Sacred Games – Book Vs. Show – Our Verdict
We compared the biggest Indian show, Netflix’s Sacred Games to its source material, the novel. Here are our thoughts
Sacred Games, arguably Netflix India’s biggest and best series till date captivated viewers in India and all over the world when it premiered on 28 June 2018. The show starring Saif Ali Khan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Radhika Apte among others cast a spell on the nation and became the topic of conversations and memes alike. As the show gears up for a second season to be out on screens on 15th August, we delved into the origin of the show.
Vikram Chandra’s sprawling novel of the same is no light read. At over 900 pages, the book is intimidating at first sight. But much like the show, once you get into it, the rest of the world disappears on cue. Firstly, it is admirable that a book of that length and magnitude was adapted to a screenplay of 8 episodes. That feat alone is a great one, credited to the writers, Varun Grover, Smitha Singh and Vasant Nath as well as the directors, Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane.
Here’s how the show differs from the book -
1. The Genre:
From the fast and twist-at-every-minute feel of the show, it is safe to say that it has been written as a thriller. The book differs in this aspect, it takes its time to set up characters, with small details that the show fails to take on. At some moments, it feels like a thriller at others, a love story, a drama. The book defies any one genre and that makes it a compelling read.
2. The Characters:
The show paints the characters, especially the two primary characters, Sartaj Singh and Ganesh Gaitonde, in shades of black and white. Sartaj is the dutiful cop while Gaitonde is the evil gangster. In the book, both these characters are grey. Sartaj is not a pious cop, but a rather flawed one who accepts bribes. Gaitonde on the other hand, is not pure evil. We see human sides to him in the book and also empathize with him in some parts.
3. Plot Changes
3. Plot Changes
The writers of the show have taken some liberties when it comes to the plot and characters. For instance, in the book, Kukoo’s character is merely a paragraph and there is no romance between Kukoo and Gaitonde. Parulkar is also not someone who is clashing with Sartaj, but more like a father figure to him.
Our Verdict: It’s not a question of which is better, because both are different formats. However, if you liked the show, you must read the book. You have more of Sartaj and Gaitonde’s world waiting for you!
Our Verdict: It’s not a question of which is better, because both are different formats. However, if you liked the show, you must read the book. You have more of Sartaj and Gaitonde’s world waiting for you!
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