Bobby Deol

Starring : Bobby Deol

Directed by : Prakash Jha

Producer(s) : Prakash Jha

Cinematography : Chandan Kowli

So, continuing the series of reviewing movies and shows during the lockdown period, our today’s pick is the Hindi series Ashram starring Bobby Deol and directed by Prakash Jha. The series is available on MX Player and let’s see how it is.

Story :

The series is based in Uttar Pradesh and showcases the life of Kashipur Wale Baba(Bobby Deol). Pammi(Aaditi Pohankar) is a backward caste girl who gets help from Baba and very soon, she and her brother become bhakts of the Baba and join his Ashram. On the other side, the Baba runs a huge nexus through his Ashram and is also involved with the murders of many. The whole series is as to how the Baba dominates the scenes, how the cops try to nab him, and how an innocent Pammi gets entangled in the world of this clever Gordman.

What’s Good

Bobby Deol has taken a U-turn from his regular Bollywood roles and dons the fake Baba act and he is dam good in the series. His role demands a calmness on his face and yet be supremely cunning and criminal and Bobby does that with supreme ease. He does a lot of talking through his eyes for the most part of the show.

The whole setup of the series is terrific and a lot of detailing has gone into constructing the Ashram and production design needs a special mention. After SHE, Aaditi Pohankar gets a meaty role and she is amazing. Tridha Chowdary is glamorous in her role and Tusha Pandey as Satti is effective. The supporting cast of the series is spot on and does their roles supremely well. The way cops in UP operate, how fake Baba’s live their life, how politics is planned, all this Prakash Jha has showcased in an effective manner.

The way various threads of the story are joined by the end of the first season is amazing. Darsha Kumar as the cop is too good. The BGM of the series is amazing and camerawork needs a special mention. The gripping crime scene and how the big heads deal with the caste system and how deep-rooted politicians play the upper hand is shown nicely.

What’s Bad

Firstly, this is a very long series and that can be a put off for many. Each episode is over 40 minutes long and gets on you sometimes. The director Prakash Jhan goes way too in detail of each character and hence wastes a lot of time.

Though the first three episodes are gripping, the ones that follow mostly showcase the rituals in the Ashram and how Bobby deals with his Bhakths. Such scenes should have been trimmed to make things interesting for the audience. Some political aspects are strecthed for no reason.

Verdict :

On the whole, Ashram is a gripping web series from veteran director Prakash Jha. It shows how a few Godmen in Inda use their fame and cheat the public in th name of faith. The story, backdrop and performances are just amazing. Icing on the top is Bobby Deols’s Baba act. Barring the lengthy run time of the series, this one makes for a gripping watch if you love crime dramas.

Rating: 3.25/5

Starring : Bobby Deol

Directed by : Atul Sabharwal

Produced by : Gauri Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Gaurav Verma

Music by : Viju Shah

Cinematography : Mario Poljac

Edited by : Manas Mittal

So, continuing the series of reviewing movies and shows during the lockdown period, our today’s pick is the Hindi film Class of 83. The film is available on Netflix and let’s see how it is.

Story:

The film is set in the ’80s and senior cop Vijay Singh(Bobby Deol) is posted as the dean of a police academy in Nashik. There, Vijay Singh spots five aggressive and revolt headed guys and trains them separately. Behind all this is Vijay Singh’s personal vendetta involving the Maharastra CM(Anup Soni). How does he unleash his whole mission of taking on the big guns with the help of these five young cops is the whole story.

What’s good?

The film is made on the noted book called The Class of 83 and Bobby Deol plays the main lead and he is dam good. He sheds his young hero image and for once plays this mature role and proves what an actor he can be if he chooses such good roles. The premise of the film is terrific and the old gangs in Mumbai have been showcased well.

The young actors who play the cops do well in their roles. The emotional performance of Bobby deal in a graveyard scene is superb. The casting, BGM, and production values by Shahrukh Khan are neat. The film has some realistic underworld scenes and the manner in which the young cops kills a local don is showcased so well.

What’s Bad?

The film has traces of brilliance but does not make use of it. The build-up of cops getting trained in the academy is showcased well but that is not used well to showcase the mission. The director Atul Sabarwal did not make use of the solid story and his narrative is naive and does not impact you.

After all the hype, the climax and Bobby’s revenge is not showcased well. Scenes wise, the film looks pretty good and has depth but there is no flow in the screenplay as it has no proper emotions. The emotional angle of Bobby and his wife does not create any impact at all. The film could have been superb drama but is spoilt by some wayward narration and looks abrupt in the end.

Final Word :

On the whole, Class of 83 is a cop drama that does not live to its hype and is only good in bits and pieces. The premise, performance, and visuals are top-notch but the narration is rushed and not gripping. Bobby Deol makes things interesting with his act but the key climax and emotions are missing making this realistic film a dull watch. Watch it only if you have nothing else to do

Rating: 2.5/5

Lockdown Review : Aashram- Hindi Web Series on MX Player

Lockdown Review : Class of 83 – Hindi film on Netflix