In “Special Ops 1.5: The Himmat Story,” the year is 2003 and special agent Himmat Singh is sleek as ever, but still a novice in the field of espionage. However this doesn’t stop the very capable go-getter R & AW agent from digging up dirt on corrupt government officials and peers alike. He airs their dirty laundry to his full advantage and utilises his manipulative scare tactics to get the job done. But when one of his peers—who in the past has proven to be as tactile and as intimidating as Singh himself—goes rogue, Himmat has to dial his espionage game up a notch and act fast before the agency finds itself under scrutiny and the security of the country becomes compromised.
As proven in the previous outing (“Special Ops,” Season 1), Himmat Singh can be volatile when threatened and compassionate with a hint of docile when the occasion calls for it. And these traits are on full display yet again. “Special Ops 1.5” is a love letter to its protagonist and his early years as a young agent; as such, Himmat is allotted the most screen time. But this doesn’t mean that the supporting characters take a backseat. Abbas Sheikh, Himmat’s loyal sidekick returns as the narrator and kicks off things in the present day by recounting the series of events as they were relayed to him by Himmat or from hearsay. The narrative flows in and out—from the present day where Abbas is being interrogated by auditors Banerjee and Chadha, to the flashbacks of Himmat’s quest to track down his leads who are spread out across the globe.
A Focus on the Personal This Time Around
The series also delves into Himmat’s personal life, particularly touching upon his misfires when it comes to romance and keeping his job under wraps from potential love interests. These moments are often played up for comic effect, but also paint Himmat as a far more complex character; he may excel at being a spy, but has tough luck when it comes to matters of the heart.
While initially I felt the heavy reliance on narration and exposition from Abbas would prove to be tedious (and occasionally it did feel like the writers were spoon-feeding crucial information to the audience), the plot still never loses its unpredictability nor its gripping atmosphere. There are moments of rushed characterisation; however, some loopholes in terms of character motivations which will require suspending one’s sense of disbelief. But thankfully these are few and far between and forgivable since the pros do outweigh the cons.
The taut editing further elevates the otherwise crisp pace and unpredictable plot; all three are key components of most whodunits crafted by Neeraj Pandey, who is fast becoming a bankable name in the espionage thriller genre in India. Yet again, there is no forced or over-the-top patriotism—a theme that is often forced down viewer’s throats in commercial fare. Instead there are subtle yet strong hints to Himmat’s love for his nation, his brutal honesty regarding dirty politics in India, his unabashed sincerity and passion for his cause, as well as his unwavering dedication to his job.
Some Throwbacks to Season 1
The writing team also manages to keep viewers on their toes; tales about Russian Sparrows and riveting honeytraps lurk at every corner. The writers throw red herrings into the mix while also effortlessly weaving in real-life government scandals. While Season 1 involved a subplot with the great debacle known as ‘demonitisation,’ this time around, things change a bit; there’s a clever mention of a highly-controversial aircraft deal which exposed the insubordinate amount of corruption within the current government. The show doesn’t hold back and includes sharp, witty jabs at the hypocrisy of the current administration.
Some scenes featuring Himmat and his fellow agents on a stakeout during his formative years also closely resemble and harken back to the camaraderie shared between the young members of the taskforce that he headed back in Season 1. There are enough callbacks like these, and iconic catchphrases galore that will appeal to fans of the show. This time around, the show isn’t too action-heavy and the action sequences are coordinated well but kept to a minimum. They don’t come across as lengthy or as tedious filler scenes, which was my main complaint with the first season.
Kay Kay Menon at the Top of His Game
This second outing yet again includes flawless performances from a cast of veteran actors who suit their roles to a t, and many of whom adapt to the OTT space excellently. Kay Kay Menon again showcases versatility and emotional range as Himmat Singh, the straight-faced and strong-minded special agent. He simultaneously displays a more subdued, shy, and reserved energy that is omnipresent when the character is off duty. This keeps him grounded and more relatable to the layperson, yet susceptible to succumbing to his own emotions; this is a far cry from the usual, run-of-the-mill lothario-esque spies in most espionage thrillers. The SFX used in de-ageing Menon for this particular outing too are worth a mention.
Familiar faces and characters from the first installation are abound here. We have Vinay Pathak as the likable and loyal SI Abbas Sheikh (the yin to Himmat’s yang), Parmeet Sethi and Kali Prasad Mukherjee as Chadha and Banerjee from the auditing committee who do a great job of doing what they do best—hanging on to every single moment of the cat-and-mouse chase narrated to them by Abbas and Gautami Kapoor; the later in a brief but pivotal role as the sassy and supportive Saroj return once again. The series also throws some new characters into the mix; these include Vijay Kumar (played by Aftab Shivdasani), Himmat’s colleague who helps in nabbing the antagonists of the piece.
High Hopes Placed on Series Creators
There are high hopes riding on this series, and creators seem keen to expand the universe down the road. And as somebody hyped about this franchise, I hope the team behind it doesn’t run out of steam. Hopefully, they can improve upon minor setbacks that keep “Special Ops” from achieving greatness in the espionage/thriller genre.
“Special Ops 1.5: The Himmat Story” is available to stream on Disney+ Hotstar in India. We could not find any options to view the series abroad.
