Commander Karan Saxena Review: We've Seen It All Before

The first two episodes of Commander Karan Saxena have nothing to offer, except for Gurmeet's muscles and shirtless torso, observes Namrata Thakker.

Jatin Wagle's espionage thriller series Commandar Karan Saxena, starring Gurmeet Chaudhary, is based on Amit Khan's book of the same name.

The story goes back to the same old India-Pakistan rivalry and how a R&AW agent takes on the mission to stop a big attack on Mumbai.

When a R&AW agent gets killed mysteriously in the first episode, it's up to Commander Karan Saxena to also unravel the truth behind his death. This happens so quickly and easily that it's rather uninteresting.

In the second episode, the commander decodes when, where and who is the target of the next big attack by Pakistan.

Again, everything happens easily and the makers fail to up the intrigue factor.

Going by the first two episodes, Commander Karan Saxena comes across as average in every department, whether it's acting, editing or storytelling.

Gurmeet Chaudhary has good screen presence and seems perfect for the part with that chiseled body. What lets him down is the writing and execution.

In fact, the television actor makes a grand hero-like entry and even says a few whistle-worthy dialogues but nothing seems impactful. They don't stir any desh bhakti emotions either.

Considering OTT platforms have been flooded shows and movies in this genre, it's tough for a show like this to stand out.

Still, if you're a Gurmeet Chaudhary fan, this one will definitely appeal to you. It's good to see him playing the lead in an action role after so long.

The series also features Iqbal Khan and Hruta Durgule. While Khan doesn't come across as a menacing villain, he isn't entirely bad either.

An actor of his calibre deserves a meaty role and he doesn't get it.

Hruta plays her part sincerely but her chemistry with Gurmeet is meh.

Though she plays a police officer, her personality doesn't fit with the role and that disappoints too.

The first two episodes of Commander Karan Saxena have nothing to offer, except for Gurmeet's muscles and shirtless torso.

Let's hope the makers redeem themselves in the coming episodes.

Commander Karan Saxena streams on Disney+Hotstar, with new episodes dropping on weekdays.