No faking! Shahid Kapoor, Vijay Sethupathi’s crime thriller can make it rich on OTT – Beyond Bollywood

The Raj & DK show has Shahid Kapoor playing the middle-class scamster, while the South superstar plays the good cop who is out to bust the counterfeit currency mafia.

By Mayur Lookhar

Filmmaker duo of Raj and DK gave Amazon Prime Video India their first successful web-series in The Family Man franchise. The duo extend their collaboration with the OTT giant with a witty crime thriller series titled Farzi [2023]. What makes it special is the presence of South super star Vijay Sethupathi.

Contrary to perception, Sethupathi is not the bad guy here. In stead, Michael [Sethupathi] is the sincere cop who is tasked to weed out the counterfeit currency menace. Usually, this is perceived to be the handiwork of mafia, especially in our neighbourhood. The Amazon series though has Shahid Kapoor’s leading character Sunny as the new surprise player in the illegal business. Amazon Prime Video launched the trailer today. No faking! The Shahid Kapoor and Vijay Sethupathi-starrer can make it rich on OTT.

Our confidence stems from the thoroughly gripping trailer.

“Money can’t buy happiness. This dialogue is said by those who don’t have money“

“I want to earn so much, that I don’t have to value money ever“

“The poor spends life repaying loans, while the rich feasts on the interest“

We’re not middle class. We’re the middle finger class“

With dialogues like these, Sunny, the small time artist is not only justifying his actions, but he instantaneously attracts the middle finger class to him. The poor is too poor think of radical ideas. Without naming his chief con artist, Raj and DK give a perfect introduction to their ambitious lead character.

Then comes Michael to counter the counterfeit currency mystery kingpin. Thank god that the Tamil superstar backed out of Laal Singh Chaddha [2022] or else his Hindi debut would have be ruined. Farzi presented him the opportunity to play the righteous but tough cop. He also has a sense of humour too, as revealed from the Thai massage line. Sethupathi has perhaps never looked so lean ever before

Michael asking the minister [Zakir Hussain] what is nishkasth [termination] is not stereotyping our Southern citizens. We see it as both the South Indian cop and presumably the North Indian minister making light of the situation.

Kay Kay Menon appears to be the big daddy of the fake currency business. He, too, looks stunned as to who is the mystery competitor?

There’s little footage for the ladies in the show. Raashii Khanna had made her debut in Madras Cafe [2013]. She then went on to become a popular actress down South. It’s a delight to see veteran actor Amol Palekar who presumably is playing father to Sunny.

Tough a simple plot, but the quality of the cast and the impressive trailer builds the right hype around the series. Not just Supreme Court, but perhaps the Farzi trailer also validates the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party’s stunning demonetisation move in 2016. Don’t mind the sarcasm.

Watch the trailer below. Farzi will be streaming on Amazon Prime Video from 10 February.