Meme Boys
Introduction
The weekend is finally here and it has been a heavy week in terms of work. Some unforeseen circumstances have given us slightly unexpected surprises but we are still up and fighting! Moreover, as they say the show must go on. And your love and support is worth every bit of the stretch that we have been undergoing. Also, there are a few releases this weekend so wasting no further time, lets get to them one by one. First up, I have finished watching the new Tamil series Meme Boys which is streaming on SonyLiv. I had said in my review of Suzhal – The Vortex that while the films down South were scoring, the same wasn’t translated into footfalls as far as the series were concerned. But I had also said that a brilliant series like Suzhal – The Vortex would open doors for more much brilliant content. With the same kind of hope(and an OTT Platform like SonyLiv promoting it), I finished watching Meme Boys. Is it worth your time, lets find out.
Story & Screenplay
Meme Boys follows the story of a group of college students who are arrested for posting memes. The social media has been on the rise and it doesn’t take long before any content becomes viral. And one of the most millenial concepts is that of memes which could act as a voice of the people being used for entertainment or a cause. Some of the memes which I like the most are the ones punching up which basically means giving a voice to the oppressed. So in that context, the story is fresh and so is the concept. The screenplay standing at 8 episodes of 20 to 30 odd minutes each means that the series is a brisk watch.
The drama opens with the arrest of a few students over the memes which they had posted. A flashback gives you a fair idea about each of the four protagonists and the swords which they cross with the antagonist who is the dean of the college. Very early on in the series, you do get a feeling that the writing is slightly disjointed. The sequences fleshed out give you a sense of a start and stop technique which doesn’t quite allow you to settle in the drama. But soon, the drama gathers steam and it is a smooth ride which follows.
The kind of issues which are raised initially at a college level are relevant and presented in an entertaining manner. The twists and turns are really a treat to watch while the vibe of the drama stays light and frothy. At no point does it become heavy or melodramatic. The entire situation is also metaphoric of the current political situation in the country which is nicely integrated in the drama. The humour is subtle and it does give you a sense of nostalgia while you enjoy the camaraderie between the characters.
I felt towards the end of the drama, things did start to get slightly out of hand and arriving at a logical conclusion did feel slightly sluggish in its attempt. It is safe to say that even that twist at the end felt out of place and forced making for a tad underwhelming final act. Even the setup for season 2 was not great and the story should have ended in season one itself. But nevertheless, the screenplay keeps the vibe of the story impact making for some great moments which are entertaining and at times insightful.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are fairly well written. The BGM is quite good and it keeps the vibe of the drama intact without going overboard. The cinematography and art design are pretty good and it they an impact aa far as the tone of the series is concerned. Director Arun Koushik and co-director Rahul Raj have done a tremendous job here although their approach is basic. But even this basic approach works in their favour as it makes for an entertaining watch where they manage to hold their attention throughout.
Performances
The performances are pretty good. Badava Gopi as the assistant Dean is hilarious to watch. Guru Somasundaram(earlier seen in the terrific Minnal Murali) as the college dean is excellent and it does help that the students had a strong antagonist against them which made for a great viewing. Devadharshini Balamurugan as Nandhini has her moments to shine. Nikhil Nair as Rahul is pretty good and does a swell job. Which brings me to the four protagonists – who are all excellent. Siddharth Babu as Jumbo is hilarious and definitely leaves a mark! Jayanth as Power is one of my favourite characters, the brain of the group, and he is simply excellent here. Namritha MV as Julie is fabulous to watch and she has a tremendous screen presence. Aadhitya Baaskar as Mojo is just hilarious and they will find yourself laughing hysterically mostly when he is onscreen.
Conclusion
Meme Boys is a youthful satire which makes for an entertaining watch. Available on SonyLiv.