College Romance Season 3
Introduction
Ok so Friday is finally here and we have loads of work to do with so many new releases lined up. So lets get to them one by one. First up, I finished watching the latest offering from TVF – the third season of College Romance streaming on SonyLiv. And before anything, Kudos to TVF as a production house which is now a well oiled machine, churning one quality product after another(mostly so).
I remember watching the first season of College Romance with little hope considering how frivolous the setup looked. But little was I prepared for a nostalgic ride down memory lane. The USP of TVF is of generally getting their age demographics right. Another positive was I really did enjoy how the drama did get a little more serious and less frivolous in the second season of College Romance – a feature implying that even their characters were maturing with every passing year. And with that I did have high hopes from the third season of College Romance and I binge watched all its episodes last night. So then does the third season of College Romance manage to impress, lets find out.
Story & Screenplay
The third season of College Romance picks up from the same point where season two had ended with a long distance relationship on the cards. But interestingly so, the topic in focus is something I did not expect from this season! The screenplay standing at just 5 episodes of about 30 odd minutes each means that the show is binge watch worthy from the word go!
The drama does begin on a slightly frivolous note(relatively if I have to compare it with the next few episodes) wherein two of the six protagonists use various virtual methods to make their long distance relationship work. There are also various subplots involving the other protagonists until the introduction of a new character.
The humour quotient is intact here as well, either through the character traits or their the fun filled expletives. But all the fun and games do momentarily end half through the series wherein the drama just begins to get a little dark. I had the least inkling on the zone which was about to be explored. The topic of s*xuality(censoring the word to beat the google algorithm) being addressed was such a refreshing one as it started dealing with the complexities of not only the character going through it but as people around that character. In films, the representation of the LGBTQ community is a suspect(it has got better recently) but very few films explore the mindset of the characters while on the verge of discovering their s*xuality. And this is where the show is a winner!
There are a few dark subplots revolving around the main subplot which results in an explosive final act where all hell breaks loose! The final act is again a satisfactory one which imparts a good message about friendship but it has a twist, setting up things rather interestingly for the fourth season. I really have enjoyed how the show has evolved with its writing which each passing year of college. I was not the same person in the third year as opposed to the first year and this is the aspect which shows beautifully in its writing. Therefore in TVF I trust!
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are filled with expletives along with witty one-liners which are the strong points of the drama. The rawness in the lines is unanimous with the modern day lingo and it will connect with the youth very easily. The music is good although none of the songs really standout. The BGM is good as well as it lends good support. The cinematography and editing also leave an impact. The action sequences shot against an old classic made for an entertaining watch. Director Parijat Joshi does a smashing job yet again by weaving an entertaining story which does take you at unexpected places, something that I wasn’t prepared for!
Performances
The performances are really good here. Jahnvi Rawat as Raavi begins on a slow note but her character blossoms beautifully as the season progresses. She is well restrained in a sensitive portrayal of the conflict which her character possesses. Eklavey Kashyap as Harry is a welcome addition to the gang as well. Usually the new characters become tricky in an established setup but Eklavey’s quietly charming presence does want you to invest in him in an overall job well done! Nupur Nagpal as DP is so cute and she does an incredibly good job. She too as an interesting conflict which would be relatable to so many girls of her age and it was handled sensitively in an affable performance by her!
Apoorva Arora as Naira is at her fiery best and such a natural onscreen. But at the heart of it, she is the matured support of a relationship that any guy could wish for. She is wonderful to watch. Shreya Mehta as Deepika is my favourite character from the season this time around. This is simply because her character does face a conflict which in itself is a conflict to her previously setup character. And so the complexities which were explored with her character at the centre was really interesting. And she is outstanding here. Keshuv Sadhna as Karan does a brilliant job in just reacting to the situation and not holding himself back. Gagan Arora as Bagga aka Bugs contributes to some of the lighter moments well but he also excels in dramatic sequences. He has a great screen presence and he puts it to good use in another great outing onscreen.
Conclusion
The third season of College Romance takes you at rather unexpected places this time around making it a banger of a season and another winner from TVF! Available on SonyLiv and Highly Recommended!
