Special OPS

Because of Neeraj Pandey, one might expect it to be a cleverly crafted series with great twists. Much like what we all felt in Special 26, when an entire team of officers was revealed to be a mere distraction. But then, he is also the man who gave us a disaster in the form of Aiyaary. And Special Ops is more like Aiyaary (sadly) with its forced slow-motion scenes, predictable twists, absence of logic and poorly executed story. This doesn’t mean that there are no elements that don’t match his successful works. We have an Old Delhi setup in the first episode that reminds us heavily of Baby and Special 26. Then there is the classic cat-and-mouse chase, an officer who is unafraid of his seniors, undercover agents, code words, interrogations, mention of real-life events etc. However, despite all this, Special Ops lacks the ability to engage us. The climax gives that 'thrill’ for a moment though, but also leaves us with questions that are never answered.

Fortunately for creator Neeraj Pandey, few man-made things could be as bad as Bard of Blood, a series that has single-handedly lifted huge pressure off the shoulders of every show in existence, and also those still waiting to be produced. Unlike that Netflix series, Special OPS, despite being very uneven, actually respects spycraft.

Special Ops is uneven in its pace and falters in between but it’s also a proof of Neeraj Pandey’s skill that despite these flaws he has created a series that has enough drama to keep us hooked .