Tooth Pari Review: When Love Bites

Plot

Tooth Pari on Netflix is a desi vampire saga set in Kolkata that follows the story of a shy doctor named Bikram (Shantanu Maheshwari) and the rebellious vampire, Rumi (Tanya Maniktala), who breaks the rules of not feeding on fresh human blood. The plot mainly revolves around their unlikely romance, with a touch of fantasy and drama.

Acting

Shantanu Maheshwari delivers an earnest performance as Bikram, while Tanya Maniktala is almost mechanical in her approach towards Rumi, lacking any palpable tension between the two lead characters. The supporting characters, played by competent actors such as Adil Hussain and Sikander Kher, are well placed but let down by half-baked character development.

Cinematography

Tooth Pari is shot across the dark alleys and beautiful landscapes of Kolkata, with a mix of blue, black, and green hues creating a dark and eerie tone, especially in the subterranean caves of Neeche inhabited by the undead.

Direction

Director Pratim Dasgupta attempts to create a world where love and fantasy go hand-in-hand, but the script has too many loopholes and lack of any dramatic high points, resulting in a half-baked attempt at fleshing out characters.

Overall

Tooth Pari had the potential to become a genre-breaking show, given that this is a genre not often experimented within India. However, it is let down by amateur writing and often-absurd attempts at tongue-in-cheek humor. While the series is a mindless and light watch, it fails to hold onto suspense and could have been better with crisper editing and a tighter script.

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