Follow Kar Lo Yaar (Season 1)
Introduction
So life has come to this now wherein I don’t like to leave out reviewing any content which is not great in the first place. And of all the days, I chose this day to review it, the same day wherein I happened to review the BEST FILM OF 2024 in the form of the Malayalam film Kishkindha Kaandam. Firstly, I am late getting to this review because initially I just couldn’t get past the third episode wherein the main ‘characters’ had just resorted to screaming and shouting for no reason at all. But I was coaxed into pursuing Follow Kar Lo Yaar further, a new reality TV show based on the life of influencer and an aspiring entrepreneur Uorfi Javed. Now neither do I follow here nor really look upto her but Uorfi is that one personality that you just cannot ignore (and that is a fact, no matter what anyone says). This is because her larger than life flamboyant personality finds its way on your feed every single time, invariably speaking. And so this show offered its viewers a sneak peek into her lifestyles and her daily chores including being acquainted with her family. Yet, I was also weary of the fact that the events of the show will be a lot on my nose and frivolous. The challenge for me was just to get past the same and look for some sort of redemption as a viewer.
The Good
While there is no doubt that Follow Kar Lo Yaar is a frivolous show and admittedly so, I was actually impressed at how self-aware Uorfi Javed is with regard to her image, and things that she brings to the table. For someone to come out and say ‘Main Shahrukh Khan Nahi Hun’ (I am not Shahrukh Khan) implying that the media otherwise wouldn’t be frenzy about her, meant that she was actually an intelligent and self-aware girl. In a lesser capacity, her journey of breaking the shackles of the society and leaving her old life behind is worth mentioning, while also empowering her siblings and mother to attain that life of independence. Respect where due! But I wish the rest of the show tapped more into this facet of her personality as opposed to being frivolous to the core.
The Not So Good
I was admittedly worried about the show being far too frivolous and on my nose and boy was that an understatement. Firstly, I did feel that a reality TV show must involve reality. But here, a part of me felt that most of the drama was staged for the effect of sensationalism. For instance, Uorfi randomly shouting at her staff and her siblings, both on different occasions seemed orchestrated for the camera. And even if I were to give a benefit of doubt, the behavior was downright rude and not something that I would wish to endorse (particularly because this is reality TV). Also, the frivolous flavour of the show did come to the forefront when Uorvi wanted to have botox or a b**bjob. Now there is nothing wrong in the latter and people are free to do that and showcase that. The issue was in the piece of information that didn’t transpire into anything fruitful on the show (and this is generally the trouble with reality TV, not everything adds up). Also information like Uorvi not having s*x for over 3 years seemed quite woke given that none of that information would really change my life or a way to change my opinion about her. Another technical issue was jumping from one event to another that felt like different episodes in the life of Uorfi Javed which never quite allowed me to settle into the drama. After a point, the show did get exhausting given that it had nothing new to say or show. Even guest appearances by various internet sensations contributed very little to the outcome of the show with almost no pay-off.
My Take
My perception of Uorvi Javed the person has slightly changed for the better particularly with respect to her journey that I have witnessed. But to say that she is completely inspirational is a statement only for the future to reveal. At the moment, that isn’t necessarily true and so I would like to reserve my comment until Uorfi achieves more in life (and remember she is young and has time on her hands). I also feel that no one should be subjected to online trolling which just doesn’t feel like a healthy society. To live and let live, and agreeing to disagree should be the general norm of a budding and nurturing society. At the same time, the frivolous nature of lifestyle that Uorfi is subjected to is only PR driven (as also mentioned on the show). Anything is possible in times of social media and the presence of a solid PR, which is another reminder that not everything that you see or read is true on social media. But one thing is certain – you may love Uorfi or hate her but you cannot ignore her!
Conclusion
Follow Kar Lo Yaar is a show that will (or rather has already) gather divided opinion wherein a few folks would love the frivolous nature of the show and others that won’t. I unfortunately belong to the latter given that the show did get far too frivolous and repetitive after a point. And that is probably why I found it a task to sit through most episodes which in turn delayed the review. A lot on my nose and just not my cup of tea, I guess. Available on Amazon Prime.
