OTT opens new doors for female actors

With the advent of OTT, the likes of Shefali Shah, Sushmita Sen, Manisha Koirala, and Sonakshi Sinha got their due.

The advent of OTT platforms has led to a significant change in more ways than one. One of the major changes has been to the narrative style.

Thanks to the longer runtime and long-form format, web shows have more scope for sustained storytelling.

Another major positive change is the space OTT has created for female actors to challenge themselves in mainstream and middle-of-the-road cinema.

With the longer runtime in web series, the actors have more time to build their characters and delve deeper into the nuances, which is often not possible in mainstream films with a limited run time.

They are also breaking the stereotypes of age and conventional roles.

Many female actors, despite talent, have been limited to supporting roles, with minimal scope of showing their acting prowess.

Of course, there have been phases where women-centric films have garnered both critical acclaim and commercial success. Some of these include The Dirty Picture (2011), Kahaani (2012), Queen (2014), Neerja (2016), Raazi (2018), etc.

However, the format of a web series offers more scope for the portrayal of powerful characters.

With the advent of OTT space, female actors got their due, especially in the case of Shefali Shah and Manisha Koirala, who have shone in Delhi Crime (2019 and 2022) and Heeramandi (2024) respectively.

Careers of Shefali Shah & Sushmita Sen revived

Shefali Shah in ‘Delhi Crime’. (X)

Among the firsts is the web series Delhi Crime (2019 and 2022), which revived the career of Shefali Shah.

She played the role of a DCP in the Delhi police. DCP Varthika helms the team which investigates the Nirbhaya case and also handles the public anger owing to the heinous crime.

She is a strong-willed officer who is also dealing with a rebellious daughter. The audiences had not seen Shefali previously in this kind of role and she surprised one and all with a rock-solid performance. Shefali Shah further surprised the spectators with her negative role in Human (2021).

Another similar example is Sushmita Sen, known for her glamorous roles, including that of lecturer Miss Chandini in Farah Khan’s masala potboiler Main Hoon Na (2004). While she was presented glamorously, the actor in Sushmita has mostly taken a backseat on the big screen.

Then comes Aarya (2020, 2021, 2023, and 2024) and Taali (2023)—the perfect examples of why Sushmita deserves better roles in mainstream cinema.

In Aarya— a crime thriller, she goes from being a single mother to eventually being sucked into the world of crime.

Taali, on the other hand, was a biopic of the transgender activist Shreegauri Sawant. In both these series, Sushmita was absolutely brilliant.

A realistic portrayal by Huma Qureshi

Huma Qureshi in ‘Maharani’. (X)

Huma Qureshi reinvented herself with the web series Maharani.

She has always been a competent actor starting from the Gangs of Wasseypur (2012) movies. She played important roles in movies like Badlapur (2015) but has never carried a film on her shoulders.

However, in the three seasons of Maharani, Huma showcased her larger bandwidth to play with. Her role of Rani Bharati (based on Rabri Devi) starts as a simple woman who is happy in her domestic life.

She is a school dropout much like the other women in her village. However, her life undergoes a huge change when her husband who is also the Bihar chief minister gets severely injured in a shootout.

From feeling like a fish out of water to becoming a fierce administrator, there is a huge canvas that Huma Qureshi got to play with and the actor absolutely nailed it.

In all three seasons, she got the nuances of the role spot on. She also did a good job of getting her dialect right.

Sonakshi Sinha & her acting prowess

Sonakshi Sinha in ‘Dahaad’. (X)

Then comes Sonakshi Sinha, who has shown that she is here to stay with Dahaad (2023) and Heeramandi (2024).

For a large part of her movie career, Sonakshi has played roles where she is restricted to just a song and dance routine, and being a damsel in distress waiting to be rescued.

These include Rowdy Rathore (2012), R Rajkumar (2013), the Dabbang films (2010, 2012, and 2019) and even the last theatrical release Bade Miyan Chote Miyan.

Yes, some of these movies have turned out to be money spinners but a sense of repetitiveness crept in.

However, the two-web series—Dahaad and Heeramandi—showed the actor in a very different light.

