Tag: Dia Mirza

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Operation Safed Sagar: Mission successful

Director Omi Sen strikes a good balance between politics and human emotions. What gives the show a certain novelty is the portrayal of Kargil War through the eyes of Indian Air Force. Yes, it follows the format of a tearjerker to the t and some of it is carefully curated to make the viewers hate Pakistan. Having said that the show is largely gripping even if you aren’t into war dramas. The sprawling cast headed by Siddarth, Jimmy Shergill, Abhay Verma and Mihir Ahuja also makes OSS gripping

Starcast: Siddarth, Jimmy Shergill, Abhay Verma, Mihir Ahuja, Vinay Pathak, Manu Rishi Chadda, Dia Mirza, Amrita Bagchi, Prajakta Kohli and others

Genre: War drama

Creators: Kushal Srivastava and Abhijeet Singh Parmar

Director: Omi Sen

Writers: Sandeep Jain, Nikhil Ravi and Barun Kashyap

Music: Amit Trivedi, Anurag Saikia etc

Cinematography: Satyajit Pande

Producers: Sanjay Routray, Sarita Patil etc

Production Companies: Feel Good films and Matchbox Shots

No of episodes: 6

Streaming site: Netflix

Patriotic dramas follow a certain template focusing on the themes of bravery and sacrifice. This has been explored umpteen times but when done right this can make for an engaging watch. Operation Safed Sagar is a good illustration of the above point. The director along his writers spend considerable time on building the interpersonal relationships before getting into action. This approach works for the series as the viewers are invested in the characters when the series takes a dramatic turn. OSS in brief highlights the courage of a squadron by the name of Golden Arrows and the high-altitude Airel mission. Of course, we know that India wins in the end, but the strength lies in the intimate details of the operation.

The strong aspect of OSS is its gradual building of drama. A large part of the initial episodes is spent on developing the characters and the interpersonal relationships. The character arcs have been well established. For example, Abhay Verma’s RS Dhaliwal starts off as an overconfident pilot gradually evolving into a dependable officer. He eventually understands the importance of teamwork. Mihir Ahuja as Baldy is going through his own inner conflict, this is connected to a delicate juggling act between professional and personal life. Prajakta Kohli plays Baldy’s love interest Madhavi, she has run away from home to be with him. these individual arcs give the show depth engaging the viewers.

Mention must also be made of the Pakistani characters especially Manu Rishi Chadda and Vinay Pathak. Manu Rishi Chadda plays General Parvez Musharaf, while Vinay Pathak is Nawaz Sharif. Manu Rishi Chadda portrays the ambitious nature of Parvez well making for a formidable antagonist, Vinay Pathak on the other hand is portrayed as a man stuck between peace rhetoric and military reality. The actor aces the moral conundrum making sure that the character doesn’t become a caricature, of course the layered writing helps too.

The family scenes though predictable have a lot of warmth, a special mention must be of the portions between Siddarth and Amrita Bagchi. There are some lovely moments of understated romance and as viewers you wish that Siddarth’s character didn’t die.

OSS also benefits from strong cinematography and poignant music. The scenes of aerial combat are visually stunning as well as giving thrills. The songs especially “Woh Aega” and “Aazma Le” create a strong impact.

OSS has a large cast with an interesting mix of seniors with upcoming talents, and the actors make their presence amply felt irrespective of screen time. Siddarth as squadron leader Ajay Ahuja brings in the required warmth and dignity as a mentor who understands his young pilots. Jimmy Shergill is equally effective bringing in the required authority as well as a reassuring presence.

Among the women Amrita Bagchi makes the biggest impact followed by Dia Mirza. The roles aren’t novel in any way, but the actresses do a fine job in portraying the required inner strength.

