Ghar WAapsi
Introduction
Onto the final release of the weekend and we are reserving the best for the end. With that I finished watching the new Hindi series Ghar Waapsi on Hotstar. In the age of thrillers and mysteries, every now and then I like my dose of heartwarming dramas which are relatable and ones which make for a leisurely viewing. As a reviewer and having to consume a lot of content day in and day out can be taxing at times and hence at times you wish to just sit back and relax and appreciate the content which is playing without having to bother to quickly pen a review.
TVF as a production house is a master of it and so is Dice Media which is known to churn out equally heartwarming content. The main USP of these production houses is that they understand the pulse of their target audience which is essentially in the 25 to 35 age bracket. And so when the world is explored through their eyes, you do find the content easily relatable and at times nostalgic. So then does the new series by Dice Media, Ghar Wapsi manage to impress, lets find out.
Story & Screenplay
Ghar Waapsi follows the story of a man who is nearing the age of 30, returning home after being laid off from his organization. The age group of late twenties and early thirties is always a tricky little period. You aren’t as young as your teens and not as old as your parents. You are caught in a conundrum of so many things be it your life or your job or even your love life or all of it. This is what the millenials term as ‘Mid Life Crisis’ where you aren’t sure of where your life will head from here on. This is instantly relatable and it is something which I have been addressing lately. And so the story is relatable yet so heartwarming. The screenplay standing at 6 episodes of 40 odd minutes is easily binge watch worthy especially in the drama which is designed to connect and in its process make you smile.
The drama opens with the protagonist returning home after being laid off. So there is almost no buildup barring the very first scene which makes for an interesting start. The world which is created here is just so beautiful and grounded that you are immediately invested in the drama. The city of Indore is what strikes you instantly. I have never been to the city but I could easily sink in to the vibe of the city which was hustling and very welcoming.
The drama here is extremely layered with each layer getting peeled off every now and then. What seemed to be a normal coming of age story seemed to touch upon so many aspects which I was not ready for although these seemed like regular day in and day out kind of conversations. The life lessons along the way was really fruitful. Some of the issues touched upon seemed very simple but they did make a resounding impact. It was at this point that the series began talking to you and it was almost as if I just wanted to hear those words every now and then.
The drama is infused with positivity which had me smiling for almost its entire duration. Another interesting aspect is that the show got the corporate lingo bang on(considering that even I have a corporate background, yes again very relatable). The idea of relationships and the dynamics behind them is just so well explored that I just did not have any complaints with the writing. In between the proceedings are so hearwarming that they felt like a long warm hug that made my eyes swell up every now and then. The idea of a family sticking together has never bern so beautifully portrayed. The drama ends on such a beautiful note that it almost made my watch worthwhile. The screenplay is a masterclass in itself and it shouod be studied on how to build a world, establish a conflict and connect the dots at the end! Simply beautiful!
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are real gems here which did resonate with every inch of me. Some of the most precious life lessons are communicated through the dialogues which are beautifully poignant. The music is good but it could have been slightly better but the BGM is incredibly good and ponders over every emotion so beautifully. The cinenatography and art design are spot on and it is hardly a surprise as Dice Media does believe that the devil is in the details. Director Ruchir Arun who was previously involved with Little Things has done a phenomenal job here. His direction is absolutely top notch and I was enamoured with the ease with which he was able to create so many moments in the screenplay which was so beautiful to witness and equally relatable.
Performances
The performances are incredibly good. Siya Mahajan as Nikita, Raghav Aggarwal as Palash and Suhani Popli as Zoya have their moments to shine. Rohit Choudhari as Kamal is first rate. Vivek Madaan as Kanak is outstanding and I was in love with his diction which resonated so well with his character. Also credit to the writers that they did not villify him and portrayed him in a grounded manner. SK Batra as Mathur is endearing and that one line which he says while having a snack showed so much about his backstory.
Gyanendra Tripathi as Manish Bhaiyya will remind you of Sandeep Bhaiyya from Aspirants. A figure whom you look up to and listen to his life lessons in what was a very affable and a sincere character. And he did a splendid job. Also there was a ring of positivity to his character which made me smile everytime he was onscreen. Ajitesh Gupta has his second release of the weekend after Dr. Arora and he is just brilliant as Darshan. His lingo is spot on and we all wish we had a friend like him in our life. Also his comic timing is on point but his character also shows depth towards the end which was brilliant to witness. Akanksha Thakur as Ridhima is so well restrained and such a lovable character and she does total justice to it. Even her no(or minimal) makeup look adds layers to her character keeping her consistently grounded in reality.
Saad Bilgrami as Sanju has such a terrific character arc which meant he had a wider space for showcasing his emotions. From being shackled and low to coming of age, he delivers one of the finest performance in this series. This role is perhaps his coming of age as an actor too. Anushka Kaushik as Suruchi is just so cute and bustling with energy, she does a tremendous job here. I really wish to watch more of her going forward. Vibha Chibbar who plays the mother is excellent and makes her character so relatable through her mannerisms and talks. Likewise for Atul Srivastava who plays the father and he typically holds himself back while praising his kids but still cares for them alot. An incredibly good performance! Vishal Vashishtha as Shekhar has a quiet little charm to him which makes his character instantly relatable. Also he shows tremendous range as an actor in what was a towering performance and something to be cherished.
Conclusion
Ghar Waapsi is the most heartwarming series of the year, any year! Definitely one of the finest this year! Available on Hotstar and Highly Highly Recommended!