In Dahaad, Sonakshi Sinha was seen as a Dalit police officer (Anjali Bhaati).

On more than one occasion, she is insulted because of her gender and caste.

Sonakshi was adequately fierce and managed to capture the grittiness of a determined police officer well.

In Heeramandi, Sonakshi played an archrival to Manisha Koirala’s Mallikajaan; Sonakshi’s Fareedan is as ruthless and emotional as Mallikajaan.

Sonakshi Sinha chewed the scenery and more than held her own opposite the more accomplished Manisha Koirala. Fareedan was an absolute firebrand and Sonakshi did complete justice to her part.

A powerful comeback for Manisha Koirala

Manisha Koirala in ‘Heeramandi’. (X)

Heeramandi has also given a fresh lease of life to Manisha Koirala’s career.

In the films post her cancer recovery, the actor played a mother to heroes Ranbir Kapoor and Kartik Aryan respectively. There is a little depth in these characters for Manisha to chew into.

However, Heeramandi is a show that will give a major impetus to her second innings.

The role of Mallikajaan is far removed from all her previous roles; she never played a terrifying matriarch before. The body language along with dark shades is a completely new territory.

It is something that the viewers don’t expect from Manish Koirala, but the actor surprised everyone.

She portrayed both dark shades and emotional vulnerability with finesse.

Konkana Sen & Karishma Tanna

Konkona Sen, an actor par excellence, proved her talent over and over again in many shows and films. However, with Killer Soup (2024), the versatile actor proved she could play a negative character with equal finesse.

Konkona did play a negative role in Ek Thi Daayan (2013), but in that movie, she was just one of the three heroines. The Abhishek Chaubey directorial, though, had her as a major pivot.

Karishma Tanna in ‘Scoop’. (X)

In the Killer Soup web series, Konkona Sen played a housewife named Swati Shetty.

Swati dreams of opening a restaurant so she can have an identity of her own. But all she gets in the name of support from her husband are empty promises.

The role of Swati goes from a loving wife to a plotting woman. Konkona pulled off the different moods without fumbles.

Finally coming to the splendid performance of Karishma Tanna in Scoop (2023). The actor, too, has been part of known movies like Grand Masti (2013) and Sanju (2018). In these films, she was a mere glam doll.

But Scoop turned out to be a big game changer as the role was author-backed and Karishma made complete use of it.

In this web show, she played a journalist named Jagruti, who was falsely implicated in the murder of a fellow investigative journalist.

The role comes with many shades, starting as a confident woman who later becomes dejected yet maintains a fighting spirit in the harsh jail atmosphere.

Karishma Tanna was immensely successful in making the viewers root for Jagruti.

This is just a brief peek into how OTT has opened new doors for female actors. Many more women actors from mainstream and middle-of-the-road cinema are likely to join this list in the future.

Neeyat: A Concoction Of Agatha Christie And Sherlock Holmes That Produces More Groans Than Thrills

Director Anu Menon creates the right atmosphere, thanks to the art direction and cinematography, but flounders when it comes to storytelling.

Flat direction!
Neeyat (Hindi)
  • Cast: Vidya Balan, Ram Kapoor, Shahana Goswami, Shashank Arora, Amrita Puri, and Shefali Shah (special appearance)
  • Writer-Director: Anu Menon
  • Producer: Vikram Malhotra
  • Music: Mickey McCleary
  • Runtime: 2 hours and 10 minutes

Director Anu Menon’s Neeyat (Motive) is a solid example of how making a mystery film is not everyone’s cup of tea. Apart from the Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes hangover, the film also reminds you of Daniel Craig’s Knives Out (2019).

Neeyat also has a minuscule semblance to the pilot episode of Vishal Bharadwaj’s web series Charlie Chopra & The Mystery of Solang Valley (2023).

Well, there is nothing wrong with getting influenced by the works of others provided you make a compelling film. But Anu Menon’s Neeyat provides very few thrills. In fact, the thrills can be counted on your fingertips.

Synopsis

The film’s plot revolves around a fugitive billionaire Ashish Kapoor (Ram Kapoor).

