Glory Review: Divyenndu, Pulkit Samrat Power A Gritty Thriller That Wobbles Midway

Glory – how far can one chase it? How much is too much? And where does one finally draw the line? These are the questions that linger as you finish this Divyenndu, Jannat Zubair and Pulkit Samrat starrer. Set in the heartland of Haryana, which itself is a boxing ring, the series revolves around the mystery of Guddi’s (Jannat) murder, following which her two brothers, Devinder and Ravinder (Divyenndu and Pulkit), take a pledge to find the culprit.

Karan Anshuman’s Glory is a hard-hitting thriller that goes beyond just a murder mystery. It explores ambition, obsession and the cost of chasing a dream. The deeper you go, the messier it gets. After Mirzapur, Anshuman set a benchmark that’s hard to match and expectations remain high. While Glory delivers

an engaging narrative that leaves you with lingering questions, it falters midway, with a few plot points feeling forced and certain situations avoidable. The climax does pack a punch, but a storyline that begins with sharp precision starts to lose its grip by the sixth episode.

Divyenndu in dark roles has always been a delight to watch, but he also carries a huge baggage of expectations. The magic of Munna Bhaiya is not going to die down. While his role as Dev in Glory has several facets that make it different from his previous roles, his on-screen aggression at times echoes his iconic turn in Mirzapur.  Keeping that aside, Divyenndu as Dev is compelling. While not truly a lover boy, this character shows his possessive side. He manages to portray a soft boy within a dark role, and that’s commendable.

Pulkit Samrat as Ravi, aka Ravinder, is what really stands out. It’s not often that we see Pulkit in such an angry young man avatar, but this character showcases his calibre. The role proves he has much more than a sweet boy image to offer. Pulkit has undergone tremendous training for his role in Glory, and his hard work is clearly visible on screen.

Suvinder Vicky, Guddi’s father and Coach Sir for the entire city, has one of the major roles in shaping the series. As the owner of the Haryana Boxing Club, he has just one dream, to train his protégé and win gold for the country. For him, there is no bigger victory or commitment than that. All other relationships come later, and Suvinder aces the role of Coach Sir with utmost honesty.

The dynamic between Coach Sir and Dev, and the reason behind their relationship, the backstory of Ravi quitting boxing, and why both brothers lived away from their sister for so long, while this season answers many questions, it also leaves several unanswered. Let’s keep it that way and have you discover what happens next and who the murderer is.

Meanwhile, Jannat Zubair, around whose murder the entire story revolves, has a relatively smaller role. Jannat, despite limited screen time, leaves a lasting impact as Guddi. Meanwhile, Sayani Gupta, Sikander Kher and Ashutosh Rana lend solid support, adding depth to the narrative.

Overall, Glory stands as a strong murder mystery that keeps its audience hooked with every new twist. That said, the narrative could have benefited from tighter storytelling. While the entire cast delivers sincere performances, it is Divyenndu’s commanding presence that anchors the series. While Pulkit, Jannat, Ashutosh Rana, and others deliver impactful performances, Divyenndu stands out.

Glory is now streaming on Netflix and is, without a doubt, a binge-worthy thriller. However, if you walk in expecting the magic of Mirzapur or draw comparisons between Dev and Munna, you may just disappoint yourself.