The Freelancer (TV series)

Last updated

The Freelancer
The Freelancer.jpg
Genre Action-thriller
Created by Neeraj Pandey
Based onA Ticket To Syria by Shirish Thorat
Written by
  • Neeraj Pandey
  • Ritesh Shah
Directed by Bhav Dhulia
Starring
Theme music composerSanjoy Chowdhury
Country of originIndia
Original languageHindi
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes7
Production
Executive producers
  • Gaurav Banerjee
  • Mahesh Menon
  • Varun Malik
Producer Shital Bhatia
Production locationIndia
Cinematography
  • Arvind Singh
  • Sudheer Palsane
EditorPraveen Kathikuloth
Camera setup Multi-camera
Running time30-60 minutes
Production company Friday Storytellers
Original release
Network Disney+ Hotstar
Release1 September 2023 (2023-09-01) –
present

The Freelancer is an Indian Hindi-language action thriller television series created and co-written by Neeraj Pandey, along with Ritesh Shah, and directed by Bhav Dhulia. Based on Shirish Thorat's 2017 novel A Ticket to Syria, the series follows Avinash Kamath, a former police officer turned military freelancer, as he undertakes a mission to rescue his friend's daughter from ISIS captivity in Syria. [1]

Contents

Produced by Shital Bhatia under the banner of Friday Storytellers, the series stars Mohit Raina, Anupam Kher, and Kashmira Pardeshi in lead roles. [2] It premiered on Disney+ Hotstar on September 1, 2023, [3] and marks the second collaboration between Bhav Dhulia and Neeraj Pandey after Khakee: The Bihar Chapter (2022). [4]

Plot

Inayat Khan and Avinash Kamath, both Mumbai Police officers, are dismissed from the force after Avinash slaps a corrupt politician who attempts to coerce them into covering up his son’s crimes. Following their dismissal, Avinash becomes a military freelancer, while Inayat struggles to find employment. Over time, the two lose contact.

Inayat’s daughter Aliya marries Mohsin Fazal, a man from a wealthy family in Malaysia. Shortly after their marriage, the Fazal family travels to Turkey and subsequently crosses into Syria to join ISIS. Although Aliya opposes their actions, she is forced to accompany her husband and his family. Inayat loses communication with Aliya and, after receiving no support from the Mumbai Police due to his dishonourable discharge, stages a false security incident outside the U.S. Consulate in Mumbai, leading to his death. He hopes the incident will garner media attention and prompt Avinash to help rescue Aliya.

Avinash, upon learning of Inayat’s death, visits his widow Sabeena, who informs him about Aliya’s situation. Investigating further, Avinash discovers that the Fazal family had been radicalised by Farhat Khala. Aliya manages to contact her mother from Syria, and Sabeena relays this information to Avinash. He then initiates a mission to rescue Aliya from captivity.

Cast

Production

The series was announced on Disney+ Hotstar by Friday Storytellers, [5] and features Mohit Raina in the titular role, Anupam Kher and Kashmira Pardeshi as the lead. [2] It is based on Shirish Thorat's A Ticket to Syria (2017). [1] The principal photography of the series commenced in 2022 and wrapped up in 2023. [6] The series is set in Syria [7] and was primarily shot in Mumbai, Morocco, Europe, America, and the Middle East. [8] [9] The trailer of the series was released on 8 August 2023. [10]

Reception

Archika Khurana of The Times of India rated it 3.5 out of 5 and wrote, "Without a doubt, 'The Freelancer' adds another success to Neeraj Pandey's portfolio. It's a must-watch for its engaging plot, tension-filled atmosphere, and effective storytelling, which captivate viewers throughout." [11] Sunidhi Prajapat of OTT Play rated the series 3.5/5 stars. [12] Deepa Gahlot of Rediff.com rated the series 2.5/5 stars. [13]

Anuj Kumar of The Hindu wrote, "Bereft of high-octane action or deep insight, this thriller created by Neeraj Pandey feels formulaic and farcical" [14] The series was also reviewed by Shubhra Gupta for The Indian Express . [15]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 Ramachandran, Naman (6 August 2023). "Disney+ Hotstar Sets Syria Thriller 'The Freelancer' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety .
  2. 1 2 "Mohit Raina, Anupam Kher to front thriller series 'The Freelancer'". The Hindu. 7 August 2023.
  3. ↑ "Mohit Raina, Anupam Kher headline Neeraj Pandey's 'The Freelancer', to release on September 1".
  4. ↑ "Neeraj Pandey: 'The Freelancer' is a journey from renditions to mercenary". The Times of India. 12 August 2023.
  5. ↑ "Disney+ Hotstar announces their upcoming series 'The Freelancer'".
  6. ↑ "Mohit Raina wraps up shoot of The Freelancer despite his knee injury : The Tribune India".
  7. ↑ "Disney+ Hotstar ISIS Thriller 'The Freelancer' is 'Incisive Look at That World,' Says Creator Neeraj Pandey (EXCLUSIVE)". September 2023.
  8. ↑ "Bhav Dhulia: I was completely taken aback by the unique story of the Freelancer". Cinema Express .
  9. ↑ "Bhav Dhulia: The Biggest Challenge In 'The Freelancer' Was To Authentically And Realistically Recreate ISIS In Morocco".
  10. ↑ "Trailer of Disney+Hotstar extraction series 'The Freelancer' out". The Hindu. 9 August 2023.
  11. ↑ "The Freelancer Season 1 Review : Mohit Raina excels in Neeraj Pandey's engrossing thriller". The Times of India.
  12. ↑ "The Freelancer S1 review: The deadly extraction mission is gripping and edgy".
  13. ↑ "The Freelancer Review: Yet Another Version of the Kerala Story".
  14. ↑ Kumar, Anuj (4 September 2023). "'The Freelancer' series review: Mohit Raina is the only reason to buy this ticket to Syria". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  15. ↑ "The Freelancer review: The Mohit Raina-Anupam Kher series makes us wait for its thrills". September 2023.
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