Set against the backdrop of rural and semi-urban Punjab, the series begins as an emotional family drama before gradually morphing into a crime thriller. Bobby Manocha (Shaheer Sheikh) returns home after being deported from Canada but conceals the truth from his family. Burdened by guilt and determined to give his younger brother Bunty (Avinash Mishra) the future he never had, Bobby dreams of sending him to Canada. Like countless youngsters in Punjab, Bunty believes emigrating abroad is the quickest escape from economic hardship. Predictably, that dream lands him in the murky world of kabootarbazi, illegal immigration rackets run by fake agents, human traffickers and organised crime.
What starts off as a grounded story about family aspirations gradually expands into a web of organ harvesting, political corruption, disappearances and murder. The themes are timely and relevant. Punjab’s obsession with overseas opportunities has often created fertile ground for exploitation, and the show taps into this reality with enough conviction to keep the audience invested.
The problem is that Ab Hoga Hisaab never quite becomes the revenge thriller its title promises.
The biggest flaw of this ten-episode first season is that it functions almost entirely as an elaborate prologue. Every episode builds towards the inevitable moment when Bobby decides enough is enough. Except that moment arrives only in the dying minutes of the finale. By then, the audience had spent five hours waiting for the “hisaab” to begin. A more accurate title might well have been Kal Hoga Hisaab. Revenge is always around the corner but it simply refuses to turn up.
That isn’t to say the journey is without merit. The emotional bond between the brothers remains the show’s strongest pillar. Their relationship lends genuine weight to the increasingly dark narrative, ensuring that the family drama never feels manufactured.
The performances also help elevate material that occasionally overstays its welcome.
Sanjay Kapoor emerges as the biggest surprise. As Goldy, the impeccably dressed politician who quietly runs a criminal empire, he delivers one of his most entertaining performances in years. There is an unmistakable old-school Ajit flavour to his portrayal, smooth, polite, impeccably turned out, sipping premium whisky while orchestrating horrific crimes. The combination somehow works. His scenes carry an effortless menace without resorting to loud theatrics.
Shaheer Sheikh successfully distances himself from his long-standing chocolate-boy image. His Bobby is restrained, vulnerable and believable, never attempting to manufacture heroism before the script allows it. One suspects the darker shades of the character are being reserved for the second season.
Avinash Mishra fits Bunty perfectly. He brings the swagger of an impulsive gym bro while retaining enough emotional sincerity to make the character sympathetic. His poor decisions often drive the plot but Mishra makes those choices understandable.
Mouni Roy has by now perfected the femme fatale template and slips comfortably into Kamna without much visible effort. Nimrit Kaur Ahluwalia gives Gazal quiet dignity despite a role that could easily have become one-dimensional. Asheema Vardhan provides some lighter moments as Lovely, Goldy’s rather clueless and hopelessly infatuated daughter, while Harman Singha throws himself into Inspector Dosanjh with admirable commitment, although his earnest policeman occasionally feels like he’s auditioning for his own version of Singham.
Where the writing falls short is in exploring the criminal ecosystem it introduces. Human trafficking, illegal immigration rackets and organ harvesting are all fascinating subjects, yet the series merely skims their surface. Instead of digging deeper into these operations, the narrative repeatedly circles back to setting up future confrontations.
Visually, however, the series gets Punjab right. The earthy landscapes and grounded production design prevent the story from becoming another glossy gangster drama. There is an authenticity to the setting that complements the emotional core.
Ultimately, Ab Hoga Hisaab is a decent thriller with solid performances and a compelling emotional foundation. It raises important issues and creates enough intrigue to make viewers curious about what comes next. Yet by stretching its set-up across an entire season, it dilutes much of its own impact. When a show promises a reckoning but spends ten episodes preparing for one, patience inevitably begins to wear thin.
Hopefully, Season Two finally delivers the hisaab that Season One spent so long promising. The series is currently streaming on Amazon MX Player.
Also Read: Ab Hoga Hisaab: When and Where to Watch Sanjay Kapoor, Shaheer Shaikh and Mouni Roy’s Show