It is easy to guess that he is modelled by several businessmen who have committed financial fraud and escaped from the country. His over-ambitious behaviour causes many innocent employees in his company to commit suicide.

Ashish Kapoor has a beautiful mansion by the seaside in Scotland. He decides to celebrate his birthday there with close family members and friends. They all have their inner demons.

Present at this party is also the supposed CBI officer Meera Rao (Vidya Balan).

Things take a drastic turn when Ashish Kapoor is found dead under the sea. What follows is a whodunnit where each member is a suspect.

Ram Kapoor & Rahul Bose stand out

There are only a few actors who stand out in this ensemble cast.  Chief among them is Ram Kapoor and Rahul Bose.

Ram Kapoor plays the power-hungry billionaire with panache. He does a swell job of capturing the eccentrics of Ashish.

Rahul Bose also has his moments playing Ashish Kapoor’s brother-in-law Jimmy. His character is a caricature but Rahul Bose makes it land with his enthusiasm.

Last but not least, Shefali Shah, in a special appearance, packs a far bigger punch than Vidya in the entire film.

There are a couple of twists that do take you by surprise — one of them is Ram Kapoor’s character and the other is Vidya Balan’s. But these twists come so late that the audiences are exhausted by that time.

Dragged narrative

As mentioned earlier, Anu Menon does create the right atmosphere. This is majorly thanks to Lydia Moss’s art direction and the cinematography by Andreas Neo.

They both are successful in creating a tension-filled atmosphere. This atmosphere adds more depth to the story than the direction.

Ashish Kapoor’s mansion is also a character in itself.

However, a big issue with Neeyat is the dragged narration of Anu Menon. The film takes a long time to get to the point. The pacing is slow and some layers have been unnecessarily added.

Neeyat also tries to make social commentary on how the employees are left in a lurch because of these power-hungry billionaires, driving them to suicide. But these portions don’t make any impact because of the flat direction.

Another major problem with Neeyat is how Vidya Balan goes about her role as Meera Rao. The energy needed for a female Sherlock Holmes is absolutely missing. Vidya plays her character with unenthusiasm.

Verdict

In all, Anu Menon’s Neeyat produces more groans than thrills.

(Views expressed here are personal.)

Year-End Roundup: Best Hindi Movies Of 2022

2022 has been a mixed year for films in Bollywood. It witnessed the best Hindi movies, and the worst, too.

Several male stars delivered big duds. For example, Ranveer Singh had two releases: Jayeshbhai Jordar and Cirkus. Neither of them had set the box office on fire.

Similarly, several remakes have bitten the dust. The Hindi remakes of Vikram VedhaMili, and Jersey are a few examples. Only Drishyam 2 managed to become a blockbuster.

2022 also had its share of wonderful films both in theatres and OTT. Let’s check the best Hindi movies of 2022:

Gangubai Kathiawadi

It was the first big Bollywood release, post the second wave of the pandemic. Gangubai Kathiawadi was released at a time when theatres were operating at 50 percent occupancy, particularly in Mumbai.

The film was based on a chapter from Hussain Zaidi’s book The Mafia Queens of Mumbai. There was certain scepticism on whether Bhansali would be able to pull off this gritty real-life story, considering that his Ram LeelaBajirao Mastani, and Padmavat were larger-than-life movies.

However, both Bhansali and its leading lady Alia Bhatt surprised one and all. Though Gangubai Kathiawadi had its share of Bhansali-trademark elements in the way the area of Kamatipura was staged, the film had a beating heart which made it much more than just a visual spectacle.

Gangubai Kathiawadi also offered Alia her widest canvas to date. The actor made sure Bhansali’s faith in her did not go in vain.

In fact, Alia sunk her teeth into the role and came up with a performance that is far superior to her previous ones. Physicality was a problem at times, but it is to the actor’s credit that this aspect did not become bothersome for the audience.

Alia expressed a lot just through her body language. The best example of this is the song “Meri Jaan” which takes place between her and Shantanu Maheswari in a car.

There was a multitude of emotions that she had to convey and the actress just killed it.

Another example is one of the initial scenes when the character stands in front of a brothel, leaning on a wall and calling out for men in whispers.

