Tabbar review: Thanks to the OTT boom, watching neat and well-knit thrillers have become a possibility. Bollywood does an extremely flawed job of it and so, we are glad that the spark in digital content is escalating. One other thing it has given us is the opportunity to watch really good acting. Since it's yet be star-driven, many actors are finally getting their due in front of the camera rather than playing weak and one-dimensional supporting characters in movies. Tabbar is one such well-written and fabulously acted show. Tabbar Trailer Out! Pavan Malhotra, Supriya Pathak’s Family Thriller To Stream on SonyLIV From October 15! (Watch Video).

Omkar's (Pawan Malhotra) happy family life goes for a toss when his eldest son Happy (Gagan Arora) reaches home with a bag that got switched in the train. The owner of the bag Maheep (Rachit Bahal) lands at the family's house but by then, the youngest of the house Tegi (Sahil Mehta) has already picked up the package thinking it's a new phone. It turns out to be a special brand of drugs and Maheep will hear nothing of it. The tussle gets grimmer and somebody pulls the trigger. Thus begins the struggle to hide the murder which led to many more. 

Watch the Trailer:

The best part about this eight episode series is that it goes straight to the point from the first scene. It develops every character along the way rather than devoting too much time on it. The casting takes a lot of credit here as every character has been perfectly picked. The writing is sharp and to-the-point. It never meanders or loses steam. Many might feel it sounds similar to Drishyam. But while the Ajay Devgn or Mohanlal movie is more about believing in a lie and making others do too, Tabbar is raw and real. The extent a family would go to save themselves has been perfectly depicted here. Drishyam 2 Movie Review: Mohanlal’s Sequel to His Blockbuster Family Thriller Is Loaded With Pulpy Surprises (LatestLY Exclusive).

Sneha Khanwalkar's music and background score is yet another plus about this show. They add a lull effect to the pacy proceedings building just the right amount of suspense. 

However, despite a tight script, a few of the moments might come across as too convenient. Since, it's a thriller, we can't reveal exactly where but you will find that in a lot of places and that does threaten to derail your interest. The suspense over who pulled the trigger in the first episode is unnecessary as it is made clear in the very first scene. Plus, there's a little too much use of Punjabi without subtitles. For many, that could be a deterrent. 

Performances are top-notch. Pawan Malhotra and Supriya Pathak are the highlights of the series. Malhotra's sardar act is such a refreshing change from what we saw in Grahan. This gives him more space to showcase his enviable range. Pathak amazes us. Even in a character she has done before, she manages to add certain freshness to it so that one doesn't get bored. Gagan Arora is impressive. 

Yay! 

 -tight script

- fine performances

- good BGM work

Nay! 

- plot gets convenient at times

- too much use of Punjabi

Final Thoughts 

Tabbar grabs your attention right from the first scene and from thereon, it never disappoints. If you are in the mood for a thriller, Tabbar should be on your watchlist. Tabbar streams on SonyLIV.

Rating:3.0

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 15, 2021 11:32 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).