Asur (Web Series) Season 1

“Asur,” an Indian Hindi-language psychological thriller series, explores the realms of crime and forensics. The first season, produced by Tanveer Bookwala, aired on Voot, while the second season, produced by Bombay Fables, Sejal Shah, Bhavesh Mandalia, and Gaurav Shukla, premiered on JioCinema.

The series follows a team of forensic experts as they work tirelessly to apprehend a serial killer who believes himself to be the embodiment of the asura deity, Kali. Arshad Warsi and Barun Sobti lead the cast, supported by Anupriya Goenka, Riddhi Dogra, and Amey Wagh. Sharib Hashmi featured prominently in the first season, with Meiyang Chang and Abhishek Chauhan joining the main cast in the second season.

Premise:

Taking place in the enigmatic city of Varanasi, Asur tells the story of Nikhil Nair, a forensic expert who transitions into teaching. He reverts to his origins at the Central Bureau of Investigation and, alongside his former mentor Dhananjay Rajpoot, becomes entangled in a high-stakes pursuit of a ruthless serial killer, setting the stage for a gripping cat-and-mouse thriller.

Cast and Characters:

Episodes:

Reception:

Season 1:

“Pratishruti Ganguly from Firstpost awarded the series a rating of 3.5 out of 5, praising its exploration of the protagonists’ vulnerabilities and the deconstruction of traditional heroism. She appreciated its departure from the prevalent ultra-heroic portrayals of police in other shows, questioning the very concept of morality.

In contrast, Ruchi Kaushal of Hindustan Times, who reviewed the first two episodes, found Asur to be a blend of CID, Crime Patrol, and Sacred Games. She noted that the series performed well in its initial episodes.

However, Tanisha Bagchi of The Quint gave the series a 2 out of 5 rating. She felt that Asur attempted to incorporate various themes like mythology, revenge, redemption, karma, mystery, murder, and human psychology but became tangled in its complexity. Bagchi mentioned that lengthy monologues about demons, gods, destiny, and other philosophies diminished the sense of urgency in the show.”

Season 2:

“Prateek Sur, writing for Outlook India, awarded the series a rating of 4 out of 5. He praised the way ‘Asur 2’ skillfully weaved myths into a contemporary geo-political setting in India. Sur noted that the show’s presentation made it entirely plausible in today’s world, enhancing the authenticity of its mythological elements. He found the performances commendable and described it as thrilling until the very last moment. He recommended it as a must-watch for thriller enthusiasts, mythology fans, and historical fiction aficionados, giving it a solid 4-star rating.

Shweta Keshri of India Today, on the other hand, rated the second season 3 out of 5. She expressed that the impact of Season 2 was lesser compared to the more engaging Season 1. Keshri felt that the new installment had certain sections that felt drawn out.”