Tooth Pari: When Love Bites

“Tooth Pari: When Love Bites” is a fresh take on the vampire genre, blending romance, comedy, and fantasy. Created, written, and directed by Pratim D. Gupta, this Indian Hindi-language series premiered on Netflix on April 20, 2023.

🎭 Cast and Crew

• Director: Pratim D. Gupta
• Starring:
  • Shantanu Maheshwari as Dr. Bikram Roy
  • Tanya Maniktala as Rumi
  • Tillotama Shome
  • Sikandar Kher
  • Saswata Chatterjee
  • Revathi
  • Adil Hussain
• Composer: Neel Adhikari
• Production Company: Endemol Shine India

📖 Synopsis

The story revolves around Rumi, a defiant vampire, who lives with Ora’s clan. The clan is forbidden to enter the human world due to a pact with a man named Adi Deb (AD). They live underground, relying on blood from a nearby hospital, and are mortal enemies of the Cutmundus, a coven led by a witch named Luna Luka.

Rumi, bored with lockdown life, sneaks out for a dine-out experience and ends up at the clinic of Dr. Roy, where she gets a taste of his blood. A love story ensues, complicated by a lonely cop, Kartik, who picks up her trail.

🎬 Review

Despite its “costume party aesthetics,” the series gets surprisingly poignant as it proceeds. The show’s creator, Pratim Dasgupta, centers the story on a commune of vampires living underground in Kolkata. The vampires, led by Ora and AD, subsist on blood pouches, avoiding the hunting of human prey.

The series finds its heart in Kartik, an outcast and an alcoholic, portrayed empathetically by Sikandar Kher. The show also includes little in-jokes and references, adding to its charm.

However, some criticisms include the lack of an Indian twist to the vampires’ physiology and the wasteful employment of some talented actors.

“In Tooth Pari, though, they resemble crashers at a Halloween party.” – Shilajit Mitra, The Hindu

🌟 Highlights

• Unique Concept: A blend of romance, comedy, and vampire fantasy set in Kolkata.
• Star-studded Cast: Featuring National Award winners and a Satyajit Ray veteran.
• Emotional Depth: Beyond the supernatural comedy, the series explores poignant themes.
• Cultural Critique: Some missed opportunities for adding Indian twists to vampire lore.

“Tooth Pari: When Love Bites” offers a delightful bite into a world where love, comedy, and vampires coexist. It’s a series that may have its flaws but still manages to entertain and engage with its unique storyline and talented cast. It’s currently streaming on Netflix, ready to sink its teeth into the audience.

• Director Pratim D. Gupta
• Cast Adil Hussain, Anindita Bose, Anirban Chakrabarti, Anish Railkar, Anjan Dutt, Barun Chanda, Bhaswar Chatterjee, Bhavna Makhija, Chitrak Bandyopadhyay, Danish Husain, Kalpana Anjay, Keith Antony Sequeira, Keith Sequeira, Kharaj Mukherjee, Mukesh Fotwani, Parul Joshi, Rajatabha Dutta, Revathi, Saswata Chatterjee, Shantanu Maheshwari, Sikandar Kher, Swaroopa Ghosh, Tanya Maniktala, Tillotama Shome, Zarina Wahab