The
first
two
episodes
of
Commander
Karan
Saxena
have
nothing
to
offer,
except
for
Gurmeet’s
muscles
and
shirtless
torso,
observes
Namrata
Thakker.
Jatin
Wagle’s
espionage
thriller
series
Commandar
Karan
Saxena,
starring
Gurmeet
Chaudhary,
is
based
on
Amit
Khan’s
book
of
the
same
name.
The
story
goes
back
to
the
same
old
India-Pakistan
rivalry
and
how
a
R&AW
agent
takes
on
the
mission
to
stop
a
big
attack
on
Mumbai.
When
a
R&AW
agent
gets
killed
mysteriously
in
the
first
episode,
it’s
up
to
Commander
Karan
Saxena
to
also
unravel
the
truth
behind
his
death.
This
happens
so
quickly
and
easily
that
it’s
rather
uninteresting.
In
the
second
episode,
the
commander
decodes
when,
where
and
who
is
the
target
of
the
next
big
attack
by
Pakistan.
Again,
everything
happens
easily
and
the
makers
fail
to
up
the
intrigue
factor.
Going
by
the
first
two
episodes,
Commander
Karan
Saxena
comes
across
as
average
in
every
department,
whether
it’s
acting,
editing
or
storytelling.
Gurmeet
Chaudhary
has
good
screen
presence
and
seems
perfect
for
the
part
with
that
chiseled
body.
What
lets
him
down
is
the
writing
and
execution.
In
fact,
the
television
actor
makes
a
grand
hero-like
entry
and
even
says
a
few
whistle-worthy
dialogues
but
nothing
seems
impactful.
They
don’t
stir
any
desh
bhakti
emotions
either.
Considering
OTT
platforms
have
been
flooded
shows
and
movies
in
this
genre,
it’s
tough
for
a
show
like
this
to
stand
out.
Still,
if
you’re
a
Gurmeet
Chaudhary
fan,
this
one
will
definitely
appeal
to
you.
It’s
good
to
see
him
playing
the
lead
in
an
action
role
after
so
long.
The
series
also
features
Iqbal
Khan
and
Hruta
Durgule.
While
Khan
doesn’t
come
across
as
a
menacing
villain,
he
isn’t
entirely
bad
either.
An
actor
of
his
calibre
deserves
a
meaty
role
and
he
doesn’t
get
it.
Hruta
plays
her
part
sincerely
but
her
chemistry
with
Gurmeet
is
meh.
Though
she
plays
a
police
officer,
her
personality
doesn’t
fit
with
the
role
and
that
disappoints
too.
The
first
two
episodes
of
Commander
Karan
Saxena
have
nothing
to
offer,
except
for
Gurmeet’s
muscles
and
shirtless
torso.
Let’s
hope
the
makers
redeem
themselves
in
the
coming
episodes.
Commander
Karan
Saxena
streams
on
Disney+Hotstar,
with
new
episodes
dropping
on
weekdays.
Commander
Karan
Saxena
Review
Rediff
Rating:
