Matargashti (Season 1)
Introduction
One of the reasons why the new Hindi show Matargashti works is because it consistently remains grounded without necessarily weaponizing the desire in females. It almost perfectly finds the middle ground – steering away from the trashy s*x-comedies that would plague your screens from a problematic male gaze, and not fully (and refreshingly) committing to an overdose of a similar subject from the female gaze, unlike the ones showcased in Four More Shots Please (2019) or even a film like Thank You For Coming (2023); those that are designed to counter the male gaze but run the risk of flattening out the very purpose they were intended to highlight.
It is refreshing on how the show uses its Tier-2 city setting, with the city of Lucknow being the centerstage for the drama to unfold. This might be a fleeting detail but an important one, given the conservative, patriarchal nature of the society that runs as an undercurrent. At the center of it is the 19 year old protagonist Dhara (Adrija Sinha), who is on the peak of her hormonal surge, while silently having to undergo peer pressure of being left behind in discovering intimacy with a boy. This again is a fleeting detail, but an organic one – particularly because you get to know that the protagonist is a topper; a searing sign of her competitive nature, and how she doesn’t like to lag behind or fail in a task.
Story & Screenplay
Written by Khushbu Baid, Swasti Jain, and Nikita Okhande, the first season of Matargashti ably subverts a father-daughter dynamic in the wake of a byte-sized s*x comedy, almost creating an invisible connective tissue between the two themes. To understand this better, it is important to further deconstruct the characterization of the characters on offer, and the dynamics that they share with one another. There is almost an unsaid distance between the protagonist and her father Prakash (Rajesh Kumar), a trait that may have probably widened after the passing away of the protagonist’s mother. It is clear that the character of the mother acted as a bridge that had fallen since her death, creating a communication gap of sorts.
The communication gap or the lack of it, is also touched upon the fact on how a hapless father had sent his daughter to live with her grandparents, perhaps not quite knowing how to cope with his own loss. And by the time, the duo did unite after a gap of 4 years, the ‘bridge of communication’ was already burnt down. Their dynamic would have naturally transitioned as the one between Rahul and Anjali from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), but instead, it reminded me specifically between the one shared between the protagonists in a short film called Shimmy (2021), the one where discussing s*x and boys is a taboo. You get a fleeting instance of the same in a montage sequence, wherein Prakash covers the drying undergarments of his daughter with another cloth – a symbolism that defines their fractured and awkward dynamic.
The writing also has an understated theme of female friendship, even as the protagonist teams up with her bestie Charu (Saumya Uniyal) to scan the potential options around her – be it the idea of finding guys through a dating app, or a college festival, obliviously dodging the rovering eye of her doting father. The humour is embedded in the situation, even as the latter is guilty of donning multiple getups to track his daughter – something that was reminiscent of certain films from the 90s like Dulhan Hum Le Jayenge (2000), or even bits of Hero No. 1 (1997). It is a particular brand of comedy that may have aged, but if done correctly – it still would force you to smirk in parts.
I liked how the drama refused to necessarily go woke with the themes of intimacy, consistently being organic and grounded even in moments wherein the protagonist and Charu invariably create a checklist for the special night of the former, the one that is laced with innocence and complexity – both in the same breath. The gaze just felt so real, something that teenagers would resort to as a natural step in taking the plunge – without fully being aware of the consequence. The twin love-interests in question (each at a separate instance) also touch upon the right notes – one being a neighbour who has literally grown up with the protagonist and is fairly protective about her, and the other, a filthy rich ‘minor’ whose two adjectives can be switched around.
The writing does well in transitioning the proceedings from a s*x comedy to a heartwarming father-daughter story, the one that is marred by a bumpy road of a generation gap. In between, there is a searing commentary on parenting, the one wherein ‘care’ is weaponized and strifled to a point of indifference. And this too isn’t deliberate, but a side-effect of the very generational gap that silences the grief and trauma of the characters. The arc of redemption is backed by anxiety subverted by bouts of acceptance.
