'Devkhel' review: Ankush Chaudhari is a welcome unruly element in a predictable plot

The Konkan. Where would Marathi creators be without it? The verdant region in Maharashtra has inspired numerous films and web series over the past few years. It’s where teenagers come of age or divine beliefs intersect with human greed. In the ZEE5 show Devkhel, the Konkan is where a police inspector arrives in the hope of an uneventful posting, only to be sucked into a bizarre turn of events.

Devtali village has been witnessing a series of deaths. It is believed that the demon Shankasur is meting out extreme punishment for errant behaviour. Whoever misbehaves during the year dies during Holi – Shankasur is unerring and unrelenting in his judgement.

No red flags have been raised about this regular occurrence. Only a YouTuber with barely any followers is interested in the story. But the latest death breaks the pattern. The victim was a good man, it is said.

Police inspector Vishwas (Ankush Chaudhari) believes that a human murderer is at work. Vishwas has moved to Devtali with his father (Arun Nalawade) for mental peace, chilled beer and surmai rawa fry. Vishwas finds his patience severely tested by superstition and deception.

The seven-episode Marathi series is written by Nikhil Palande, Gaurav Relekar and Chandrakant Gaikwad and directed by Gaikwad. Devkhel

isn’t as suspenseful as it...