Ab Hoga Hisaab review: Shaheer Sheikh show has plenty of buildup, not enough payoff
Shaheer Sheikh leads this Punjab-set crime thriller about a missing brother. What follows as his journey to find his missing brother, results in various revelations and mysteries surrounding it.
There is a certain magic about revenge dramas. They come with built-in emotional stakes, the promise of justice, and the satisfaction of watching the powerless fightback against those who wronged them. MX Player’s latest original series, Ab Hoga Hisaab, taps into that familiar appeal, weaving together grief, betrayal and vengeance into a story.
Set in the fictional town of Navkotia in Punjab, Ab Hoga Hisaab explores the dream of migrating to Canada and the emotional and financial toll it takes on those willing to risk everything for a better future. The series also sheds light on the people who exploit that desperation for personal gain.
The plot revolves around two brothers, Bobby Manocha (Shaheer Sheikh) and Bunty Manocha (Avinash Mishra), who are as different as fire and water. While Bobby is practical and determined to build a better future, Bunty is impulsive and driven by his own ambitions. Despite their contrasting personalities and dreams, both find themselves trapped by circumstances beyond their control.
Even after being deported from Canada, Bobby chooses to keep the painful truth from his family to shield them from further distress. At his core, he is a devoted elder brother who goes to great lengths to protect his loved ones, especially Bunty, and will stop at nothing to stand by his family.
However, things take an unexpected turn when Bobby falls in love with Ghazal (Nimrit Kaur Ahluwalia) and decides he wants to marry her. But, destiny has other plans. It's another story that those plans are never revealed, not even after the climax.
To secure a better future, Bobby joins forces with Goldy (Sanjay Kapoor), a powerful local politician. He operates an illegal immigration racket and profits from the misery of vulnerable people who dream of going to Canada. However, Bobby’s life is turned upside down when his brother Bunty suddenly goes missing. What starts as a desperate search for a loved one gradually pulls him into a dark world.
Things take a darker turn when Inspector Dosanjh (Harman Singha) begins investigating the case of a missing girl. As he follows the trail, he uncovers a web of illegal operations and trafficking rackets, setting him on a mission to track down those responsible.
The setting feels authentic, but the world of the show starts to feel less believable as the story progresses. The premise is compelling enough to hold your attention, but the direction and screenplay prevent it from realising its full potential.
Spread across ten episodes of around 30 minutes each, the series struggles to maintain a brisk pace and often feels stretched. The repeated references to immigrants as "kabootars" and the excessive emphasis on almost every character's desire to move to Canada eventually become repetitive.
While these themes are central to the narrative, their constant repetition weakens the impact of the story. As a result, the show never fully capitalises on its intriguing premise or delivers the level of tension and suspense it promises.
With their writing, Faizal Akhtar, Radhika Anand, Abbas Dalal and Hussain Dalal make a sincere effort to keep viewers invested in every episode. While the series has enough intrigue and emotional beats to hold attention, not every episode manages to deliver with the same impact.
When the writing starts to wobble, the actors take charge and handle the situation.
Shaheer Sheikh carries the emotional weight of Ab Hoga Hisaab on his shoulders. As Bobby Manocha, the actor delivers a restrained and sincere performance. But certain scenes show his lack of zeal to fight for himself.
Unlike Bobby, Bunty is impulsive, ambitious and often driven by emotion rather than logic. Avinash captures these traits convincingly. Mishra, who was also seen in Bigg Boss 18, leaves a strong impression as Bunty in his OTT debut.
One of the puzzling parts of the series is the laid-back treatment of all the characters. Even in tense situations and shocking revelations, the characters seem written with an overwhelming ease. For example, in a scene where Bobby needs to fight for his brother, the enthusiasm and energy is missing, making the scene look dull.
The only strong part of the story remains Sanjay Kapoor. He delivers one of the more compelling performances in the series. Kapoor as Goldy brings a sense of menace and unpredictability to his character, ensuring that every scene carries tension. Another respite is the cinematography. The Punjab setting adds authenticity and texture to the series. Cinematographer Rajiv Kumar Singh captures both the beauty and darkness of the world the characters inhabit.
Unfortunately, the performances are often let down by the storytelling. Director Divyanshu Malhotra tries to keep the narrative moving at a brisk pace, but the execution is uneven. At several points, the story stretches unnecessarily and loses momentum just when it needs to tighten its grip on the audience.
The problem lies in the writing, which struggles to fully capitalise on the show's intriguing premise. Some plot twists are easy to predict, a few supporting characters remain underdeveloped, and several emotional moments lack the depth needed to leave a lasting impact. The issue becomes more noticeable in the second half, when the series leans heavily on the mystery surrounding Bunty's disappearance but takes too long to deliver meaningful revelations.
As a result, Ab Hoga Hisaab looks like a gripping crime-revenge drama on the surface, but somewhere along the way it loses its grip on the narrative and takes far too long to establish its central conflict. In an era where viewers have endless content choices and limited patience, the series spends too much time setting up its story before arriving at the moments that truly matter.
