Shahmaran review: Tests audience’s patience with its slow revelations

Shahmaran follows the story of Shahsu, who gets roped into a mythological prophecy that will restore peace between humans and demons from an underground paradise. The series is now streaming on Netflix.

Story

Shahsu is visiting the city of Adana for a lecture at a college. She uses this visit as a chance to meet her estranged grandfather. She longed to confront him for abandoning her mother when she was just a kid.

Shahsu’s arrival generates interest among her grandfather’s neighbors, Ural, and his children, Bike, Hare, Diba, and Maran. They are basilisks, demons that are half-humans and half-snakes, who have been in hiding for a very long time.

They were waiting for Shahsu’s arrival, as she is part of a prophecy that will lead to the rebirth of Shahmaran, the Queen of Serpents. The rebirth will restore peace between humans and basilisks.

Maran doesn’t believe in these prophecies, but time and again, he keeps crossing paths with Shahsu. According to the prophecy, he must end up with her for it to be fulfilled.

While Ural’s family awaits for the prophecy to come true, other basilisk factions plot to steal the world away from the humans who have destroyed it.

Another threat looms inside the well at Anavarza that seeks to come out and threaten Shahsu and the humans. Maran and his family vow to protect Shahsu, who is completely unaware of this world.

Performances

Serenay Sarikaya, who plays Shahsu, and Burak Deniz, who plays Maran, have great chemistry working together.

Sarikaya and Deniz work together slowly and step-by-step to form a relationship that feels genuine and not at all cheesy.

For the most part, the rest of the supporting cast doesn’t have anything that would make them stand out. It feels like they are just living in Sarikaya and Deniz’s world.

Positives

Shahmaran does feel warm and comforting, owing to the families portrayed. Ural’s family, in particular, is quite intriguing in itself. The members work well together.

The show equally balances its mix of romance, fantasy, and horror elements. At times, it feels like a slice-of-life drama, and sometimes horror scenes are thrust in front of you abruptly.

The story of Shahmaran and the prophecy portrayed in the show go well together. One gets hooked on this mythical story when Maran starts explaining what the prophecy is about in the finale.

Negatives

The show tests the audience’s patience a lot. The makers create a mystery around these prophecies and the entity that is locked in the well somewhere far away.

The viewers expect at least some revelations along the journey, but Shahmaran rather keeps everything to itself until the finale, where the story starts making some sense.

The character of Shahsu is a bit questionable. She comes across as a strong and bold character but doesn’t doubt Maran and his family at all, even though there are so many reasons to suspect what they are up to.

Lastly, the CGI in several places is not pleasing either. There are only a few times the show has tried to use it, and it should’ve delivered the best out of it.

Verdict

Shahmaran is not something new. Supernatural dramas like this are available in abundance. One can watch this show to see how Shahmaran’s story is incorporated into the drama.

Apart from that, the show plays with your mind by not offering better explanations or even some hints about the story it is telling throughout its run.

---

Also Read: Shahmaran ending explained: Who rises from the well?