Jubilee (Season 1 Part 1)
Introduction
Onto the final release of the weekend and this weekend has been short and quick in terms of its new releases. With that, I finished watching the new Hindi series, Part 1 of the first season of Jubilee on Amazon Prime. The OTT giant has come up with a strategy to launch this show in two parts over two consecutive weekends. So the part 1 is out now and its second part would release next weekend(14th April ’23). I am not a fan of shows being split up and released as parts. But atleast Amazon Prime had made this clear with its first look which kind of had me prepared. And when the show was out, I did understand their strategy given how lengthy each episode was. So well done Amazon Prime!
I am a Mumbai boy(erstwhile Bombay) which has been the heart of the Hindi Film Industry since ages. Yet, it was always fascinating for me on how the industry has progressed over time, going hand in hand with the evolution of the city. And I also at times did wish to get transported to the bygone era and study the surroundings related to the film industry and how things used to operate then. So when Jubilee was announced and particularly helmed by Vikramaditya Motwane, I was totally sold. One of my favourite directors in the circuit having an impressive filmography to back him with films like Lootera, Udaan, Trapped and AK vs AK, I knew that this subject was in safe hands. There was no way that he would ever stumble! So with much hope, I did venture into Jubilee(remember this is Part 1 of 2), does it manage to impress, lets find out.
Story & Screenplay
Set during the cusp of the partition of India and times following that event, Jubilee follows the story of a handful of individuals who are willing to take gambles in order to pursue their dreams in a the film industry which was slowly finding its feet back in the day. The story here is fascinating and almost immersive in nature that does focus primarily on the character dynamics which is the driving force of this tale. The screenplay(of Part 1) standing at 5 episodes ranging from 50 odd minutes to more than an hour does make for an intriguing watch that focuses on the world building just so well!
Now the point to keep in mind is that it is still early days in the series with part 2 scheduled to release next week. So in this review, I wouldn’t quite jump the gun with the multiple subplots and call it out for not concluding convincingly. So the drama does begin with the introduction of two characters(post a typical ‘title’ scene straight out of the 40s) who are on opposite sides of the spectrum. One of them is a studio owner wanting to cast an already established actor who has auditioned for his film. And the other, a closet actor who works in his studio as a helper. This scene speaks volumes of the hierarchy that does exist in the film industry. Soon, you are tactfully introduced to the other players in a fascinating world building set against the backdrop of the partition. So the underlying emotions are of uncertainty along with the religious issues which are deftly touched upon.
The proceedings are engrossing and almost immersive with the way the drama is set up. There are multiple subplots that branch out pertaining to each character and I was quite invested in all of them. The writers do well in not making the drama convoluted and disjointed by just keeping things simple. The drama is a slow burn which is synonymous to the bygone era where the word hustle had a different meaning altogether. In the city of Bombay, people were not running around as much as they are at the moment. The charm of the city was on its roads with its heritage buildings where life was much more simple as compared to the smart era that we live in. And that vibe of the city is brilliantly captured, more importantly through its leisurely paced drama.
The key to the drama here is the characterization and character dynamics that make for an interesting watch. The subtle politics back in the day with hidden character motives is what fuelled this drama here. As a result, there are some heartwarming equations that you do feel with characters along with a dash of politics that does add texture to the drama. The entire segment post the partition, involving the Cold War between US and USSR and how it did have an impact on the film industry is a topic that did give me a fresh perspective, and in a positive manner. But these events are played out in the background, with the focus always being on the characters and how they do respond to that situation. A riches to rags and to riches story does seem around the corner too! The drama in part 1 does end on an interesting note, thus nicely setting up things for part 2. Overall, the screenplay is very well written with the right mood and the world building that has laid the perfect foundation for its second part.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are conversational but the lines instantly transport you to the golden era. Yes, there are plenty of expletives too in the drama but none of them did feel out of place which was a bit of a surprise too. The music by Amit Trivedi is beautiful and instantly adds a lot of texture to the drama besides staying true to its era. The BGM is excellent and instantly does give a vibe of the late 40s and early 50s, some of which is integrated well in the narrative of the drama as well. The cinematography and art design is absolutely spot on and I couldn’t fault any of the efforts here. Instead, I was marveling at the detailing and reimagination here considering that I am a Bombay boy and have seen a few places evolve over the years. The editing is crisp too. Director Vikramaditya Motwane belongs to a rare breed of filmmakers who always know their craft and are technically sound in their approach. Here too, I was amazed at the level of detailing with respect to the world building that did make for such an immersive watch. The direction is top notch here.
Performances
The performances are excellent by the ensemble cast. Suhani Popli as Meena is pretty good and does a swell job. Nandish Sandhu as Jamshed Khan is wonderful to watch and his haunting presence is the flavour of the initial episodes here(and dare I say in Part 2 as well). Sukhmanee Lamba as Kiran is wonderfully restrained and performs incredibly well. Shweta Basu Prasad as Ratna is an excellent actor and here too she does a brilliant job. Aarya Bhatta as Nanik has his moments to shine too. Ram Kapoor as Shamsher Walia is fiery as the foul-mouthed financer and he is just so much fun to watch. Arun Govil as Narain is understated and really good too as does Alok Arora as Raghu.
Aditi Rao Hydari is phenomenal as Sumitra and she does a brilliant job here. I do feel that her character would have a very important role to play in Part 2. But before that, can I please take a moment and say that how pretty she looks here? Prasenjit Chatterjee as Srikant Roy enacts his part with a dash of aplomb. His mannerisms and body language is debonair in a phenomenal job done. Wamiqa Gabbi as Niloufer has such an incredible and charming presence here that she does light up the screen every single time! She is wonderful to watch and oozes with positivity.
I am the happiest for the two individuals – Aparshakti Khurana and Sidhant Gupta both of whom are finally getting excellent roles. I never did really have a doubt about Aparshakti’s acting chops but I did have an issue with the kind of roles that he was offered. Here he has finally got a role which is diabolically opposite to what he may have portrayed previously. And he is just brilliant here, partly scheming yet with a streak of emotions but also ambitious at the same time. All these emotions are nailed in a job well done. Sidhant Gupta is one of the most talented actors at the moment having seen him previously in Operation Romeo and Inside Edge Season 3. There is a bit of an ease to his performance every single time and that streak does continue here too. He was phenomenal to watch in a character which is just about finding his feet in the big bad world of films(in the series).
Conclusion
The Part One of the First Season of Jubilee is a fascinating and immersive drama with splendid performances that does setup things perfectly for Part 2. Available on Amazon Prime and Highly Recommended!