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Alpha: Strong sisterhood saves the day

Shiv Rawail and Uday Chopra succeed in presenting two badass women. The dynamics of estranged siblings is the film’s beating heart. Sharvari matches Alia step to step whether its the hand-to-hand combat or the emotional sequences. Bobby Deol, Anil Kapoor and Dibyendu Bhattacharya also lend gravity to their respective parts. But the father and daughter thread needed stronger writing, also a Dhurandhar like twist feels forced. Yes, the scenarios leading up to the revelation is interesting but in the eventual scheme of things it feels like a hurried addition

Starcast: Alia Bhatt, Sharvari Wagh, Bobby Deol, Anil Kapoor, Dibyendu Bhattacharya and others

Genre: Action thriller/drama

Director: Shiv Rawail

Story: Uday Chopra

Screenplay: Shoumik Shukla and Sridhar Raghavan

Dialogues: Ishita Moitra

Producer: Aditya Chopra

Production House: Yash Raj Films

Songs: Rohansh and Abeer Pandit

Cinematography: Rubais

Running time: 2 hours and 20 minutes

The spy journey of Yash Raj beginning with EK Tha Tiger has seen a roller-coaster of a journey. It has been a mix of massive highs and huge lows. Until Pathaan all the movies were commercial blockbusters but with Tiger 3 everything changed. Tiger 3 was a reasonable success but nowhere close to the blockbuster status of Pathaan and War among others. War 2 was a bigger dud than Tiger 3 with a lot of criticism on similar visual aesthetics, the matters got further compounded with the mega success of Dhurandhar movies. Shiv Rawail’s Alpha’s comes at an extremely crucial moment for the future of spy verse as well as Alia Bhatt. The actor’s previous tryst with action Jigra couldn’t do much at the box office and Alpha is likely to go the same way. The movie has solid action and good performances but the writing tapers off after some solid world building.

The story of Alpha begins with the aftermath off 1999 Kargil War. Bobby Deol is commander Fateh Sing Lakawat. He trains Alia Bhatt’s Sita with a very potent Alpha serum. Sita grows up to be a ruthless assassin following her adopted father’s commands without much questioning. Anil Kapoor plays RAW Cheif Kaul. Kaul was a part of Fateh’s Alpha program, but a particular incident leads to Kaul distancing himself from Fateh Singh. Sharvari Wagh plays the estranged twin sister Durga. Last but not the least Dibyendu Bhattacharya is a scientist cum partner to Fateh. In simple terms the film focuses on how Sita’s life changes after a crucial revelation and how the estranged siblings eventually team up taking down Fateh and save India.

The beating heart of Alpha as already mentioned is the strong sisterhood between Alia and Sharvari. The two have contrasting personalities in terms of how they look at life. Durga like Sita has also grown without mother’s love as Kaul’s wife played by a radiant Dia Mirza, the character dies while giving birth to the twins. However, their lives have shaped up differently due to the contrasting atmospheres. Fateh has trained Sita as a cold-blooded assassin not getting himself emotionally involved. A particular sequence of Sita 18th birthday with Fateh giving the first assignment is a perfect example of this.

The impact of Fateh’s upbringing can be clearly seen in Sita’s initial interactions with both Kaul and Durga. A situation comes where the two have to stick it out together and here Sita’s coldness gradually evaporates and by the end the two have developed a strong bond. This gradual process has come out in a solid manner. It also helps that Sharvari is positioned as an equal and not a mere sidekick. The young actress does a fantastic job in the scenes of physical agility as well as the few poignant moments. Alia Bhatt gets into the skin of a trained assassin with panache; at the same time, she is her usual competent self in the scenes of vulnerability. Alia and Sharvari together lift the movie’s muddled screenplay with their camaraderie. A mention must also be made of a pre interval action block with the two taking on each other unaware of being sisters. The fight has been solidly choreographed with some raw action.

Bobby Deol as the primary antagonist plays the part with the required ruthlessness. While the part is no Bandar in terms of the different shades Bobby still makes for a formidable villain. The deep baritone voice coupled with the overall physical demeanor is a treat to watch. Anil Kapoor continues his golden form with another solid act. In spite of the hurried writing the veteran actor brings in an emotional resonance in his scenes with both Alia and Sharvari. Dibyendu Bhattacharya is also impressive within his limited screen time. His sequence with the adult Sita deserves a specific mention. Hrithik Roshan as Kabir shows too up in an extended cameo. The actor brings his usual swagger and style, his interactions with Alia and Sharvari have some interesting moments.

