Understanding ‘Afsos’: What Does This Gulshan Devaiah Dark Comedy Want To Say? – Mashable India

Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers for Afsos. So, please read it after youve finished watching the show.

I have been watching Gulshan Devaiah since 2011 when he appeared in an incredibly under-appreciated crime thriller called Dum Maaro Dum as Ricky. Since then he has appeared in movies like Shaitan, Hate Story, Goliyon ki Rasleela Ram-Leela, and Death in the Gunj and delivered some brilliant supporting acts. However, I wanted him to see him in more prominent roles and thats when I stumbled across Hunterrr (which is another under-appreciated movie of his which you should definitely watch) and, of course, Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota. All that said, I dont no one as highlighted Devaiahs true potential like Anubhuti Kashyap has done in Afsos.

Devaiah plays a suicidal man, Nakul, who cant seem to kill himself even though he wants to. Hence he hires someone, Heeba Shahs Upadhyay, to do the job for him. However, after doing so he falls in love with his therapist, Anjali Patils Shloka, and hence doesnt want to die. In the meantime, he also gets embroiled in a mystery about the immortal man, which leads to a chaotic journey into the topic of life and death. But amongst all that chaos, Devaiah stands strong while portraying one of the most psychologically weak characters put to screen. Theres not a single frame in the show where youll doubt the fact that Devaiahs Nakul is doubting himself. And although it seems like a pretty simple thing to do, its actually quite integral to the tone of the show and is what gives Afsos its uniquely Indian dark comedy vibe.

If I have to pick my favourite scene out of all the scenes that Devaiah is in, it has to be his conversation with Robin Das Fokatiya Baba when they realise that their captor, Danish Saits Jim, is dead. Devaiahs desperation when he admits that he is not immortal and that he doesnt care about Fokatiyas guruji had told him to do with the immortality potion (amrit) is palpable as f*ck. What we know and have seen of Devaiah throughout his filmography completely vanishes and you can see only and only Nakul trying to negotiate with his fate in a way that will undoubtedly make you laugh your guts out. But wait a second. I know what youre thinking. Youre thinking that this article was supposed to be the meaning of Afsos. However, just like one might feel while watching the show or probably something that the makers must have encountered, we got so engrossed in Deviahs brilliant acting chops that we forgot all about the main point of the show.

SEE ALSO: Afsos Review - Gulshan Devaiahs Suicidal Act Kills It In This Dark Comedy. No Regrets Here!

So, without digressing any further, lets try and understand what Afsos is actually trying to say. And since we are talking about Devaiah, lets start with Nakul. On the surface, Nakul might seem like a one-note guy who wants to end his life but cant. He embodies the frustration most of us feel when nothings going our way in our life. Even the most basic thing like walking out of his house is littered with obstacles and by the time he overcomes them, he has lost the will to live. However, somewhere inside him there is a will to live that involuntarily kicks in his survival instinct, which is in complete contradiction to what Shloka says about the depth of his depression, thereby allowing him to evade death. So, whats the message that comes along with Nakul? That our inherent urge to survive and the hope that maybe theres some light at the end of the dark tunnel, something that is literally spelt out by Inspector Bir Singh, is what makes us immortal. Not in the literal sense of course. But in the metaphorical sense, as in our actions live on in the minds of others. Yes, it might need some fuel but it is there.

Then lets come to Karima Upadhyay, played viscerally by Heeba Shah. She is the embodiment of death itself. She has become death by seeing and delivering so many deaths in her life. She even says that she feels like she is born to kill. During one particular scene involving Ratnabali Bhattacharjees Maria and her daughter at a restaurant where some man misbehaves with the little child, it seems like she has some respect for the concept of life. However, if you have seen the series and the way she treats Maria and her daughter while attempting to kill Nakul, youll notice that she has nothing inside her. And that very nothingness inside her is what makes her immortal. The raging drive that exists within her helps her surpass the pain of being stabbed or the emotional distress of losing her lover (I am guessing Vikram was her lover). Additionally, it is that very rage which helps her stay in her preys mind tax-free. But the drive only comes to an end when she falls into the tricks of the catalyst. Whos the catalyst you ask? Well, its Shloka.

Shloka is another layered son-of-a-b*tch who neither respects life nor respects death. She lies to people to save their life. She lies to people to push them over the edge. She lies to herself to the extent that she doesnt even know (or may she does and we dont know) that her husband is dead or alive. Hence she doesnt have satisfaction in life nor a painless death. I am going to be honest with you, and this might make me look like a douche, but I never felt the chemistry between Shloka and Nakul. It always felt like she was finding the next person who she can control, just like she probably controlled Dibakar (her husband), and she made the mistake of thinking that Nakul was the one. However, in reality it was Upadhyay who had the ability to match her skills and play the same game of life and death that she was playing. Once that was over, you could see the level of disinterest she had on her face while going to meet Nakul. I know these are little details which makes the show worth watching and are much more interesting than the overarching narrative about the amrit and Dr. Goldfish.

So, in my opinion, said overarching narrative actually muddles the intricacies that writers Anirban Dasgupta and Dibya Chatterjee have woven into Nakuls story. I understand that they have delved into the campier aspects of Afsos' story and instilled it with a sense of mythology. However, since it largely feels so haphazard and incomplete by the end of the last episode that I felt like it robbed the show of its comforting, oddball charm. I feel like if the show wouldve stuck to its core messaging about finding the source of your immortality i.e. the thing that will help us stay long after we are gone, it wouldve stuck its landing a little. That said, since Afsos stands on the shoulders of Anubhuti Kashyap, Gulshan Devaiah and more, it deserves your attention and all the deconstruction you can subject it to.

Cover image courtesy: Amazon Prime Video India

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Understanding 'Afsos': What Does This Gulshan Devaiah Dark Comedy Want To Say? - Mashable India