimple Kapadia plays Rani Ba, the gun-wielding, cigarette-smoking family matriarch helming the trade, two diligent bahus Kajal and Bijlee, who double up as henchmen, accountants and peddlers and the free-spirited Shanta, Rani Ba’s only daughter who produces the family trade-flamingo, a potent version of cocaine. Shanta’s freedom is envied by all, but few know that she harbours feelings for adopted brother Dhiman, who’s Rani Ba’s favourite from the lot.

It’s business as usual for Saas, Bahu Aur Flamingo until a series of concerning events compels Rani Ba to decide upon an heir. The eight-part series on Disney + Hotstar builds up to the big announcement, but it comes with a twist.

After fending off a deadly attack by archnemesis Monk, a Voldemort-type character with a penchant for turning up at the most inopportune of moments and an unfortunate incident involving the murder of Bijlee’s girlfriend Naina, Rai Ba and her family gather to celebrate Janmashtami with full gusto. But beneath the celebratory joy lurks a pool of tension; this is the day the heir of Rani Cooperative is declared.

Rani Ba calls her family into a holding cell where Proshun, the conscientious narcotics officer obsessed with exposing the cartel is imprisoned and assigns them a final task to be deemed worthy of the hot seat: shoot the innocent man. Dhiman makes a jump for the gun; he’s been walking on thin ice ever since Kapil revealed the Dhiman-Shanta seemingly incestuous relationship to Rani Ba and will do anything to reaffirm his loyalty. But Proshun has a trump card: a game-changing secret he’ll reveal only to Rani Ba. For no apparent reason, Kajal tries to strike him down at this. But it’s still Rani Ba’s rule and she orders them all out.

The shocking events that follow can be summed up hence: Proshun knocks out the trusted right-hand Cheema, kidnaps Rani Ba and drives off. But Rani Ba’s not one to go down without a fight and in the tussle that follows, the car breaks through the rails and falls head-first into the river. Rani Ba is dead.

…Or is she?

The family mourns the matriarch, who though flawed, loved them all unconditionally. As a viewer watching young Savitri’s painful journey to becoming Rani Ba unfold, you can’t help sympathising with her decision to prioritise a drug-fuelled business over her kin. You even root for her as she’s smashing a skull here, stabbing a heart there and firing off into the ether. Savitri’s past justifies her violence and maybe even an empire based on an illegal trade. But the lies, though necessary, come at a high cost: it breaks the family apart. The same family, though loath to be together, is forced to assemble and watch a pre-recorded video of Rani Ba urging them to carry forth Rani Cooperative’s blood-soaked legacy. Just as the lawyer holds up her will to announce the heir: he’s shot through the head by Monk. But Monk comes with a juicy reveal: he’s had a mole within the family all along. Newsflash: it’s Kajal. As Kapil and the rest of the family members mirror looks of shock, Kajal reveals her quest for vengeance against the matriarch who’d lied to her about her new-born son. Turns out, the child is still alive.

But Kajal, though seamlessly efficient in her double-crossing, is no match for Rani Ba, who… *drumroll please* is still alive. Rani Ba ruled by pure instinct and before the fateful night, knew that someone she trusted had turned. And so with the help of Officer Proshun and the forever trusted Cheema, she faked her own death-to figure out who it was. Somehow, that particular diabolical plan worked out.

What does this mean for the rest of the family? Will the heir ever be declared? Will Harish return to America, while a hardened Kapil stays back to assume Dhiman’s role? Will Dhiman and Shanta stay together? So many questions. Saas, Bahu Aur Flamingo wraps up a montage of Rani Ba walking towards, what we can only assume to be, a twistier season two.