The action sequences are another highlight of the movie. The pre interval block and the climatic fight deserve a special mention. Yes, the closing fight feels stretched but the raw action with Alia and Bobby combating has been wonderfully staged. As viewers you fear for Sita and the scene of her finally pinning down Fateh serves as a perfect culmination.

A major flaw with Alpha is the loose writing when it comes to the father and daughter dynamics, whether it’s Sita’s equation with her adopted father or the biological one. There is a sense of hurry in the way the interpersonal relationships are introduced and then left hanging only to be revisited later.

This juggling act of action and emotion doesn’t land seamlessly. The second half in particular seems in a rush for Alia taking on Bobby. As a result the emotions don’t stir the viewers the way it should.

Alpha also suffers from a Dhurandhar hangover. A crucial twist related to the actual identity of Bobby’s Fateh Singh feels like a last-minute addition to please the deshbhakts. But this twist though shocking isn’t likely to please even the most patriotic ones.

The music with its mix of Hindi and English lyrics doesn’t work either. Sharvari’s introduction song for example just doesn’t land.

Final word: Alpha deserves marks for trying to something different within the spy verse formula. But the inconsistent writing makes it difficult to root. Having said that it makes for a fun watch especially for those who like seeing strong women saving the day.

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Nadaaniyan (innocence/ naivety) : A confident debut from Ibrahim Ali Khan

Director Shauna Gautam along with the writers don’t break any new grounds here as the movie feels like a recycled version of several Dharma rom coms still the plot moves at a brisk pace and some of the emotional moments in the later half do land. It also helps that Ibrahim and Khushi share a cute chemistry
  • Starcast: Ibrahim Ali Khan, Khushi Kapoor, Sunil Shetty, Mahima Choudhary, Dia Mirza, Jugal Hansraj and others
  • Direction: Shauna Gautam
  • Genre: Romantic comedy
  • Screenplay: Ishita Moitra, Jehan Handa and Riva Razdan Kapoor,
  • Story: Riva Razdan Kapoor
  • Music: Sachin Jigar
  • Cinematography: Anuj Samtani
  • Production Company: Dharmatic Entertainment
  • Producers: Karan Johar, Somen Mishra and Apoorva Mehta
  • Running time: 1 hour and 59 minutes
  • Streaming site: Netflix

Nadaaniyan streaming on Netflix much like the 2023 Archies serves as more of a launch pad for star kids in this case Ibrahim Ali Khan rather than telling a cohesive story. Unlike Archies though Nadanniyan isn’t unwatchable, the storyline moves at a brisk pace leaving viewers little time to ponder on the flimsy scenarios particularly for the undemanding audiences. The movie also does succeed in positioning Ibrahim Ali Khan as the next chocolate boy something which I will get to later.

Nadaaniyan begins with establishing the character of Pia Jaisingh (Khushi Kapoor). Pia is an elite Delhi girl dealing with the issues of a broken family. She is on the verge of loosing her sister like best friends due to certain lie. In order to save her friendship she persuades the new joinee Arjun Mehta (Ibrahim Ali Khan) to become her boyfriend for Rs 25, 000 per week. Arjun comes from a less polished background, he agrees to this proposal for furthering his own ambitions. What starts off as pretending to be boyfriend and girlfriend takes a very drastic turn when things become serious. This is the story in brief.

One of the things which work in Nadaaniyan is its self aware tone. Right from the first frame director Shauma Gautam succeeds in establishing the character traits particularly that of Pia and her rich folk without wasting any time. The director does a fine job in capturing how a lot of gen z looks at the concept of love. The characters use the help of AL to express romantic feelings. At one point Pia makes Arjun Mehta pose romantically just to get some social media likes.