There are no dialogues, let alone a heavy monologue, but Alia conveys the pain of Gangu superbly, just through her eyes. Her performance easily stands amongst the best seen on-screen.

The supporting cast made this film even more memorable. Shantanu Maheswari as the Muslim tailor Afshan made a successful detour from television to films.

The love story between him and Gangu was handled with a lot of sensitivity. Audiences feel sad when the couple does not have a happy ending.

Ajay Devgan as Rahim Lala only had an extended special appearance, but the senior actor was as solid as ever.

Another character worthy of mention is Jim Sarbh, as a journalist. In their first scene, Gangubai introduces herself as Gangubai, the prostitute. This shocks Jim’s character.

Darlings

A story on domestic abuse on-screen is something that calls for a lot of sensitivity. Debut director Jasmeet K Rheen was brave enough to pick it up and mix it with elements of thriller and comedy.

This is a difficult mix to pull off for any director, let alone a debutant. But she managed to make it mainstream.

However, Darlings (released on Netflix) has its flaws: The tonal shift in the second half feels rather abrupt; the dark comedy doesn’t completely land. The indecisiveness of Badru makes the audience impatient.

But then, there is also a lot to like about Darlings. Chief among them is the mother-daughter dynamics portrayed excellently by Shefali Shah and Alia Bhat. The constant tussle between mother and daughter led to some thoroughly entertaining moments.

Jasmeet K Rheen also makes some valid points on the unequal power structure of marriage.

Unlike in Gangubai Kathiawadi, Alia is not the driving force in this film. But the audience roots for her because each one of us can see a family member or friend in her plight.

Kudos to the actor for choosing this film as her maiden production venture.

While Vijay Varma looked truly a scary psychopath, Roshan Mathews in the role of Zulfi was charm personified.

Jalsa

The story of Jalsa (streaming on Amazon Prime Video) is far from cheerful, as the title indicates.

Director Suresh Triveni packs a lot of serious stuff in the movie, starting from moral ambiguities to class divide. There are occasions when it feels too scattered and the characterisation of Vidya Balan leaves a lot to be desired, which I will get to later.

Vidya is introduced as Maya, a strong-willed journalist. She is someone who believes that truth should come out no matter what.

However, when she gets embroiled in an unfortunate accident, she does not stand up to what she preaches. The victim happens to be the daughter of her domestic help Ruksana, played by Shefali Shah.

Despite Jalsa being a new genre for Suresh Triveni, there is no denying the command that the director showed.

He is particularly impressive in showcasing the intricacies of human behaviour when they are pushed to the edge. The class divide between the two central characters was captured well by him.

There is a scene in the first half when Ruksana’s son gets fascinated with the motion flush in the toilet. For him, it is like a toy that only rich people can buy.

Rohini Hattangadi as Vidya’s mother spreads so much warmth whenever she appears on the screen.

Lastly, Ruksana’s bond with Maya’s 10-year-old son, who suffers from cerebral palsy, is also good to watch.

As mentioned earlier, Vidya’s character severely suffered from loose characterisation. At no point do we get a glimpse of Maya’s remorse.

Yes, a certain fear is there about police catching up with her. However, there is no proper scene where Maya feels bad for what she has done. This doesn’t go down well with what is shown in the beginning.

The looseness in the writing also reflects in Vidya’s acting. The actress is sincere but we have seen her do far better in the past.

The climax also ought to have been more power-packed. The stereotypical representation of journalists is another put-off. Not surprisingly, Shefali Shah walked away with the top honours.

Drishyam 2

The Hindi remake of the second Drishyam arrived at a time when there was a saturation of remakes.

Films like Vikram VedhaJersey, and Mili couldn’t do much despite having good reviews. However, there were more expectations from this sequel, given that the Malayalam original didn’t release in theatres and there was no dubbed Hindi version available.

The trailer was well received and the presence of the underrated Akshay Khanna added to the curiosity. The film was expected to be at least a hit; however, it went far beyond the expectations of the trade.

Drishyam 2 is one of those rare films that holds its own, both as a remake and also as a standalone film.