There is also a brief subplot involving a middled-age woman called Sangeeta (Tulika Banerjee) that could so easily have been reduced to an annoying character, but instead, she is a reflection of the protagonist from a future timeline – particularly when forms of societal patriarchy are shattered by the ones from her family who actually care for her. I even liked the meta-take on the climax teasing. to end at a railway station or the airport, while finally ending on a bittersweet yet heartfelt note, right in the middle of the road. The screenplay is quite beautifully written while grounding its narrative in reality.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are grounded while blending subtle bouts of humour with a palpable emotional core. The balance remained the key, and the lines do a wonderful job in maintaining the tonal consistencies without going overboard with any particular sentiment. The music is breezy, wonderfully complimenting the frothy tone of the drama. The BGM is slightly overcooked at the start, almost coaxing the viewers to engage with the comedic beats that slightly felt like a distraction. But the notes steadily find a groove, and continue aiding the drama in a rather understated manner. The cinematography comprises of frames that get close enough to the characters, in order to invest emotionally in their arcs, while grounding the spirit of the drama in a conservative B-town setting.
The editing pattern is crisp, seamlessly allowing the transfer of emotions from one scene to another, while effectively maintaining a byte-sized runtime of the show. If anything, the drama could have lingered a little bit longer in a few moments, including a climax that felt slightly contrived from an editing stand point. But this is just me nit-picking some rather passable flaws here.
Director Siddhant Chavan beautifully captures the intricate emotional dance between a single father and his teenage daughter. His direction balances lighthearted comedy with the genuine awkwardness of adolescent discovery, ensuring that the heavy themes of grief and changing family dynamics remain deeply relatable. By grounding the five-episode series in the middle-class realities of Lucknow, Chavan transforms standard domestic conflicts into an endearing, organic narrative. His thoughtful vision allows both generations to be flawed yet compassionate, avoiding excessive melodrama to deliver a rather refreshing slice-of-life experience, while effectively maintaining the female gaze with the proceedings.
Performances
The performances are wonderful to witness by the members of the cast. Shakti Kumar as the friend of Prakash is understated while doubling up as the emotional anchor in his life. Tulika Banerjee as Sangeeta may appear to be a partly nagging character used as a comic relief, but there is so much more to her persona. She effectively uses her outspoken demeanor as a means to portray her confidence of a female living on her own terms, breaking the shackles of the society – while acknowledging the role of her father in it. She was a delight to witness here. Sachin Singh as Dhruv effectively encapsulates the hormonal surge in young males, misconstruing the concept of consent while deriving much of the information about intimacy from p*rn. He does a pretty solid job in a character that has a rather repulsive arc. Aarav Mavi as Aryan is sincere and earnest while portraying a sense of compassion effectively for the protagonist.
Saumya Uniyal as Charu serves as a stellar force and a perfect foil for the protagonist to thrive. Her lively presence adds necessary comic relief, perfectly highlighting the everyday realities, dynamics, and pressures of modern peer circles. She portrays friendship with an infectious energy that balances the high-friction environment building between the main father-daughter duo. Through casual conversations and expressive chemistry, she ensures that the certain subplots feel completely organic and grounded.
Rajesh Kumar as Prakash showcases his masterful range by blending impeccable comedic timing with intense emotional vulnerability. He elevates this character into someone deeply human whose intrusive antics emerge from genuine paternal love and unresolved grief. He plays the hyper-vigilant dad with great sincerity, executing covert sabotage missions on his daughter’s dating life with hilarious conviction. Overall, his performance remains immensely heartfelt with a fractured emotional core that has an arc of redemption too.
Adrija Sinha as Dhara delivers a brilliant performance that anchors the emotional weight of the entire series. She portrays the nuances of a young student balancing high academic expectations with an underlying quest for personal independence and romantic discovery. Instead of resorting to typical teenage rebellious tropes, she injects a layer of vulnerable intellect and palpable defiance that makes her character incredibly grounded. Her quiet expressions and natural presence successfully drive the overarching conflict, capturing the messy reality of growing up. She was excellent to witness here.
Conclusion
Driven by solid performances, the first season of Matargashti is a refreshing, subtly hilarious coming-of-age drama that trades outlandish s*x-comedy tropes for a heartfelt father-daughter story. While it keeps the narrative simple without being groundbreaking in any way, the show’s focus on genuine intimacy and heartwarming character dynamics makes it a thoroughly enjoyable and worthwhile watch. Available on Netflix.