Satrangi review flags weak suspense

A May 24 post on X by reviewer Amit Bhatia added to the early response around ZEE5’s new Hindi series “Satrangi,” describing the show as visually polished but weak on suspense. The post, which included a short video breakdown of the first episode, said the series worked better on style than on tension, according to the social-media briefing provided for this story. ZEE5 began streaming “Satrangi: Badle ka Khel” on May 22, with all seven episodes released at once. Early published reviews from Indian entertainment outlets show a similar split between praise for the setting and criticism of the storytelling. ### When did “Satrangi” arrive, and what is the series about? ZEE5 lists “Satrangi: Badle ka Khel” as a seven-episode Hindi action-crime series released on May 22, 2026. The platform’s episode page names the first four installments as “From Truce to War,” “Rise of the Ruthless,” “Trust and Treachery,” and “The Dark Descent,” and says the show is a ZEE5 original. (zee5.com) ZEE5 Global said in an April announcement that the series is set in rural Uttar Pradesh and follows Bablu Mahto, the son of a launda dancer, as he steps into his father’s role while plotting revenge against the Singh family. The company said the cast includes Anshumaan Pushkar, Mahvash, Kumud Mishra, Upen Chauhan, Saddam Sophia Hussain, Atul Kusum Sanjay, B. Shantunu and Amir Khan. (zee5.com) ### What, specifically, did the May 24 X review say? The May 24 X post cited in the source briefing described “Satrangi” as stylish but weak on suspense and overall impact. The same briefing said the review criticized plotting and tension while still recommending the series to viewers who value aesthetics, and that the post was accompanied by a short video review of episode one. (tva.onscreenasia.com) Because the X page did not render text through the available browser tool, the underlying wording could not be independently extracted line by line. But the existence of the post, its date, and the review characterization were included in the provided social-media briefing and match the broader review pattern surfaced elsewhere this week. (x.com) ### Are other reviews saying the same thing? Times Now published a May 22 review that gave the series 2.5 out of 5 and said the show “works only in parts.” The review praised Jai Basantu Singh’s direction for capturing the rural setting and for engaging with the theme of Launda Naach, but said the slow-burn narrative only works intermittently and that some subplots are not developed well. (x.com) The Times of India also published a May 22 review with a 2.5 out of 5 rating. Its headline called the series “a relevant message let down by tedious storytelling,” and the review said the seven-episode show becomes predictable, stretched and melodramatic in places. (timesnownews.com) ### What are reviewers still giving the show credit for? April promotional material from ZEE5 Global framed the series as a story about identity, social hierarchy and vengeance in rural Uttar Pradesh. Mahvash said in that announcement that the show had a “gritty tone,” while Anshumaan Pushkar said the role let him explore a world “often misunderstood and unfairly looked down upon.” (timesofindia.indiatimes.com) Published reviews this week echoed some of that. Times Now said one of the show’s major strengths was its treatment of Launda Naach and the humiliation attached to that social world, even as it criticized the pacing and structure. (tva.onscreenasia.com) ### Where can viewers check the review and the series now? The May 24 review post and video breakdown remain on X under Amit Bhatia’s account, according to the source briefing for this item. ZEE5 says “Satrangi: Badle ka Khel” is currently streaming on its platform, where all seven episodes are listed as available. (x.com) (timesnownews.com)