Much like the Malayalam original, here too, there are no heroes and villains. The audiences root equally for the common man Vijay (Ajay Devgan) and the police officer (Tabu).

Director Abhishek Pathak deserves huge appreciation for how he adapted the source material, while at the same time, adding certain things that don’t disturb the flow of the original.

Akshay Khanna brought a certain dynamism to his role of a determined cop-cum-friend.

Some sarcastic one-liners brought a smile to our faces, like the one when Akshay’s Tarun mocks Vijay about the latter’s story on what happened that night.

Good Luck Jerry

This is a remake of the acclaimed Tamil film Kolamaavu Kokila. The original was greatly appreciated for its performances and direction. Nayanthara aced her parts in the original.

There were doubts if Janhvi Kapoor would be able to pull off this author-backed role. However, to her credit, she was more than efficient.

Siddarth Sen, who directed Good Luck Jerry (streaming on Disney+ Hotstar), transported the Tamil original to Punjab. He added the angle of Jerry and her family as Punjabi migrants.

The father was replaced by a kind-hearted neighbour. Much like the original, here too, you root for the leading lady.

Good Luck Jerry had elements of both crime and comedy. This concoction was well handled by the director. Much of the film’s laughter comes from Rinku (Deepak Dobriyal). His one-side lover act packs quite a punch.

The movie also gave Janhvi some moments to showcase her masala side and the actress made full use of it. She is particularly good when Jerry has to take things into her own hands.

Mili

This is a survival drama starring Janhvi Kapoor. It is a remake of the Malayalam super-hit flick Helen, starring Anna Ben in the title role.

Survival drama is not a genre that can be watched on a repeat mode and it certainly isn’t for the weak-hearted. Mathukutty Xavier remade his own Malayalam hit into Mili.

Not surprisingly, it didn’t find many takers. But it did great justice to the original. In fact, we can watch Mili even if we have seen Helen.

The best part of the movie is when the survival drama takes over, with Mili’s father and boyfriend joining hands for their loved one.

The freezer room portions make you feel that you are actually with Mili. AR Rahman’s background music also added to the thrills.

The father-daughter relationship was the major backbone and it was a delight to watch Manoj Pahwa and Janhvi sharing screen space.

Sunny Kaushal could have had more scenes with Janhvi but even in those few scenes, he made his presence amply felt with his amiable nature.

Janhvi knocked it out of the park with her terrific performance as Mili, the title role. She makes the pain of the character so real.

Mili also had some impactful social commentary in terms of portraying the stereotypes attached to young working women.

Delhi Crime Season 2: An Immersive Investigative Thriller That Perfectly Depicts The Structure Of Caste And Class

The first season of Delhi Crime was a winner on several accounts. It was based on the aftermath of the well known Nirbhaya case. The series was much more than just your typical police hunt down. The plot was narrated from the perspective of DCP Varthika (A brilliant Shefali Shah). The series made subtle comments on the socio-political conditions that we live in, and how these impact the police force. These included mounting public pressure, dealing with protests and even flak from their own family members. Director Richie Mehta showed a very humane and vulnerable side of the police personnel. The pacing of the story was also fast paced. Most importantly it never turned gory, but yet it was heartbreaking without any melodrama.

Not surprisingly Delhi Crime won an award for outstanding series at the international Emmy awards held in September 2020. It was the first ever Indian series to win this award. Shefali Shah also won numerous awards for her performance. Naturally expectations from Season 2 are high. This time around Tanuja Chopra has directed the series, with Richie Mehta being the creative head.

First and foremost those who haven’t seen season 1 can still connect with season 2 like Family Man 1 and 2 seasons. This time around the focus is on a fictionalized version of the crimes committed by a gang called Kachcha- baniyan and the investigations that followed.

This gang terrorized those senior citizens who lived in gated communities. This gang breaks into their homes in the middle of the night. The reason for calling them Kacha-baniyan is their dressing while committing these crimes. All the gang members are dressed in underclothes. They would also smear their bodies with oil, making it difficult to catch them during a chase.

