Tag: Abhishek Chauhan

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Khauf: A slow burn paranormal thriller about the horrors of patriarchy

Khauf web series

Pankaj Kumar and Surya Balakrishnan’s Khauf juxtaposes the real world issues with the traditional jump scares. The series gives a strong message on how a certain kind of men are more dangerous than the supernatural entities. The show isn’t perfect by all means but there is a lot to like led by an explosive Monika Panwar. Rajat Kapoor and Geetanjali Kulkarni also make their presence amply felt.

Starcast: Monika Panwar. Rajat Kapoor, Geetanjali Kulkarni, Chum Darang and others

Genre: Horror

Directors: Pankaj Kumar and Surya Balakrishnan

Writer and creator: Smita Singh

Producers: Sarita Patil, Vipin Agnihotri etc

Production Company: Matchbox shots

Cinematography: Pankaj Kumar

No of episodes: 8

Streaming site: Amazon Prime

In the last few years the horror genre has undergone a major reinvention with stories that go beyond creaking doors, there has been a conscious effort to give these plots a social subtext whether it is the whacky Stree films directed by Aamir Kaushik or Tumbbad a psychological horror/thriller about the devastating consequences of unlimited greed. Vishal Furia’s Chhorii movies also dealt with societal aspects combining elements of horror. The web series Khauf is a good addition to this trend. The major victory of the two directors is how they perfectly merge the real world issues faced by modern young women and combining that with the usual spooky elements.

The story of Khauf primarily revolves around Madhu (Monika Panwar). She has moved from Gwalior to a women’s hostel in Delhi. She is looking to make a fresh start but the room that she has been assigned comes with a dark past. Running parallel to this is the hakim played by a creepy Rajat Kapoor. He preys on young vulnerable girls in order to prolong his life. Geetanjali Kulkarni plays Madhuri, she is an alcoholic cop in search of her missing son. This is the story in brief nothing more can be revealed.

A strong aspect of Khauf web series is the technical department led by a brilliant Pankaj Kumar. Pankaj Kumar is a very reputed cinematographer whose work in Tumbbaad is hugely admired. Here too he brings the same level of craft, the hostel in which the young women stay becomes a major character in itself. He does a very good job in capturing a certain sense of claustrophobia. The long silences and a certain kind of lighting add to the eerie atmosphere. The setting of the story also plays a significant part in building up the tension. Delhi city has some shameful scars in cases related to atrocities on women and this includes not just the gruesome Nirbhaya case. Grounding the show in Delhi makes the horror elements even more chilling.

The hostel becomes a major character in itself

The show also does a very fine job in addressing the different issues faced by modern females. The way Madhuri juggles between the haunting past of the room and the men who prey on women gives the show some of its best moments. Monika Pawar does a fantastic job in showcasing the different emotions like anxiety and rage. The young actress is also mighty impressive in the portions where Madhuri becomes more confident after being possessed by a certain thing. Rajat Kapoor is also fantastic as a man who has zero regret about the evil things that he does. He brings in the right amount of creepiness instilling fear in the viewers minds. Geetanjali Kulkarni is also top class in a grey shaded role. The way she oscillates between a tough police women and a worried mother of an erratic boy is a delight to watch. The hostel mates played by Chum Darang, Priyanka Setia and Aasheema Vardan also make their presence amply felt. Each of these character represent a different facet of the problems faced by an everyday women in today’s society. Through their tracks the director duo of Pankaj Kumar and Surya Balakrishnan have addressed the aspect of societal expectations among other things.

Chum Darang as one of the hostel mates

A major issue with Khauf is the use of trauma as the only way to give agency for a victim, It becomes both cliched and problematic. Also the show’s tonal shift from ghosts to internalized trauma could have been handled better, a sense of clumsiness creeps in. The etching of the romantic relationship also leaves something to be desired. Abhishek Chauhan as Arun renders an instant likeability as the sweet and reliable boyfriend but the love story would have been more heartwarming with better depth.

Watch Khauf if you are a fan of horror stories mixed with social commentary

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Cubicles Season 3: An Engaging Slice-Of-Life Drama That Perfectly Captures The Drudgery Of Corporate Life

A breezy watch! 3.5

Cubicles Season 3 (Hindi)

  • Cast: Abhishek Chauhan, Naveen Shetty, Badri Chavan, and Niketan Sharma
  • Director: Divyanshu Malhotra
  • Producers: Shreyansh Pandey, Vijay Koshy, and Chaitanya Kumbhakonum
  • Music: Arabinda Neog
  • OTT platform: Sonyliv
  • No of episodes: 5

From the outside, the life of a corporate employee appears to be very envious with the high salary and the glossy office. However, these jobs come with a lot of stress.

There are inevitable office politics and situations where your equations with colleagues are severely affected.

One way to narrate a story like this is to glamorise things; the other way is to present a show that villainises everyone and everything.

Cubicles web series falls under the third category, where you have a balanced and realistic outlook.

Synopsis

Cubicles Season 3 is based on office politics of a corporate job
‘Cubicles Season 3’ is based on the office politics of a corporate job. (X)

For those who have not seen the first two seasons, the plot primarily revolves around the life of Piyush Prajapati (Abhishek Chauhan). The first two seasons were about his journey in Synnotech Innovations.

The first two seasons portray the highs and lows of his professional career and how he navigates the different aspects of life — related to both work and personal friendships.

The web show struck a chord with the audience, particularly the IT employees.

Naturally, there are certain expectations from Cubicles Season 3 and director Divyanshu Malhotra does meet those expectations.

In Cubicles Season 3, Piyush Prajapati is promoted as a team leader. He now has the task of leading a team comprising his close friends. These include Suniana (Ayushi Gupta), Gautam (Badri Chavan), and Naveen Shetty (Niketan Sharma).

In simple terms, Cubicles Season 3 showcases the struggles of Piyush in nurturing personal connections and meeting the demands of his elevated position.

Characterisation

A big plus for Cubicles Season 3 is how the director maintains the entertainment quotient while, at the same time, giving a deep insight into the power struggles and politics that inevitably come with these high-profile jobs.

In the five episodes, Divyanshu Malhotra touches upon some important themes, including work-life balance, career aspirations and the importance of human connection in this fast-paced and competitive world.

These themes never come across as heavy-handed, thanks to the focused direction.

The director also deserves credit for how he has designed the characters of his colleagues. They have their own stories that run parallel to Piyush.

For example, Niketan Sharma’s Naveen Shetty has embraced parenthood in Cubicles Season 3, and often, the viewers see him doing a juggling act that leaves him frustrated.

Additionally, he is also not very happy with the salary. As a result, there are scenes of him taking a half-day leave in search of a job in another organisation.

Performances

The chemistry between the four friends is wonderful and will remind many working professionals of their colleagues.

Badri Chavan’s Gautam is mostly used for comic effect. He reminds you of those colleagues who crack jokes to uplift the team’s spirits. The humour does not always land, but still, he is fun to watch.

Abhishek Chauhan, as the team leader, plays his part to perfection. There is a certain relatability in the way the character has been designed.

There is a visible frustration in the scenes where Piyush makes sure his friends take him seriously and the actor does not miss a single beat.

Niketan Sharma does a brilliant job of portraying the different shades of his character.

The one actor who sticks out like a sore thumb is Nidhi Bhist. She played an important part in the first two seasons. But here, she is severely underutilised.

There is no major scope for cinematography here. But still, the office design along with the cubicles is good to watch.

The web series has also been well-edited with a crisp running time.

Final take

Cubicles Season 3 is a breezy watch that should be on your watch list irrespective of whether or not you have been a part of a corporate job.