Zee5’s Contract: A remarkable effort that ticks many boxes

Even before the release of the star-studded TV show - Contract, Zee5 made a very bold statement that it would be the biggest thriller of the year. The trailer showed a lot of promise when it dropped and left us awestruck with the level of intensity in action and storyline. It became something to look forward to. Premiered on March 18, the show is streaming on Zee5 for free. 

Watch the trailer of Contract here 

It is good to see so many Bangladeshi TV series and movies grow so much, so quickly, through the introduction of the OTT platforms. I did find the intro somewhat familiar, especially the graphics, with one of Hoichoi's Bangladeshi series, but the growth has been something to be proud of. 

The story began interestingly, showing us the main characters, yet, holding the suspense of each character's identity. Luckily, at the end of the series, the dots do feel connected. 

We enter the story knowing of a past dispute between Amulya Babu, an old politician, and a powerful gangster, Black Ronju, played by Chanchal Chowdhury. 

Fifteen years have passed and Black Ronju has not been seen in public since then. But through intel, it has become known that Ronju is on the move and might attack Babu. As a result, Babu employs his old associate Tareque, a mysterious vigilante, played by Arefin Shuvo, who sets out on a killing spree trying to find Black Ronju. 

This draws in the local police, played by Shamol Mawla, trying to catch the killer on the run. 

But the story is not as simple as it seems. It also involves Amulya Babu's old politician colleagues, especially Pir, played by Tarke Anam, who is trying to grab power in the coming elections. 
But his biggest obstacle has become his daughter-in-law, Rumana, played by Mithila, who is set to succeed her late father, the leader of the party. But her new ideas and thoughts conflict with the old members of the party. 

On the other hand Uma, a beauty parlour worker, played by Aisha Khan, is caught up in the middle of the cat and mouse chase between Tareque and Ronju. Meena, played by Zakia Bari Momo, is the wife of Black Ronju, who also plays a big part in Ronju's pursuit. 

The performance of the actors was quite good throughout the show. But Chanchal Chowdhury was phenomenal among the whole bunch. While playing a hardcore vigilante, Arefin Shuvo could have been tougher on the talk. However, Aisha Khan deserves special mention for playing the victim quite well. I was also impressed by the makeup artists for their amazing work.

The show was great as a Bangladeshi creation. But I believe it is high time we remove that label. We have been creating some phenomenal shows and movies recently and thus, we should only compare each creation to a global standard. 

The storyline of Contract gave a nod to Sacred Games. The way it was shot, the characters, the style, was kind of similar. And the overall storyline was fairly common as we have already seen similar stories before. 

Overall, Contract is something worthy of watching for a Bangladeshi viewer. But at the same time, it is nothing groundbreaking. I believe that it would have some serious competition in the thrillers and action genre as it is only the beginning of the year. Although it is not  as novel as you would hope for, the end will certainly keep you guessing and hungry for more as the story doesn't end there. 

A second season may be on its way.