The rest of the story is about how Shefali Shah along with her team captures the culprits responsible for these attacks. Through this murder mystery Tanuja Chopra also touches upon how certain tribes are criminalized without realizing how problematic it is.

The best part of Delhi Crime Season 2 is the subplot highlighting the class issue and how deep rooted it is in our society. The director makes a strong statement about the injustice done to the underprivileged tribes and how the members of these tribes are criminalized. The show talks about the disparity in society which leads to these crimes being committed.

The aspect of social discrimination is brought through Tillotama Shome’s Lata Solanki. Through Lata Solanki, Tanuja chopra and the creative head Richie Mehta make a point about how no one is a born criminal.

The entire police investigation is also layered. It keeps you hooked to the proceedings. The professional and personal lives of these policemen and women are smartly integrated. The constant pressure that Shefali Shah’s Vartika faces from the higher ups to somehow solve the case makes you empathize with her. Equally effective are the other characters led by ACP Neeti Singh (Rasika Dugal). Her journey from a trainee in the first season to an ACP now is also well explored.

Her dynamics with the demanding husband and the scene where she stands up for herself gives the show some of its best moments.

Shefali Shah continues her winning form, she essays the various emotions from exhaustion to anger with her usual brilliance

Needlessly to say that Shefali Shah continues her winning form, she essays the various emotions from exhaustion to anger with her usual brilliance. Rasika Dugal and Rajesh Tailing also stand out as the loyalists of Vartika. Tillotama Shome is another standout performer. She does a brilliant job in portraying the eccentrics of her character.

Final word: Delhi Crime Season 2 is a perfect binge watch for those who love thrillers that show a mirror to society.

Darlings: Watch This Domestic Noir For The Acting Performances And The Message

Jasmeet K Rheen’s Darlings is a domestic noir filled with elements of a dark comedy and thriller. It is a difficult genre to crack for any director let alone a debutant. The rough edges are very much visible but there is no denying that Jasmeet makes some important points on domestic abuse, most importantly it doesn’t paint all men as monsters. It is also a delight to watch the ensemble cast of Alia Bhatt, Shefali Shah, Vijay Varma and Roshan Mathew. Alia has co produced this film under the banner of Eternal Sunshine productions.

The story of Darlings is set in a lower middle-class Muslim dominated neighbourhood. Badrunisaa (aka Badru) played by Alia Bhatt is a  woman who is married to an abusive man Hamza (Vijay Varma). Badru represents those housewives that put up with abuse in hope that the husband will change one day. Shefali Shah plays Badru’s mother Shamshunisaa. Shamshunisaa is a more practical woman who knows that Hamza is never going to change, the reason being she has had her own share of domestic abuse in the hands of her deceased husband. She constantly advises Badru to leave Hamza but Badru is admant that her husband will change. The fourth key character is Zulfi (Roshan Mathew). He is the antithesis to the violent Hamza. He is an aspiring screenplay writer who also sells household appliances for a living. Zulfi also serves a solo delivery boy for the dabba service of Shamshu. Coming back to the marriage of Badru and Hamza, a certain incident happens, which leaves Badru with no option, other than to make Hamza pay for his sins with the help of her mother. These plans lead to several risky situations. The dark humour is generated out of the outlandish situations that arise out of these plans.

Jasmeet K Rheen does a wonderful job in setting up the world of Badru and Shamshu. Both these women are as different as chalk and cheese, this makes the dynamics between the two more interesting.

The bustling chawl where the film takes place plays out as a character in itself. The scenes leading up to the domestic violence is filled with a sense of dread that makes you uncomfortable.

Jasmeet also does a good job in addressing the unequal power structure of marriage. This comes out brilliantly in a scene  of police station where Shefali Shah says that world may have changed for those on twitter and facebook but not for them.

The biggest pleasure of watching Darlings lies in watching the scenes between Shefali Shah and Alia. There is a constant tussle happening throughout between the mother and daughter. This leads to many entertaining moments.