Although Nadaaniyan operates on a strictly surface level it has also got some nice emotional touches particularly in the later half when Pia and Arjun actually fall in love. Pia is someone who comes from a patriarchal family where the father played by a daper Sunil Shetty thinks that the law firm Jaisingh&Sons needs a male heir to carry forward their legacy. Jugal Hansraj and Dia Mirza on the other hand play the cool parents of Arjun. How their actions indirectly play a strong role in strengthening their love is interesting to watch.

Talking about debutant Ibrahim Ali Khan the young actor has a very striking resemblance to father Saif Ali Khan. He gives a major deja vu of the 90’s Saif with his chiseled physique and overall body language. Ibrahim makes an impressive debut particularly in the key dramatic scenes like the portion where Arjun has a breakdown expressing his emotional vulnerability. Khushi Kapoor’s Pia Singh starts off as more of a barbie doll but as the plot progress Pia emerges as a strong personality. Khushi like Ibrahim also does a competent job in the emotionally charged moments. The chemistry between Ibrahim and Khushi is also good within the confines of the flimsy script.

Ibrahim Ali Khan gives a major deja vu of father Saif Ali Khan in the 90’s

Sunil Shetty and Mahima Choudhary lend some much needed gravitas as a once married couple dealing with problems of their own. Jugal Hansraj and Dia Mirza play the lovable parents to the hilt. Both of them play their roles with a lot of warmth.

Dia Mirza and Jugal Hansraj

A major problem with Nadaaniyan is how it borrows quite a bit from the staple cliches found in Dharma romantic films. This is very evident in the characterization of Mahima Choudhary who initially looks down upon Arjun just because his father is a doctor and not some businessman. The depiction of class divide is very similar to the one already seen in 2012’s Student of The Year. The movie also briefly dwells into the issue of patriarchy through the mindset of Sunil Shetty’s role but it doesn’t dig deep enough.

Anuj Samtani’s cinematography goes perfectly well with the nature of the movie. It’s very glossy giving it a rich look. Sachin Jigar’s music has a couple of soulful songs. Among the songs the title track is the best of the lot. Sung by Jonita Gandhi, Sachin Jigar and Varun Jain the track perfectly captures the movie’s central theme of youthful mistakes, love and discovery. Mention must also be made of Ishq Mein sung by Sachet Tandon. Ishq Mein perfectly embodies the euphoria of love.

Final word: Watch Nadaaniyan if you are curious to know on how Ibrahim Ali Khan has fared in his debut or are in the mood for something undemanding.

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IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack: An immersive web show revisiting a hugely agonizing period

The decision of releasing the three terrorists is something that is debated even to this day. Refreshingly Director Anubhav Sinha doesn’t take any sides and neither does he resort to the current over the top nationalism

  • Starcast: Vijay Varma, Manoj Pahwa, Aravind Swamy, Pankaj Kapoor, Naseeruddin Shah, Dia Mirza, Rajiv Thakur and others
  • Based on the book: Flight Into Fear – The Captain’s story by Devi Sharan and Srinjoy Chowdhury
  • Director: Anubhav Sinha
  • Writers: Adrian Levy and Trishant Srivastava
  • Production houses: Matchbox Shots and Banaras Mediaworks
  • Streaming site: Netflix
  • No of episodes: 6
  • Cinematography: Ewan Mulligan and Ravi Kiran Ayyagari

In simple terms the story of ‘IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack’ focuses on a flight hijacked by three Pakistani terrorists. The flight was going from Delhi to Katmandu. After being taken hostage the airplane lands at three different locations before the final destination of Kandahar which was then under the control of Talibans. These terrorists want the release of their imprisoned Kashmiri comrades along with a dead body of a militant. Director Anubhav Sinha and the other two writers recreate the eight harrowing days in a gripping manner. The continuous negotiations between the Indian agents and the Pakistani terrorists and the efforts of the passengers for survival is depicted authentically.

Passengers in the hijacked plane

Before going forward, I will slightly touch upon the unnecessary controversy that the show has found itself in. A section of people has raised objection to some of the hijackers having Hindu codenames, this objection feels very redundant. Assuming false names is a very common practice when you don’t want the real identity to come out. When the terrorists used certain code names how can a director change it, specially as this is based on a true story.

