In the ever-expanding universe of OTT platforms vying for adult audiences, Ullu has carved out a distinct niche. Known for its bold storytelling, sensationalized drama, and uncensored portrayal of societal taboos, the platform’s 2023 lineup added another controversial chapter with Rikshawala . Released mid-2023, this web series quickly became a topic of discussion—not just for its explicit content, but for the socio-economic lens it attempted to apply to the life of a common rickshaw puller in an Indian metropolis.
★★½ (2.5/5) – A flawed but fascinating roadside attraction. Note: This analysis is based on the version available on the Ullu app as of September 2023. Viewer discretion is strongly advised. Rikshawala -2023- Ullu Original
Raju drives a shared auto-rickshaw in a crowded, unnamed city (shot on location in Lucknow and Mumbai’s suburban fringes). He is a migrant worker—poor, uneducated, but physically powerful. The series opens with his mundane struggles: haggling over fares, avoiding police bribes, and sending money to his village family. Conflict arises when he picks up a rich, lonely housewife, (a seasoned Ullu actress known for psychological roles), who begins to exploit his physicality under the guise of "extra services." In the ever-expanding universe of OTT platforms vying
This article takes an exhaustive look at Rikshawala -2023- Ullu Original , exploring its plot, character arcs, production quality, audience reception, and the thematic questions it raises about power, voyeurism, and survival. At first glance, Rikshawala follows a formula Ullu has perfected: a lower-class male protagonist finds himself unexpectedly seduced by upper-class women, leading to a spiral of lust, blackmail, and betrayal. However, the show attempts to ground itself in the everyday reality of a rickshaw driver named Raju (played by a newcomer actor, whose raw physicality drives the narrative). ★★½ (2
Rikshawala -2023- Ullu Original is not good in the traditional sense. It is uneven, exploitative, and melodramatic. But it is also unforgettable—a grimy, sweaty, and desperate little series that uses the rickshaw as a stage for every urban Indian fear: poverty, loneliness, surveillance, and the inexorable drive toward self-destruction.
You expect subtle writing, dislike voyeuristic framing, or are offended by transactional sex depicted without moral judgment.
However, the dialogue is stilted, and the dubbing (a common issue in Ullu productions) is noticeably off-sync in three episodes. The background score relies too heavily on a repetitive tabla-EDM fusion that undercuts dramatic moments. Still, the art direction deserves praise: Raju’s rickshaw is a character itself—patched seat covers, a dangling god idol, and a broken meter. Upon release in March 2023, Rikshawala was flagged by a Mumbai-based NGO for "glorifying transactional sex and class exploitation." A petition was filed requesting that the platform age-rate the series as A+ and restrict it to subscription-only viewing (already the case). Ullu defended the show as "social realism with erotic elements," citing the 2018 short film The Rickshaw Driver as inspiration.