Out of the two Shefali Shah has the more fleshed role and not surprisingly the actress does a stellar job. She pulls off her quirky character with ease, and is the source of comic relief in many scenes. Alia as Badru starts off this as this submissive wife and it takes some time for Badru to transform. The transition could have better etched out but it is to the credit of the actress that she sells it. Alia plays the character with complete conviction and wholeheartedly embraces all the contradictions of Badru. Alia is particularly impressive in the climax scene. Vijay Varma makes for a terrific psychopath. He effortlessly switches from a loving husband to a violent demon within a matter of second. Lastly Roshan Mathew is also charming as the loving Zulfi. His scenes with the mother and daughter do bring a smile on your face.

Darlings falters when the director starts mixing elements of dark comedy with thriller. The situations in the second half lack plausibility factor even within the outlandish situation. Badru tying Hamza with dupatta and constantly giving him sleeping pills is too farfetched. The policemen led by Vijay Maurya come across as bumbling fools.

Another major problem is that director Jasmeet takes way too much time for Badru to finally come to a decision. This indecisiveness of Badru till the last moment makes it hard for the audiences to root for her character in entirety.

All said and done, Jasmeet addresses the different dynamics in an abusive marriage, but mixing of elements needed to better. A more matured director was the need of the hour.

Jalsa: Shefali Shah Shines Bright In This Complex Human Drama

Suresh Triveni’s debut feature Tumhari Sulu was a film about a housewife who is full of life. It was a slice of life film that resonated with the audiences, particularly the middle aged women. Here the director switches gears and tells a story about moral ambiguities and class divide among other aspects. There is a lot that the director packs in, sometimes it feels too cluttered but still the film is largely watchable. A major reason for that is Shefali Shah’s presence. The actress is clearly having a blast in her second innings but more on that later.

Maya played by Vidya Balan is a strong willed, super popular journalist. This comes out strongly in the introduction scene of Maya . We see her grilling a powerful person, there is a holier than dow attitude. It is a character which is clearly influenced by Barka Dutt just like the many female journalists that we have seen on screen. Maya is someone who believes that truth should come out however things take a turn when she gets embroiled in an unfortunate accident. Shefali Shah plays the house help of Maya called Rukshana. Rukshana’s daughter is the girl who gets hit by the car and is severely injured.

What follows is a series of events that challenges nearly all the characters and pushes them to confront their dilemmas. Other important characters include Rohini Hattangadi who plays Vidya’s on screen mother. Revealing anything more wouldn’t be appropriate as there are many threads in the screenplay.

Suresh Triveni is successful in capturing the audience’s attention from the start, the sense of dread and foreboding is masterfully captured. As a result you are sucked into the story and want to know what will happen next.

An important aspect of Jalsa is the intricacies of human behavior when they are pushed over the edge. At many points Jalsa unfolds like an examination of human psychology.

The class divide between Rukshana and Maya has also been brought out well by the director. This divide can be seen in many scenes. For example there is a scene where Rukshana’s son comes to Maya’s house. He plays around with motion flush in the toilet; he is very amused by the number of toys that rich people can buy.

The scenes featuring Rohini Hattangadi are filled with certain warmth. It is a straight forward role but still the scenes work because of the effervescence that the senior actress brings in. The good thing about her character is that she gives it back to Vidya’s Maya. She doesn’t take things lying down when Maya has fits of anger.

Lastly the scenes featuring Surya Kashibhatla as the 10 year old boy with cerebral palsy are also very good to watch. The bond that he and Rukshana share comes out naturally. This is why the twist in Rukshana’s character during the pre-climax feels odd.

Coming to Shefali Shah it is great to see the actress doing such great work in her second innings. As Rukshana she uses her eyes to great effect. She does a splendid job in portraying the anger and the dismay. She doesn’t speak a lot in the film but it is her performance that you remember the most. It is difficult to say that this is the same actress who played the unapologetic villain in the web series Human.

The chief reason why Jalsa doesn’t become a great film is due to the inconsistent characterization of Vidya Balan. We are first introduced to her as someone who is absolutely fearless and can manage anything. However there is a serious shift in the tonality as we go along.

Yes a certain fear would be there at the start but you never see her feeling guilty about what she did. It is always about what will happen if the police find out. The character actions and the characterization don’t simply gell.