Now moving on to the show, earlier too we have seen stories of this genre where a larger-than-life hero saves the day. Here that has been subverted in a refreshing manner. Vijay Varma’s Captain Sharan Dev is the major pivot of this story as he is the head pilot. But the character never comes across as larger than life. He is as vulnerable as the other passengers and the fellow staff; Sharan Dev simply wants to survive through this ordeal so that he can meet his daughters again. At the same time, he shows determination too. This mix of fear and determination has been wonderfully portrayed by the actor. With this web show Vijay Varma once again proves his capability in adapting to different roles.

A mix of fear and determination

This web series follows a pattern of blending real life situations with dramatized events. A voice over runs alongside the archival footage. The merging of archival footage and the re-created scenes is not easy to blend but director Anubhav Sinha does a very good job in intermingling both.

IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack is also refreshing in its portrayal of the terrorists. Thanks to the nuanced writing they never come across as one note characters. There is a scene of them participating in Antyakshari with passengers. In another scene one of the terrorists comforts an air hostess who vomits as she is unable to bear the stench. There is also a moment where a terrorist expresses his admiration for Sharan Dev.

The series also does a wonderful job in portraying the sheer hopelessness of the situation. In a particularly impactful scene, a helpless flight attendant is trying to clean out an over flowering toilet. It is a very disturbing image.

There isn’t much space in a show like this for lighthearted moments, but Manoj Pahwa raises many chuckles with his sarcastic humor. He plays an aggressive official and the senior actor as expected delivers a solid act. Whether it is the scenes of negotiation with the hijackers or his conversations with the suave Aravind Swamy in the role of an MEA official. In spite of a bulky physicality the actor commands your attention. Aravind Swamy as the smooth-talking officer with a different approach is charm personified.

Manoj Pahwa commands your attention
Aravind Swamy as the smooth-talking officer is charm personified

Like other hostage dramas this too comes with certain backstories. Anubhav Sinha does not explore them in detail but there is enough to chew on. For example, you have an orthopedician shrugging off his responsibility in saving a heavily wounded passenger. The same attitude can be seen later when he is stranded with a differently abled son. The Director links this behavior to a larger picture concerning the politicians and bureaucrats. Hijackers get into the aircraft with guns and bombs in a very convenient manner. These scenes show how a security lapse can result in deadly consequences.

The crux of ‘IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack’ is more about the emotional battles, and less about combat. This has come out well. The role of Afghanistan in rescuing the passengers also gives the show some of its most heart warming moments.

Rajiv Thakur, a comedian earlier does a good job in the role of a menacing hijacker. Yes, the actor does fall short on certain occasions particularly in the scenes with Manoj Pahwa but still it is a commendable effort. Among others Dia Mirza and Amrita Puri also do a fine job. As a member of Press Dia portrays both the tenderness and intensity in an effective manner. Through the track of her and Amrita Puri Anubhav Sinha brought the conflict between newspapers and television into the story.

Rajiv Thakur cast against type

A special mention must be made about Pankaj Kapoor and Naseeruddin Shah playing senior officials. They are actors par excellence with a huge body of work behind them. It is a pleasure to watch the two veteran actors in one frame. Their interactions are laced with conflicting ideologies but underlined with mutual respect.

The cinematography of Ewan Mulligan and Ravi Kiran Ayyagari is also first rate. Both do a splendid job in capturing the high tension through their lens.

One aspect of the show which feels slightly underwhelming is the structure. The cuts between the episodes feel abrupt giving the impression that this was originally planned as a movie, but this doesn’t hamper the proceedings in a significant manner.

The final moments leave the viewers with a lot of thoughts on how the hijack happened so easily in the first place. But I suppose there is always scope for security lapses.

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Bheed: The Plight Of Migrant Workers Deserved A Better Film

The muddled treatment fails it!

