However, everything changes when Bhaati finds a common thread connecting all the cases, leading her to suspect that a serial killer may be on the loose.

Anjali, in her thirties, rebels against the traditional background of her village, making it difficult for her mother to find a suitable groom.

She discovers a pattern among the missing women: all of them belonged to lower castes, were aged above 25, unable to marry due to poverty and their families' inability to pay a dowry, and emotionally vulnerable.

Anjali decides to change her surname back to Meghwal, symbolising her defiance against societal expectations and prejudices.

"[15] Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV rated Dahaad 4 out of 5 stars and wrote "The eight-part show, created by Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti and produced by Excel Media and Tiger Baby, is devoid of the visceral and the explosive.

It has no major action scenes, no chase sequences and no playing to the gallery by the law enforcers on the trail of a psychopath.

"[18] The Times of India wrote "Dahaad brings up something we’ve seen in various Indian dramas like Raveena Tandon’s Aranyak and Dhrashti Dhami’s Duranga, among others.

"[19] A critic from Hindustan Times praised Reema Kagti and Zoya Akhtar and wrote "Dahaad is controlled and superbly orchestrated, never giving way to the sensational tone of serial killer crusades and dramatic monologues with wide-eyed close-ups.

"[21] India Today wrote "All in all, Dahaad is a treat to all those who are a fan of cop thrillers and have been complaining of not watching a good one of late.

"[22] Vijayalakshmi Narayanan for The Free Press Journal wrote "Created alongside her frequent collaborator Zoya Akhtar, 'Dahaad' borrows a leaf from Kagti's 'Talaash' and delves into the frailties of men and women in uniform, painting a refreshing cut-away from the 'Singhams' and 'Dabanggs', we have been largely accustomed to.

"[23] Scroll.in praised performance of Sonakshi Sinha and Gulshan Devaiah and wrote "Stripped of its virtue signalling-scaffolding, Dahaad works best as a dispassionate game about hunters and the hunted.

The show is most alive in the moments when Anjali and her posse get closer to the actual killer, or when the murderer manages to scalp yet another victim.

Sonakshi Sinha, Gulshan Devaiah, and Sohum Shah are brilliant in their respective roles - never overstepping and keeping it restrained.

"[25] Zoom TV rated the series 3.5 stars and wrote "If you are someone who enjoys watching crime dramas with added mystery, Dahaad is an ideal choice for you.