CAST Huma Qureshi, Parambrata Chaterjee, Avantika Dassani
DIRECTED BY Rajat Kapoor
BLUF: A tale of two women who are at odds with each other over allegations of plagiarism, which sparks a series of hostilities and shocking revelations spun around a murder for which they both are suspects
THE MEAT AND THE POTATOES
A Hindi professor in a college in Darjeeling fails her student for plagiarizing her submissions. The student feels belittled and retaliates in a series of events that unravels the lives of the Professor and her family.
Huma Qureshi is Juhi Adhikari married to Parambrata Chatterjee’s Neil, a couple that is trying to conceive their first child while being academicians in the hilly, small town they live in. Juhi’s father is a renowned Professor and Author, portrayed by Rajit Kapur. She tries to strike out from under the shadow of his reputation by trying to create her own career. Her husband is waiting on a grant.
A very disturbed, non-conformist student , Rhea Rajguru, whose father is a trustee in the college is marked fail in her academic submission and accused of plagiarism by Juhi. Here starts the process of a psychological combat between Rhea and Juhi where Rhea tries to get under Juhi’s skin by turning up uninvited to her home to drink scotch with her husband, their cat being killed, her engagement ring being misplaced and several other such incidents that turn up the ante for Juhi.
In the meantime, Rhea entices Juhi’s husband Neil into an extra-marital relationship with her to make things more complicated for Juhi. Over the 10 episodes of psychological games and the unraveling of the back stories of these characters, their relationships and motivations, the story establishes a motive for Rhea to mess with Juhi.
IN THE KNOW
The story is neat and palpable in its surmise. However, in the first few episodes not a lot happens which delays the hooks for the audience attention. The photography is nicely framed in the fog embraced hills and adds to the thrill of the events, the actors do their part in making sure the performances are well rounded.
The surprise of the series is Avantika Dassani who establishes a great start to her career with a good performance as Rhea Rajguru for a debut.
The climax is easily guessed. No surprises here. Wished for a better twist and trigger but the entire premise of Rhea coming after Juhi because she was wronged by people in her life was too simplistic psychologically. The series could have been shorter and better edited. Kickass performances over all and a quite watchable. Bg score was ok. The absence of subtitles was a jarring omission and for the United States as a market, unforgivable because it immediately reduces the audience it may serve.
WHAT WE LOVED
The actors
Photography
Avantika
WHAT WE MISSED
Long drawn-out episodes
Predictable climax