Bheed (Hindi)

  • Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Bhumi Pednekar, Dia Mirza, Pankaj Kapoor, Kritika Kamra, and Ashtoush Rana
  • Writer-Director: Anubav Sinha
  • Producer: Beneras Media works
  • Music: Anurag Saikia
  • Runtime: 1 hour 54 minutes

Starting from 2018’s Mulk (Region or Country), Anubhav Sinha has repeatedly chosen issues that are important to society.

In Mulk, he successfully addressed the prejudices that Muslims are facing in our society, through the character of a respected Muslim patriarch played by the late Rishi Kapoor.

In Article 15 (2019), the topic was the horrors of caste discrimination. Ayushmann Khurrana played Ayan Ranjan, a police officer from society’s upper crust. He had no idea about the various caste divisions.

Article 15 was followed by an equally powerful Thappad (Slap) in 2020 which looked at the consequences of a slap by the husband in a momentary fit of anger.

Thappad made a powerful statement on how it isn’t okay for a husband to slap his wife.

All the above-mentioned films positioned Anubhav Sinha as a director with a strong progressive voice.

However, the director saw a downfall with Anek where he focused his lens on the strained relationship between the government and the separatist groups in the North East.

Despite the powerful subject, he floundered big time. Unfortunately, the same has happened with his latest – Bheed (Crowd).

There are passages in the film that keep the audiences completely hooked particularly the ones featuring Rajkummar Rao and Pankaj Kapoor. But the film tries to address too many things at the same time. As a result, it never comes across as a comprehensive whole.

India’s pandemic exodus

Bheed begins with the shocking scene of the real-life incident of 16 migrant workers who were run over by a train. This sets the mood for the drama that follows. The film has been shot in black and white by cinematographer Soumik Mukherjee.

After the horrific death scene, we move to Surya Kumar Singh Tikas (Rajkummar Rao). Surya, a young cop, is appointed as in in-charge of a check-post at one of the state borders. This check-post has been closed due to Covid.

Surya’s girlfriend is an upper-class girl Renu Sharma (Bhumi Pednekar). She is a doctor who treats patients who are stranded at the check-post.

Aditya Shrivastava plays Surya’s subordinate who doesn’t like the latter much but has no other option other than to take orders from him.

On the other side of the barricade, you have the characters played by Dia Mirza and Pankaj Kapoor, among others.

Dia Mirza comes from a privileged class. She is a desperate mother who wants to cross the border to take her daughter back home. Her need is such that she doesn’t mind offering money to the in-charge officer.

Pankaj Kapoor plays watchman Balram Trivedi who also wants to return home from the city, much like his fellow friends and workers.

They arrive at the Tejpur border which is 1200 km from Delhi. However, the border has been sealed now.

There is also a young girl carrying her alcoholic father on a bicycle. Amidst all this, Kritika Kamra plays a TV journalist named Vidhi Tripati. She is an idealistic journalist with a lot of passion.

Revealing anything more wouldn’t be right as this is a story that has many layers to it.

The caste angle

Before getting into the shortcomings, it is necessary to highlight what works well for the movie.

It is successful in highlighting the plight of migrant workers. The scenes of families walking barefoot for miles, hungry kids crying for food and the inability of the mothers leaves a lump in your throat.

There are several other issues that the director tackles; chief among them is the issue of caste through Rajkummar Rao’s Surya Kumar Singh Tikas.

Surya is someone who hides his caste under the surname Singh because it is something that his father had done as well.

Surya Kumar feels happy to be the in-charge. But, at the same time, there is also a deep insecurity about his caste identity amidst the Sharmas and Tridevis.

Anubhav Sinha does a good job of fleshing out this character. Once again, Rajkummar Rao proves his versatility with his exceptional performance.

He is particularly good in a scene when he expresses his anguish and decides that he also wants to be a hero and not remain as part of the crowd (Bheed).

The prejudices related to Muslims

Another track worth mentioning in Bheed is that of Pankaj Kapoor’s Balram Trivedi. Though the character of Balram, Anubhav Sinha exposes the prejudices related to Muslims.

There is an important scene when Balram doesn’t allow his hungry companions to eat the food served by a Muslim man.

