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According to Netflix, Kaala Paani is India's first survival series. The series is directed by Sameer Saxena and Amit Golani. The show has seven episodes and tells a complex story about a lethal epidemic in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Additionally, it explores themes like family, identity, environmental issues, and corruption.
After watching the show, many wondered if the show was based on a true story. To answer the question, Kaala Paani is not based on a true story. It is entirely fictional and not rooted in actual events.
Moreover, in an interview with the Press Trust of India, writer Biswapati Sarkar revealed that the inspiration for the show came after he visited the Andaman Islands as a child. Building on that idea, Sarkar and his team devised a clever narrative tool: the fictional LHF-27 disease.
Disclaimer: Major spoilers ahead
Kala Paani: Exploring the plot and origins of the show
Set in 2027, the show Kaala Paani centers on people's lives in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. As a lethal disease invades the island, it endangers nearly 500,000 lives. In response, Admiral Zibran Qadri leads the local government in a desperate effort to contain the outbreak and tackle the ensuing challenges.
Meanwhile, scientist and doctor Ritu Gagra, portrayed by Radhika Mehrotra, is also on a mission. She not only works tirelessly to find a cure but also grapples with the influx of patients that is overwhelming her medical team.
Speaking to the Press Trust of India about the origins of the show, Biswapati Sarkar, the writer of the show, said:
“There’s no way [to go], the actual walls are six feet high, the real wall is the water, so nobody could escape, not because the walls are high, it is because there’s water everywhere. I felt, ‘Wow, what if this happens to us, and what if we can never leave this place.’ That thought stayed with me for quite some time.”
Additionally, this made-up epidemic serves a dual purpose. First, it effectively isolates the characters on the island, preventing them from leaving. Second, it provides a backdrop for exploring the characters in depth.
The themes explored in Kaala Paani
The series critiques Charles Darwin's evolution theory, The Origin of Species. When LHF-27 hits the Andaman Islands, influential figures exploit the local Orakas tribe. They view the tribe as inferior and disposable to save modern humans. The show reveals how those in power justify harming the vulnerable. Officials like Qadri and businessmen like Saurabh Wani dismiss the Orakas' right to live.
The officials argue that the tribe can't defend itself and lacks modern advantages. While the Orakas' challenges are fictional, similar threats have faced tribes globally. Kaala Paani highlights these issues, framed as "survival of the fittest." The show also tackles the complex issue of moral choices. The characters of the show are constantly put on a pedestal to choose between right and wrong.
To name a few instances, the character Qadri grapples with his conscience over sacrificing the Orakas to save others. Similarly, Santosh considers murder to protect his daughter. In doing so, the writers capture the moral dilemmas people face in challenging situations. Although the scenarios are made up, they resonate with viewers, reminding them of life's difficult choices.
Kaala Paani is now streaming on Netflix.
