'Breathe: Into The Shadows' review: A potential thriller that lacks punch

Breathe: Into The Shadows released on the OTT platform Amazon Prime on July 10, 2020. This series will take viewers on an emotional ride with a blend of action, thrill and drama. Even though the performances stand out, the suspense element in this series is not enough to keep the viewer hooked through all the 12 episodes which are 40-45 minutes long, each. If the writing of the piece was slightly polished and sharpened, Breathe: Into The Shadows had the calibre of hitting the bull’s eye.

Breathe: Into The Shadows fails to impress?

Breathe: Into The Shadows did not set high expectations amongst the audience in the first place, with its posters, teasers and trailer. Most of the character posters came out to be dramatic and unconvincing with decent punchlines and dim lighting. However, the show is far better than the first impression that it creates in the minds of the audience.

Amit Sadh can be seen giving a hundred per cent and the result has to be appreciated. He is broken, guilty, and tough enough to deal with almost anything. It is also refreshing to see actor Abhishek Bachchan portray the role of a psychologist, Avinash Sabharwal, stuck in a gruesome cycle in an attempt to protect his abducted daughter, Siya.

The actor is a natural when it comes to playing a loving and caring father with no alternative option. The female lead of Breathe: Into The Shadows, Nithya Menen, is an established actor down south and she does not disappoint in this series either. The supporting cast, however, steals the show. Saiyami Khen, Hrishikesh Joshi, Reshma Shrivarshan and many more carry the series well, with their engaging work.

The show falls short on the writing part. The dialogues are not hard-hitting enough for the audience to believe that the parents are doing all they can to save their child. Parts of this series will also feel dragged and make one believe that the stretched storytelling style could have been avoided. Visuals are well-drafted in various parts and that is one of the factors to look forward to.

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The plot of this piece talks about a Delhi-based couple and how they are willing to compromise in order to get back their daughter who has been kidnapped and kept in a den for months. If you remember the 2018 Amazon Prime special show, Breathe, helmed by the same director, Mayank Sharma, it also revolved around the same concept of ‘how far will parents go save their child’. However, there is a world of difference between the two narratives.

The killer, in this case, is trying to trace down the worldly sins and punish the sinner in the most ruthless manner. The plot conveniently makes use of mythological characters like Raavana to put forth the story. However, if the script had been drafted with a little more precision, Breathe: Into The Shadows would have worked much better for cinema enthusiasts.

Rating: 2.5/5

Director: Mayank Sharma

(Review based on first four episodes of Breathe: Into The Shadows) 

Image Courtesy: Screengrab from YouTube (Channel: Amazon Prime Video India)

Read Amit Sadh On 'Breathe: Into The Shadows': 'Haven't Worked So Hard For Any Role Before'

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