When Javed Jaffrey slinks into frame as Bosco Salvador, the gangster with a poet’s tongue and a killer’s grin, you forget you’ve seen this story before. Mohrey, the eight-episode crime thriller that dropped on Amazon MX Player on December 6, 2024, doesn’t break new ground — but it does make you forget you’re watching a remake. Set in the rain-slicked alleys and high-rise towers of Mumbai, the series resurrects the decades-old feud between a ruthless crime lord and a haunted cop, with enough grit, grace, and unexpected tenderness to make the familiar feel fresh.
The Ghost of The Departed, But With Mumbai Soul
Let’s get it out of the way: Mohrey wears its influences on its sleeve. Multiple viewers have called it a "well-executed remake" of The Departed, complete with undercover operatives, political corruption, and a love triangle that straddles the law and the underworld. But here’s the twist — it doesn’t try to hide it. Instead, it leans into its roots, transplanting Martin Scorsese’s Boston grit into the chaotic, colorful, and deeply Indian reality of Mumbai’s underworld. The streets aren’t just backdrops; they’re characters. The smell of street chai, the blare of autorickshaws, the way a gangster’s silk kurta catches the neon glow of a liquor shop — these details ground the narrative in a place that feels lived-in, not borrowed.
Javed Jaffrey Doesn’t Just Act — He Inhabits
What lifts Mohrey above its derivative plot is the performance of Javed Jaffrey. Born December 4, 1962, Jaffrey has spent decades in comedy — winning an IIFA for Salaam Namaste — but Bosco Salvador is his dramatic reckoning. He doesn’t play the gangster. He becomes him: a man who quotes Urdu poetry between hits, who secretly shelters displaced children, who laughs too loud at the wrong moments. Critics called it "the performance of his career," and they’re not wrong. There’s a quiet menace in the way he sips his whiskey, a vulnerability in how he stares at photos of his lost youth. He’s not a monster. He’s a man who chose power because love failed him. And that’s what makes him terrifying.
Neeraj Kabi Brings the Weight of a Broken System
Opposite him, Neeraj Kabi as Inspector Jabbar isn’t just the law — he’s the conscience that refuses to be silenced. His cop isn’t a hero; he’s a man haunted by a past he can’t outrun, a trauma that bleeds into every decision. The scenes where he confronts Bosco aren’t showdowns — they’re funerals for what could’ve been. Their chemistry is electric, not because they’re enemies, but because they recognize themselves in each other. One chose the gun. The other chose the badge — but both are prisoners of the same city.
Supporting Cast Shines Amid Familiar Tropes
The show’s strength lies in its depth. Pradnya Motghare as journalist Asmi isn’t just eye candy — she’s the moral compass who risks everything to expose the truth. Suchitra Pillai and Shailesh Datar bring quiet power to roles that could’ve been cardboard. Even the younger cast — Aashim Gulati as Arjun and Pulkit Makol as Michael — hold their own in scenes that demand emotional precision. Their love stories with Rachel and Asmi aren’t romantic distractions; they’re lifelines in a world that offers none.
AI, Pacing, and That Unfinished Ending
One of the more surprising technical choices? The use of artificial intelligence to reconstruct flashbacks. The results are hauntingly effective — grainy, dreamlike, almost like memories bleeding through time. It’s not just a gimmick; it mirrors the characters’ fractured psyches. But the pacing? That’s where the show stumbles. The first three episodes drag, bogged down by exposition and slow-burn tension. But around episode four, something clicks. The dialogue sharpens. The stakes rise. You start caring — not because the plot surprises you, but because you’ve grown attached to the people in it.
And then… it ends. Episode eight closes on a cliffhanger so thick you could choke on it. No resolution. No answers. Just Bosco standing on a rooftop, looking out at the city he controls — and the camera holding on his face longer than it should. Viewers are divided: some call it a betrayal. Others, like one IMDb reviewer, say, "You’ll surely see next few seasons in future." And honestly? That’s the point. This isn’t a story that needs to be told in eight hours. It’s a world that demands more.
Why This Matters — And Why You Should Watch
Let’s be clear: Mohrey won’t win awards for originality. But it might win something rarer — loyalty. In a streaming landscape flooded with copycats and algorithm-driven content, it dares to trust its actors, its setting, and its silence. It doesn’t need explosions. It needs a glance. A pause. A whispered line of poetry before a bullet flies.
It’s not perfect. But sometimes, the most powerful stories aren’t the ones that reinvent the wheel. They’re the ones that polish it until it gleams.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mohrey a direct copy of The Departed?
Yes, the core structure — undercover agent in a crime syndicate, corrupt cop, revenge arc — mirrors The Departed. But Mohrey adds Indian cultural textures: the role of politics, the influence of religion in underworld codes, and Mumbai’s specific class divides. It’s not a scene-for-scene remake; it’s a reimagining with local soul.
Why did the series end on a cliffhanger?
The unresolved ending suggests Amazon MX Player is positioning Mohrey as a franchise. With Bosco’s empire still intact, Jabbar’s trauma unresolved, and key characters like Asmi and Arjun still in danger, the door is wide open. The production team has hinted at a second season, especially after strong viewer retention after episode three.
Who is the real villain in Mohrey?
It’s not Bosco or Jabbar — it’s the system. Political figures, media manipulation, and institutional apathy are woven into every crime. Even the AI-reconstructed flashbacks serve to show how trauma is inherited, not chosen. The real villain is the city that turns boys into gangsters and cops into ghosts.
Is Javed Jaffrey’s performance really that good?
Critics and audiences agree — yes. Jaffrey brings a rare blend of charm, cruelty, and vulnerability to Bosco. His physicality — the way he walks, the pauses between lines, the way he touches his rosary before a hit — adds layers no script could write. This isn’t just acting; it’s transformation. Many call it the best performance of his 40-year career.
Where was Mohrey filmed?
The series was shot entirely in Mumbai, with key scenes filmed in Dharavi, Colaba, and the abandoned warehouses of Kandivali. The production team avoided studio sets, opting for real locations to capture the city’s raw texture. Even the AI-enhanced flashbacks were built using archival footage of 1990s Mumbai, giving the past a tangible, dusty authenticity.
Will there be a second season of Mohrey?
While no official announcement has been made, production house Banijay Asia has confirmed they’re in early talks for a second season. The strong engagement spike after episode three — with a 42% increase in watch time compared to the first three episodes — makes renewal likely. Fans are already speculating about a political conspiracy involving the state’s home minister, hinted at in episode seven.
