Shantaram: A review

over 1 year ago

At some point in time, I started getting Apple TV+ for free because I am a T-Mobile subscriber. I actually signed up for it quite some time ago, but I have been so busy that I haven't had time to watch anything on it.

There are a ton of shows that look really good. Invasion, See, and this new one that was just released called "Shantaram".

It is based on a book of the same name and so far I am pretty enthralled in it. I apologize in advance, this post is not going to have a bunch of pictures. I am not a fan of grabbing random stuff from Google and throwing it up here just so my post can look more flashy.

It's borderline copyright infringement and like I said, I am not a fan. I am sure if you do a Google search, you can find all kinds of still images from the show to see what it looks like. I'll give you a minute to go and do that.

Back already?

Okay, so let's talk about Shantaram. I was immediately drawn to this show mainly because of the main character. My wife was a big fan of "Sons of Anarchy" which start Charlie Hunnam. When I saw he was the lead in this show, I knew it might be something she wanted to check out.

So far, he has not disappointed.

Hunnam stars as Lin Ford, a prisoner in Australia (due to circumstances that get revealed through the course of the season) who escapes and makes his way to Bombay India to start a new life.

Of course nothing is ever easy, but it has been interesting to watch the character work his way towards redemption.

Having not read the book, I can only say that to me Hunnam is really believable as Ford and you absolutely want to cheer for him to succeed.

I have read other reviews that seem to indicate the show did a really good job of depicting the atmosphere and aura of 1980's Bombay.

Personally, I have found it really interesting to learn more about the Indian culture. Of course I realize this is Hollywood, so you need to take everything you see with a grain of salt.

This actually isn't the first dose of Indian culture I have been hit in the face with lately. It started with Ms. Marvel on Disney Plus and has carried over into Shantaram on Apple TV+.

For example, I never knew the Indian head wobble was an actual thing. There is a scene early on in the show where Ford asks his new found friend what he means when he does the head wobble. Sometimes it means this, other times it means this. The intricacies of it all are pretty fascinating to me.

Much of the show takes place in the slums and is very reminiscent of "Slumdog Millionaire" if you have seen that movie. You might be very familiar with the city of shacks stacked on top of each other in to an expansive area.

The show actually involves a lot more political intrigue than I originally realized. I thought it was going to be Ford in some remote village in India working towards redemption. While it may end up being that way, right now the show is squarely set in Bombay and Ford is interacting with a wide range of individuals from all walks of life.

My only complaint about the show is the fact that I thought it had been out for longer than it has. My wife and I are at the point where we are stuck waiting for the next episode to come out. Being the impatient person that I am, it is driving me crazy.

I want to know what happens next right now!

I guess that just speaks to how invested I have become in the characters. The show has a definite noir feel to it, but is also light hearted enough at times that you don't get too depressed.

If you are a fan of Star Trek Deep Space Nine, The actor who played Dr. Bashir has a pretty prominent roll in the show as well. It's fun to pick out actors and actresses you know from other shows. A bit few and far between in this case given many of the actors and actresses are Indian.

If you have been hesitating to put this one on your list, I highly recommend it. It has been a joy to watch so far.

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