Ab Hoga Hisaab is currently streaming on Prime Video.
There is a certain magic about revenge dramas. They come with built-in emotional stakes, the promise of justice, and the satisfaction of watching the powerless fightback against those who wronged them. MX Player’s latest original series, Ab Hoga Hisaab, taps into that familiar appeal, weaving together grief, betrayal and vengeance into a story.
Set in the fictional town of Navkotia in Punjab, Ab Hoga Hisaab explores the dream of migrating to Canada and the emotional and financial toll it takes on those willing to risk everything for a better future. The series also sheds light on the people who exploit that desperation for personal gain.
The plot revolves around two brothers, Bobby Manocha (Shaheer Sheikh) and Bunty Manocha (Avinash Mishra), who are as different as fire and water. While Bobby is practical and determined to build a better future, Bunty is impulsive and driven by his own ambitions. Despite their contrasting personalities and dreams, both find themselves trapped by circumstances beyond their control.
Even after being deported from Canada, Bobby chooses to keep the painful truth from his family to shield them from further distress. At his core, he is a devoted elder brother who goes to great lengths to protect his loved ones, especially Bunty, and will stop at nothing to stand by his family.
However, things take an unexpected turn when Bobby falls in love with Ghazal (Nimrit Kaur Ahluwalia) and decides he wants to marry her. But, destiny has other plans. It's another story that those plans are never revealed, not even after the climax.
To secure a better future, Bobby joins forces with Goldy (Sanjay Kapoor), a powerful local politician. He operates an illegal immigration racket and profits from the misery of vulnerable people who dream of going to Canada. However, Bobby’s life is turned upside down when his brother Bunty suddenly goes missing. What starts as a desperate search for a loved one gradually pulls him into a dark world.
Things take a darker turn when Inspector Dosanjh (Harman Singha) begins investigating the case of a missing girl. As he follows the trail, he uncovers a web of illegal operations and trafficking rackets, setting him on a mission to track down those responsible.
The setting feels authentic, but the world of the show starts to feel less believable as the story progresses. The premise is compelling enough to hold your attention, but the direction and screenplay prevent it from realising its full potential.
Spread across ten episodes of around 30 minutes each, the series struggles to maintain a brisk pace and often feels stretched. The repeated references to immigrants as "kabootars" and the excessive emphasis on almost every character's desire to move to Canada eventually become repetitive.
While these themes are central to the narrative, their constant repetition weakens the impact of the story. As a result, the show never fully capitalises on its intriguing premise or delivers the level of tension and suspense it promises.
With their writing, Faizal Akhtar, Radhika Anand, Abbas Dalal and Hussain Dalal make a sincere effort to keep viewers invested in every episode. While the series has enough intrigue and emotional beats to hold attention, not every episode manages to deliver with the same impact.
When the writing starts to wobble, the actors take charge and handle the situation.
Shaheer Sheikh carries the emotional weight of Ab Hoga Hisaab on his shoulders. As Bobby Manocha, the actor delivers a restrained and sincere performance. But certain scenes show his lack of zeal to fight for himself.
Unlike Bobby, Bunty is impulsive, ambitious and often driven by emotion rather than logic. Avinash captures these traits convincingly. Mishra, who was also seen in Bigg Boss 18, leaves a strong impression as Bunty in his OTT debut.
One of the puzzling parts of the series is the laid-back treatment of all the characters. Even in tense situations and shocking revelations, the characters seem written with an overwhelming ease. For example, in a scene where Bobby needs to fight for his brother, the enthusiasm and energy is missing, making the scene look dull.
The only strong part of the story remains Sanjay Kapoor. He delivers one of the more compelling performances in the series. Kapoor as Goldy brings a sense of menace and unpredictability to his character, ensuring that every scene carries tension. Another respite is the cinematography. The Punjab setting adds authenticity and texture to the series. Cinematographer Rajiv Kumar Singh captures both the beauty and darkness of the world the characters inhabit.
Unfortunately, the performances are often let down by the storytelling. Director Divyanshu Malhotra tries to keep the narrative moving at a brisk pace, but the execution is uneven. At several points, the story stretches unnecessarily and loses momentum just when it needs to tighten its grip on the audience.
The problem lies in the writing, which struggles to fully capitalise on the show's intriguing premise. Some plot twists are easy to predict, a few supporting characters remain underdeveloped, and several emotional moments lack the depth needed to leave a lasting impact. The issue becomes more noticeable in the second half, when the series leans heavily on the mystery surrounding Bunty's disappearance but takes too long to deliver meaningful revelations.
As a result, Ab Hoga Hisaab looks like a gripping crime-revenge drama on the surface, but somewhere along the way it loses its grip on the narrative and takes far too long to establish its central conflict. In an era where viewers have endless content choices and limited patience, the series spends too much time setting up its story before arriving at the moments that truly matter.
Ab Hoga Hisaab is currently streaming on Prime Video.