There is an attempt to show that she is feeling guilty towards the end but it never feels comprehensive. We see Maya confessing to a trainee journalist called Rohini, Rohini is seen taking a video of her confession but there is no guarantee that Maya will be punished for what she has done.

The climax is also underwhelming as Maya never apologizes to Rukshana. We just see Maya sitting on a bench with her. The portrayal of the journalists is also stereotypical in nature. It is something that we have seen in countless other films; honestly it is high time that the filmmakers think differently on how to portray journalists.

Because of the inconsistent characterization Vidya’s performance also suffers badly. Her emotional outbursts feel forced and don’t create the desired impact. Vidya is sincere but we have seen the actress do far better work in the past. This is a performance that she can do even in her sleep.

Another issue with Jalsa is the addition of too many subplots. You get the feeling that Suresh Triveni has bitten more than he can chew.

In a nutshell Jalsa is very much watchable but it needed a tighter screenplay.

Human: A Show That Is Going To Haunt You For A Long Time

Vipul Amrutal and Mozez Singh’s Human is a deeply disturbing portrait on how the poor become sacrificial lambs at the secret clinical trials. The people in this case are victims who belong to the families of Bhopal gas tragedy. Most of the medical professionals that you meet in the show are manipulators of different kinds with few exceptions. It is true that the show presents a rather bleak picture of the medical community, however, at the same time the underbelly of the pharmaceutical industry is something which cannot be ignored either. The show is not making a statement that all doctors are evil, it only wants to show how some medical professionals lure the poor in order to test the drugs on them.

The story of Human revolves around a pharma giant that is trying to fast track the development of a new drug in spite of fully knowing its side effects. Kriti Kulhari plays Dr Saira Sabharwal. She lands a dream job in Bhopal’s premier hospital under the mentorship of the famous 45- year old Dr Gauri Nath (Shefali Shah). Saira looks up to Gauri as an inspiration, she feels that Gauri is an embodiment of goodness. However, she doesn’t know that Gauri is not what she appears to be on the surface. Saira grows a lot under Gauri’s tutelage as the two women start to form a deep bond. However, her life turns upside down when a shocking discovery throws her life into a chaos. This discovery is intertwined with that of a young migrant worker Mangu (Vishal Jethwa of Maardani 2 fame). Another important character is that of Roma ma (Seema Biswas). Roma and Gauri share a special relationship.

The most striking aspect of Human is the writing of Mozez Singh and Ishani Banerjee. It is not easy to showcase the ills of a profession that is considered very sacred but the writers do a wonderful job in exploring the hierarchy that exists in our society. They don’t confine themselves to just illegal drug tests, they expand the story by showcasing a number of societal evils. There are many times where the audiences will be deeply unsettled but in a good way.

The Bhopal gas tragedy has also been smartly integrated into the plot. It is not used for mere technicality. The directors deserve a huge appreciation for the sensitivity with which they have showcased the plight of the numerous generations which have been effected because of the gas tragedy.

However, it also has to be said that certain subplots don’t quite land. For example, the lesbian track of Saira feels convoluted and doesn’t really serve much purpose. The show could have also done with some trimming. The last few episodes after Saira’s expose of Gauri feel like a drag. Instead of ten, eight episodes would have been better.

The technical team of Human also does a wonderful job in creating the right atmospherics. The cinematography, production design and background score play a major part in the audiences being invested.

Shefali Shah scores the highest marks for her performance as Gauri. We don’t first see Gauri as a villain but as the show progresses several layers come out. By the end the audiences go from ‘Oh so good lady’ to please someone stop her’. The range that she shows is incredible to say the least. On a personal note can’t wait to see Shefali Shah and Alia sharing screen space in Darlings. It will be a pleasure to watch the two dynamite actresses together.

Kirti Kulhari is also in good form as a woman who is working hard to give her life a meaning. There are many emotional moments where the actress makes a striking impression. Vishal Jethwa is another standout performer. It is a far cry from what he played in Mardaani 2. Unlike Mardaani 2’s character, Mangu is vulnerable and helpless here. The actor does a good job in bringing out the nuances.

Watch Human for the performances and the reality it portrays.