Chutzpah
RATING
Introduction
Onto the final new release of the weekend but the new reviews will flow throughout the rest of the month. And with that I have just finished watching the series Chutzpah on SonyLiv. Here I would like to point out that SonyLiv is one OTT platform that is highly underrated and it definitely believes in quality over quantity. So unlike the big players, you won’t see a new release every weekend. But when they do I personally look forward to the content as their content is usually fresh. The one thing that they need to work on is promoting their content for a wider reach. Quality content like the more recent Tamil film Vaazhl may have slipped in oblivion already. Having said that, is their latest offering Chutzpah worth your time, stay tuned.
Story & Screenplay
Chutzpah follows 5 intertwined stories against the backdrop of the big bad world of web. The story is unique, different and fresh. Right from the time its trailer was out, it had that teasing quality about it wherein it didn’t really reveal much of its story. This was one thing that had me intrigued as I didn’t know what to expect. This by the way is the perfect way to cut the trailer. I am still salty with the way the recent trailer of Toofaan or even that of Bhuj was cut revealing crucial plot points which would deter the viewing experience of the user. But this sort of a whacky story required a crazy screenplay. And the screenplay was exactly that. While I went in expecting it to be a thriller, the screenplay is more of a drama. It was refreshing to watch some bold steps being integrated into the trailer. It almost acted like a mirror to our personal lives, most of which might be relevant to most people. The subtle twists and turns are nicely handled. The screenplay might get a mixed response for the sole fact that it is different and never before seen. And people aren’t used to this sort of a narrative. And like I had said in my review of Ok Computer, content like these need to be encouraged. Some of you may find it drab and form an instant disconnect, but I urge you to look deeply in it. It is a reflection of what our lives our on the web be it social media or otherwise. The entire generation is after likes and comments(including me), somewhere being lonely and not proud of who we actually are, and losing touch with the people who matter the most to us, yet being at our best behavior on social media or losing our way to the darkside of it too. All of these concepts are expertly touched upon in a screenplay that is absolutely dazzling!
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are quirky and to the point. On many instances throughout, the main characters communicate by texting each other, with text boxes appearing in the background. This for me was an effective way of showcasing the communication onscreen. The BGM is absolutely a ripper and enhances the drama in so many scenes. The cinematography is experimental here and the experiment has paid off pretty well here! A word on the editing which is crisp. Director Simarpreet Singh has done a killer job here. All stories have a purpose and he does a fine job giving a satisfying conclusion to each one of them. This was indeed a tricky screenplay to handle, but he has truely done a fine job here in executing it perfectly.
Performances
The performances are magnificent. Varun Tewari as John has his moments to shine. Diksha Singh as Neena looks gorgeous and has done a pretty good job here. Gautam Mehra as Kevin had to tread a fine line here and he performs his role to perfection! Kshitij Chauhan as Prateek is on point in a role where he may not be loved for. Manjot Singh is finally experimenting and he is such a natural here, really wish to see him more in such roles. Elnaaz Norouzi as Wild Butterfly looks stunning and is really brilliant here. She has such a layered role and so many emotions to play with, she does a good job with all of them. Tanya Maniktala in ger second outing this weekend is again wonderfully restrained. A subtle sense of emotions is what drives her character and she does a fine job with it. And Varun Sharma is finally breaking away from his ‘Chucha’ mould. As Vikas, It was so refreshing to watch him in a more humane role rather than a comic role. And he excels in those subtler emotions so well.
Conclusion
Chutzpah is a unique, different, whacky and refreshing concept! Another winner on SonyLiv. Highly Recommended!