However, Rikshawala is not without its flaws, some of which are structural. The show occasionally succumbs to the very sensationalism it critiques. Certain vengeance sequences stretch plausibility, leaning into the lurid excess that Ullu is known for. Moreover, the series fails to offer any systemic solution or even a moment of genuine solidarity. The protagonist’s journey is entirely isolating; no collective action, no union, no neighborly intervention saves him. This nihilism is realistic, perhaps, but it leaves the viewer with a hollow aftertaste. The final shot—a long, static take of the empty, rain-soaked rickshaw—is powerful, but one wonders if the show’s politics are ultimately reactionary rather than revolutionary.
As with most Ullu Originals, Rikshawala has received polarizing reviews. Rikshawala -2023- Ullu Original EXCLUSIVE
However, Rikshawala is not without its flaws, some of which are structural. The show occasionally succumbs to the very sensationalism it critiques. Certain vengeance sequences stretch plausibility, leaning into the lurid excess that Ullu is known for. Moreover, the series fails to offer any systemic solution or even a moment of genuine solidarity. The protagonist’s journey is entirely isolating; no collective action, no union, no neighborly intervention saves him. This nihilism is realistic, perhaps, but it leaves the viewer with a hollow aftertaste. The final shot—a long, static take of the empty, rain-soaked rickshaw—is powerful, but one wonders if the show’s politics are ultimately reactionary rather than revolutionary.
As with most Ullu Originals, Rikshawala has received polarizing reviews.