This series, like a whiff of fresh air in the barrage of crime thrillers, brings to us a delightful slice of life story with a rustic charm, well written, relatable characters and their take on romance, love and life.
Cast – Neeraj Kabi, Geetanjali Kulkarni ,Danish Husain, Sheeba Chaddha, Anud Singh Dhaka, Anshul Chauhan, Paras Priyadarshan.
Director/Writer – Pushpendra Nath Misra
Plot
The story is set in and around Lucknow in 1989 and dwells on multiple characters, their lives, dynamics and how love could have different connotations and varied expressions for different people.
Akhtar Baig (Neeraj Kabi), a philosophy professor and Sarita Baig (Geetanjali Kulkarni), a physics professor are grappling with a dormant marriage. He is too poetic and philosophic and she is very pragmatic. They are both suffering because of different interpretations of romance and an unwillingness to see each other’s perspective.
Sudhakar (Danish Hussain) and Mumtaz (Sheeba Chaddha) are a couple on opposite ends of spectrum in real life, share an adorable chemistry but have to together battle the world.
There’s a bunch of youngsters Rashmi (Anshul), Dharam (Paras) and Angad (Anud) studying together in college and their life is a full on package of romance, passion, politics, infatuation, aspirations, jealousies et al. At this age, they have their own takes at love, life and relationships.
Watch this series to know what the future holds for these couples.
Analysis
The best thing about this series is undoubtedly its writing.
Pushpendra Nath Misra creates characters so well etched that they really make a connect. Their dynamics and behaviours are realistic and relatable. The fact that they are played by a fine set of actors was like an icing on the cake.
The next ace up his sleeves are the dialogues. Highly engaging, they bring in humour, shayari, poetry, thought provoking philosophy and at times they are profound and impactful.
The realistic locations used add to the era feel.
Performances
The show owes as much to its fine cast as to its writing.
Am a fan of Geetanjali Kulkarni ever since I saw her in Court and she stood out even in small roles like Mukti Bhawan and Photograph. Loved her in this meaty role that she justifies with her realistic performance.
Danish Husain, who recently won our hearts in Mee Raqsam impresses as he plays the soft spoken, sorted and adorable Sudhakar. Would love to see more of him.
Sheeba Chaddha, another of my favourites is superb. She looks real as the raw Mumtaz.
Neeraj Kabi is good too.
Out of the youngsters, I found Udit Singh most impressive. His raw naughty charm reminded me of Ranveer Singh in his earlier films.
Recommendation
This series offers a wholesome package of entertainment, complete with drama, humour, emotions, a perfect dose of some practical tips about life and love, a dash of shayari, a bit of philosophy of life and all this is backed up by a set of performances that are a delight to watch.Those who love slice of life cinema must not miss this one.