The Waking of a Nation review: Series that probes the events leading up to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre lacks punch

The historical series follows advocate Kantilal Sahni (played by Taaruk Raina) — a fictional character — who becomes the undesignated narrator, giving a lowdown about the events preceding the Baisakhi gathering and the prevalent mood of Amritsar. He presents before the Hunter Commission, which was appointed by the British government to investigate the massacre, the facts that expose a deep conspiracy rooted in colonialism and white supremacy.

The show is successful at showcasing the feel of that period, the public outrage over the Rowlatt Act and the efforts of Indian activists to maintain peace. The show, however, depends on Kantilal to convey these to the audience through his many monologues.

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The story of Kantilal and his friends (Sahil Mehta as Ali Allahbaksh, Bhawsheel Singh as Hari Singh Aulakh and Nikita Dutta as Poonam, Hari’s wife) runs as a parallel to the courtroom drama. Their friendship goes through many trials due to clash of ideologies as well as tragedies. The show is as much about their friendship as it is about the brutalities and manipulations of the British government.

However, the series falters when it comes to creating drama and tension. The narrative is not engaging even though the show devotes a lot of time to courtroom proceedings with the Hunter Commission conducting its hearings as part of investigation into the massacre. Sahni tries to put the record straight even as the commission attempts to distort history to serve the British government. However, these scenes require more substance to ensure that the viewers’ attention does not waver. That apart, the narrative loses its edge due to frequent flashbacks. The dependence on background music and the efforts to heighten the emotions during critical scenes make the viewing tedious.

The Waking of a Nation Director: Ram Madhvani
The Waking of a Nation Cast: Taaruk Raina, Nikita Dutta, Sahil Mehta, Bhawsheel Singh, Alex Reece, and Paul McEwan
The Waking of a Nation Rating: 2 stars
Streaming on Sony LIV