I felt Neeraj Pandey's latest release The Freelancer has an equal balance of highs and lows. Streaming on Disney+Hotstar, this series revolves around the life of Avinash Kamath, played by Mohit Raina, an Indian mercenary operating in the ISIS-dominated Iraq-Syria border and his future plans to assert his power. Powered by a lineup of talented actors like Anupam Kher and Sushant Singh, it has great potential to impress the audience with its eye-catching cinematography. Despite the bone-crunching action sequences, the plot loses its adrenaline rush midway making it tedious for the viewer. Amidst the blemishes, Raina delivers a convincing performance and keeps our eyes glued to the screen till the very end. Had the storyline been better conceived, it would have boosted the standards of this edge-of-the-seat thriller. In a nutshell, it is a decent action thriller worthy of a shot over the weekend. (I liked/didn't like The Freelancer because... September 2)

Aayman Anwar Ali

With an absorbing, engrossing plot, The Freelancer contains suspense, betrayal and emotions. It begins in Turkey and then travels to Morocco, India and Syria. After being suspended, Avinash Kamath (Mohit Raina) has trained and upgraded himself technologically, physically and mentally. There is no extraction in the first four episodes, only the plan for backing them up with security has been done. Information collecting without taking risks, though a difficult task, was nicely executed by Aliya Khan (Kashmira Pardeshi). In the first scene, it was really cool to watch the man in a yellow t-shirt rotating his sunglasses.

Moubani Paul

The Freelancer, starring Mohit Raina in the lead role, has been one of the most highly-anticipated web series so far. Neeraj Pandey’s show takes us through a war-torn Syria, which has become one of the most hostile regions of the world. This adaptation of the best-selling novel A Ticket To Syria includes minor tweaks, such as changing the setting from the Maldives to India, while remaining true to the original story. From using foreign languages in dialogue, accurate uniforms of countries, real weapons (mostly) and also creating a decent overall flow, it is pretty good. Along with the intense combat sequences and gunfights, the series showcases the notable top view of an airport that looks huge and also reflects the grand budget of the show. The series lives up to the essence of patriotism and suspense.

As someone who has read the book, I am not disappointed with the series. The characterisation and the intertwining of past and present are also done well, as every episode puts at the forefront a new facet of the character and subplots. From Aliya smartly connecting to her rescuer even in the most unsafe and dangerous environment to Avinash accumulating all his power and resources to help and get the trapped girl back to her home, the series keeps you hooked due to its uncertain twists and the surprising turn of events when you least expect them.

The titular protagonist is a former police officer who now works as a mercenary. He sets out on a mission to save a young bride called Aliya who gets stuck in Syria where ISIS terrorism is on the rise. Mohit Raina excels in his role as Avinash Kamath, showcasing both intelligence and courage. He grabs eyeballs with his pumped-up body, screen presence and intense looks. Raina's reactions to his co-actors in a lot of scenes remind you of his Mahadev character as they put his 'zen mode' on, as he can be seen listening to his former boss with the exact same patience and calmness as he used to do in his 2011 television show, Devon Ke Dev...Mahadev. The actor aces the action-packed sequences. Anupam Kher's portrayal of Dr Arif Khan adds depth to the story and acts as a guiding figure to Avinash. Kher emerges as one of the most crucial characters of the show who doesn't appear very frequently but always leaves a mark whenever he does. Kashmira Pardeshi steals the show with her impactful performance, putting forward the varied emotions of an innocent girl held captive. Sushant Singh leaves an impact despite his limited role. It's a must-watch for its engaging plot, tension-filled atmosphere and effective storytelling, which captivate viewers throughout.

Roshni Ojha

I hugely liked Neeraj Pandey's latest web series The Freelancer. The first four episodes of this Mohit Raina and Anupam Kher thriller, which were dropped on Disney+Hotstar recently, were just fantastic. So far, the story is immensely gripping and also narrated in a very engaging way which made it binge-worthy. The solid performances of the aforementioned actors were a treat for viewers. I immensely enjoyed the show till now, as it kept me on the edge of my seat throughout, with its ample suspenseful and nail-biting moments. I will eagerly wait for the release of part two to watch the remaining episodes of the series. I hope that the future episodes of this extraction series will also be mind-blowing.

Sourish Misra