Balram is someone who is filled with bigotry. But fortunately, the character is not one-dimensional.

Pankaj Kapoor is a vastly experienced actor who has given many terrific performances. Here too, he packs a punch whenever he is on screen. His confrontation scenes with Rajkummar Rao deserve a particular mention.

The shortcomings

There are many issues that Anubhav Sinha tackles through Bheed. The intentions are worth applauding but the film tries to address/ highlight too many things at the same time. As a result, it feels cluttered.

The love track, for example, doesn’t make any sense. It feels more suited for a romantic drama than an issue-based film like this. It would have been far better if Surya and Renu Sharma were portrayed as strangers who meet in this difficult period.

There is also a forcefully inserted intimate scene between the duo. The conversations between Surya and Renu mostly don’t align with the genre of Bheed.

Bhumi is her usual feisty self but nothing is outstanding about her performance.

Kritika Kamra as an honest journalist has an impressive beginning. But, after a point, it is clear that the director has no idea about where to take the character.

The paradigm shift of journalism in those times is hardly touched upon.

Dia Mirza gets the most baked character in the ensemble. Her desperation to reach her daughter is painted in a rather insensitive manner.

A more nuanced characterisation was needed. Still, Dia does the best that she can do with this one-dimensional character.

Soumik Chatterjee’s black-and-white cinematography takes some time to get used to but it is an interesting experiment. There is no scope for songs in a film like Bheed but the composition of “Herali Ba” is quite powerful.

Verdict

Bheed is a perfect example of how good intentions don’t always translate into powerful films.

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Call My Agent: A Satire Which Needed More Bite

For those who are not aware Shaad Ali’s Call My Agent is a remake of a French show with the same name. Since I haven’t seen the French one I will be looking at the Bollywood version as a standalone one. Call My Agent is a series which had the potential to be a solid satire on how the Filmy universe of Bollywood works. However, what we get instead is a half baked product which never becomes more than the sum of its parts. The series also ends with a hint of season 2 coming, but the makers need to come up with a tighter script next time around.

The Bollywood version of Call My Agent revolves a company called ART and the team of agents headed by Soumyajit Dasgupta (Tinu Anand). Rajat Kapoor plays the senior most agent in the company. He is a hustler by nature; He has a daughter from an undisclosed family in Goa. The daughter is played by Radhika Seth. Soni Razdan is the second senior most agent. Aahana Kumara plays a volatile woman with a colorful love life. Ayush Mehra plays the other important member of ART. There are also a host of cameos from Dia Mirza, Jackie Shroff, Akshara Hasan, Sarika, Nandita Das etc.

The most interesting bits of Call My Agent are the long list of cameos from the stars. My most favorite one is that of Dia Mirza. She plays an actor in 40’s who faces the tough choice of getting cosmetic surgery or losing a Hollywood role. In that episode Shaad Ali covers topics like ageism in the industry. In a non preachy manner the director addresses some important issues.

Another interesting cameo is the one of Lara Dutta. In this episode we see Lara Dutta being in a fix about starring in a multiplex film that requires her to be on the set of the ravines of Chambal.

The chief reasons why these cameos work is because they seemed to have enjoyed playing these parts.

Out of the agents only Ayush Mehra and Aahana Kumara work well in their parts. The chemistry between these two characters is far more believable than Aahana Kumara’s lesbian track. Her lesbian affair with Jasleen ( Anuschka Sawhney) is more awkward than enjoyable.

The biggest flaw of Call My Agent are the characters of Rajat Kapoor and Soni Razdan. Rajat Kapoor is sorely miscast and his body language isn’t appropriate for the role of master negotiator he is supposed to play. Soni Razdan is supposed to be a veteran in the company but we never see her handling any stars. She is mostly restricted to observing and giving advice.

Another problem with Call My Agent is that it stays superficial and never digs deep. You get a huge hangover of Madhur Bhandarkar recent films and that is never a good sign.

In a nutshell Call My Agent is a case of looking glossy from outside but shallow from inside.