 "Netflix’s ‘Taskaree: The Smuggler’s Web’ Review: Emraan Hashmi gives a brilliant performance in an immersive Neeraj Pandey show")
Cast: Emran Hashmi, Sharad Kelkar, Nandish Sandhu, Zoya Afroz, Freddy Daruwala, Jameel Khan
Director: Neeraj Pandey, Raghav Jairath, B.A. Fida
Language: Hindi
Do you really know what happens to your luggage at the airport? But, Neeraj Pandey truly knows how to play with your mind and shows you sides of stories which you have never ever seen in your life and that is the beauty of his film making. Taskaree: The Smuggler’s Web is engaging because it gives us reason to assume right from the beginning of the show that great twists and turns will unfold at any moment.
In the high-stakes world of airport customs, the dedicated and principled Superintendent Arjun Meena (Emraan Hashmi) leads an elite team of officers who stand as the nation’s first line of defense against international crime. When a critical government directive tasks them with stopping a surge in contraband trafficking, Meena’s team must step up and undertake a national security mission: dismantle a sophisticated global syndicate headed by the notorious kingpin Bada Choudhary (Sharad Kelkar).
Custom officers are often considered to be corrupt. But we really don’t know what happens behind the scenes. Are they really corrupt? Or are they forced to be corrupt? And what happens if you choose not to take a bribe? Netflix’s Taskaree explores that. It is a new world for all of us – smugglers and custom officers. We have all heard about smugglers, but when it comes to the show, it is a complete eye-opener for all of us in the mechanism that happens behind the scene.
The show makes us believe that sometimes the biggest heroes don’t really need to be loud and make noise and throw their power around. In fact, the biggest heroes of our country wear uniforms. We have seen enough movies on armed force personnel and police, but thanks to director Neeraj Pandey of Taskaree for helping us see the hard life of custom officers and what goes behind the scenes. Taskaree: The Smuggler’s Web on Netflix shines a spotlight on these real-life heroes: India’s customs officers
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View AllAs the show powerfully states: “Sadiyon se jahan jahan travel aur business hui hai, wahan taskaree bhi hui hai.” Trade built civilizations, but it also invited crime. For a country like India, at the heart of global trade routes, this challenge has been constant. Honest customs officers today carry forward vigilance, protecting India’s economy and borders in an age where crimes move as fast as international flights. The show reflects on both side of the story and not just the clean side of the custom officers, but also the extremely filthy side of the profession too.
Taskaree is an extremely well researched show with a solid script. Did you know that purchases worth over ₹50,000 from abroad must legally be declared and taxed? This isn’t about paperwork, it’s about safeguarding India’s revenue and ensuring fair trade for domestic businesses. Every duty collected supports national development, and every evasion caught is a win for the country’s financial integrity.
Emraan Hashmi is shown to be a sharp customs officer battling international smuggling syndicates. The story of the show is not as simple as it appears to be, rather it is hugely complex and unpredictable. Not based on a true story, T__askaree opens up a tense, covert universe where every suitcase could conceal contraband and every traveller could be part of a larger syndicate. At the centre of the narrative is Superintendent Arjun Meena (Emraan Hashmi), a composed and incisive customs officer leading a specialised team to dismantle smuggling operations ranging from luxury goods to organised international networks.
T__askaree doesn’t waste time on romantic scenes, rather it is sharp and fast-paced. You can binge watch the show, but you can watch it at one go too, just the way I did because once you start watching, you won’t feel like giving it up. Wait till the very end because that is the real twist of the show. Not for a minute are you going to get bored. It is definitely not Neeraj Pandey’s best work, but ‘Taskaree: The Smuggler’s Web’ is consistently engaging and the script never really thins down.
Rating: 3 and half out of 5
WATCH the trailer of Netflix’s ‘Taskaree: The Smuggler’s Web’ here:
Lachmi Deb Roy is the Entertainment Editor of Firstpost, Network18. She reviews films and series with a gender lens. She is a 'Rotten Tomatoes' certified critic. Her interviews are called 'Not Just Bollywood' because she takes a huge interest in world cinema. She has been the winner of the prestigious Laadli Media and Advertising Award for Gender Sensitivity for two consecutive years, 2020 and 2021. OTT over theatrical releases is her preference unless and until it's a King Khan film. She takes interest in fashion, food and art reviews too.