Let’s get one thing clear. The Night Manager is no thrill ride. This espionage story doesn’t have any shocking twists and turns. In fact, every character is so cool and composed, and frustratingly grounded in reality, despite their position of power in the grand scheme of things, that the stakes never feel urgent or threatening. But what the British adaption of John Le Carre’s novel is, is stylish and sexy, with actors breathing quirks and sex appeal into these seemingly flat characters to make their different facets shine under different lights. The Indian adaptation of The Night Manager, created by Sandeep Modi, and starring Aditya Roy Kapur, Anil Kapoor, Sobhita Dhulipala, and Tillotama Shome, feels stripped of that sheen that made its original stand out.
Does that mean it’s not a good show? Actually, no. The series does everything by the book and adapts to its audience’s sensibilities, with some performances that are eye-openers. What’s more, it looks really, really good, for which, the team deserves kudos. This one particular scene in the desert, with Anil Kapoor pulling a Tony Stark, was quite the sight.
However, despite checking the right boxes, it doesn’t quite emerge from the shadows of its British original, which was quite the hype when it dropped in 2016. Because there’s nothing new, it’s only as good as the original. If anything, it’s making me question if the source material itself was way too thin and bland, and it was only a matter of the actors and their performances that made us look past its weaknesses.
In Part 2, we see Shaan, now christened Captain Abhimanyu Mathur as part of his new identity, ingratiate himself further into Shelly’s operation, and isolate him from the people he trusts the most: his friends and associates Brij Pal aka BJ and Jaiveer aka ‘Jayu’. It’s surprisingly not that hard; you could say, Shelly is positively smitten by the captain and not as wary as he should be. While Shaan can handle BJ’s suspicious snooping and everything that his new position throws at him, including a no-limits credit card, the real curveball is Kaveri, and whatever’s cooking between them.
Back in India, RAW officer Lipika Saikia Rao, with help from her superior Danish Khan, tries to decode the intel that Shaan sends their way, and tries to figure out who Indradhanush, Shelly’s partner within the Indian ministry, is. All this while keeping the operation and her asset a secret from their boss, Mittal. However, circumstances put the operation in jeopardy when her superiors begin asking questions, and Shaan’s loyalties appear to have muddled.
Also Read: The Night Manager Review: Aditya Roy Kapur Shines In A Promising Adaptation That Needs To Get Sexier
As I mention in my review of The Night Manager Part 1, splitting the limited series into two parts is quite a gamble. The first part is essentially establishing the psyche of the lead character, and laying the groundwork for his vengeance mission. It has small peaks of excitement, while the real action is relegated to the last three episodes. I am still left unsure about this ‘two parts’ idea, and wondering if a one-stretch binge of all episodes would’ve made me like the series more. And if it really did need an extra episode to tell the same story, which the British original did in six episodes?
The thing about remakes is that comparisons are inevitable. And most remakes want to capitalise on the popularity of the original while making a statement to stand out. Maybe this split was one of the ways the series tries to retain a certain freshness and anticipation for those who already know the story. But on the whole, I’m not quite sold on the choices it makes to distinguish itself from the original. They feel inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. The one change I do buy, which makes sense for an Indian audience, is the saviour’s guilt relationship between Shaan and Safina. But the flashback of her death is milked a little too much. We get it, she died, and it’s his Avenger origin story. We don’t need a refresher every time.
What also doesn’t work for me is just how thinly written Sobhita Dhulipala’s character Kaveri feels in this adaptation, compared to Elizabeth Debicki’s Jedd in the original. Her grief just didn’t come through for me, and while every other character made a mark, Kaveri had only her looks going for her. Now understand this, The Night Manager is supposed to be sexy, and that cast is every bit that. But the scene where Aditya Roy Kapur and Sobhita come together just lacks that spark.
But where the fireworks are truly flying is between Aditya Roy Kapur’s Abhimanyu and Anil Kapoor’s Shelly. The scenes between AK and ARK crackle with energy. When you see Shelly trust Abhimanyu, a newcomer in his inner circle, despite all suspicions, it feels a bit ridiculous, but the two actors playing off each other really sell this. A bromance with chemistry, I’ve discovered, is my weakness, and this is one of two aspects where the Indian Night Manager eats out the British one.
What’s the second aspect then? Anil Kapoor, who I felt was born to play a character like Shelly and does so with such panache. Aditya Roy Kapur holds his own with a measured performance, where he isn’t trying to play it like an invincible trained spy, but like a professional who uses his wits to get out of tricky situations and might even make mistakes. These two, along with a standout-as-always Tillotama Shome, make the series worth my time. A special shoutout to the supporting cast—Saswata Chatterjee, Ravi Behl, Resh Lamba, and others—for adding that zing.
Verdict
The Night Manager is a fairly decent series for those who haven’t seen the original, sexier version of it. If like me, you have seen the Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Laurie version, this can be déjà vu but will still let you appreciate the fine performances by Anil Kapoor and Aditya Roy Kapur. Though, fair warning, temper your expectations when you go in, because this is a straightforward road with no major twists and turns. Just a bad guy getting his comeuppance served to him in room service by the hotel staff.
The Night Manager Part 1 and 2 are currently streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.