Rahul Sonpimple

I find ‘Dahaad’ to be an average politically correct drama, a perfect OTT content for consuming guilt. While it centers around caste, class, and gender abnormalities in society, ‘Dahaad’ also celebrates the new normal embedded in the surplus spectacle. Just like in a corporate capitalist society, there is always pressure to be happy. The desperate search for something extra in marginalised characters is quite common in this so-called “new art” industry. Therefore, a Dalit character either has to be very helpless or extra assertive, always devoid of normalcy.

A Dalit character cannot simply go to work, eat, have sex, reproduce, and enjoy holidays without bothering about society, especially their own community. In this new cultural enlightenment, Dalits always have to perform, either showcasing their vulnerabilities or heroic acts.

‘Dahaad,’ although claiming to bring us closer to social reality, is perceived by me as a regular Hindi drama. I wonder what would happen if the psycho killer in the story were a charming, educated Dalit man who, in his childhood, suffered violence and humiliation at the hands of upper-caste women, leading him to develop hatred and contempt for them. Within this liberal political correctness, such a scenario is almost impossible. Consequently, Dalits always have to be morally upright; they can’t enjoy the power of being evil, and that’s how the Master’s Morality works.