Hasmukh is a Netflix original series from India that has been co-created and co-written by stand-up comedian Vir Das and also stars him in the lead. Vir Das is back on Netflix with Hasmukh after his incredible special stand-up episode Vir Das – For India.
Hasmukh Sudiya is an understudy to a famous comedian Gulati (Manoj Pahwa), who refuses to give Hasmukh his big promised break. What’s worse, Hasmukh discovers that he finds his comic shot only when he kills somebody! That is a delightful and demoniac premise here that got my immediate attention.
Hasmukh, a struggling stand-up comedian, is desperate to kick-start his career, and in an unexpected turn of events, his career starts with a murder. But what’s even worse, he discovers that he only gets the ‘feel’ of performing after murdering someone. Once he has tasted blood and experienced the high of success, there’s nothing stopping him and his new-found fixation. Equipped with this new-found craving, Hasmukh becomes a YouTube sensation and finds his way into a comedy show in Mumbai as a wild card entry. The hero, whom we grow to love through the course of the series, by now has become a serial killer.
Vir Das has acted well and is very convincing in his character as Hasmukh, even during emotional scenes. Ranvir Shorey (Jimmy ‘the maker’, Hasmukh’s manager) complements Hasmukh’s character exceptionally. Their teamwork and brilliant chemistry is what holds this show together and provides majority of the positive moments in the show.
Ravi Kishan (owner of the channel), Manoj Pahwa (as Gulati), Amrita Bagchi (as Promila) and Deeksha Sonalkar (as Rhea) have done justice to their characters. Suhail Nayyar (Krushna Kumar), Hasmukh’s rival, gives effective delivery during his stand-up act in the series. The competition between K.K. and Hasmukh at the end of the competition provides some of the best scenes of the show.
All in all, Hasmukh does have a lot of potential with its performances and on its characters’ back stories. However, some of its comic material and certain over-the-top scenes drag the series down a bit. It is definitely a pleasing one time watch for those looking for a dark crime drama, but not for those looking for comic relief.