Nirmal Pathak Ki Ghar Wapsi
Introduction
And Thank God It Is Friday and after several lean weekends, we have a crowded weekend in terms of the new content. There are three webseries lined up and I managed to watch one of them titled Nirmal Pathak Ki Ghar Wapsi on SonyLiv. It was only last weekend where the second season of Panchayat had captured the essence of rural India wherein it found an audience which began appreciating it. Nirmal Pathak Ki Ghar Wapsi is another series which tried to capture the essence of rural India and its social evils something which was also seen in the SRK starrer Swades. The content in SonyLiv is generally pretty sharp which has managed to penetrate the masses, does Nirmal Pathak Ki Ghar Wapsi follow the same suite, lets find out.
Story & Screenplay
Nirmal Pathak Ki Ghar Wapsi follows the story of Nirmal who returns to a village where he was born in to fulfill the last wishes of his father. The story acts as a mirror in addressing the social issues which are still prevalent in a village while also giving you an impression that you cannot fight the system. If you have watched Panchayat by now then you would know that it was able to address these issues in a light and frothy manner. However, the drama here is slightly more serious and tries to drive home the point. The screenplay comprises of 5 episodes of roughly 40 odd minutes which means it is a quick watch and can be easily binge watched. The entire opening sequence of the protagonist travelling in a train just had me sold. It was fun and entertaining and it did put a smile on my face with the turn of events.
But the drama does get slightly more heavy post this. The sequence of the protagonist meeting his mother and other family members is heartfelt and touching. The writing is sharp and in trying to address a few issues, it does not become a preachy affair. In fact, it does not even offer any solutions to the issue. Instead, it just draws a mirror of the issues prevalent and how that has affected the lives of the protagonist and the people around him. The more you dwell in the drama, the drama does get slightly more convoluted but the characters here are nicely fleshed out and an interesting bunch. There are many sequences which are engrossing and they will have you glued to your screen. Having said that, the final act is a tad underwhelming and it fails to create an impact although the story is poised at an interesting point for season two. But overall, a well written screenplay.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are pretty good and they are flavourful in terms of the area where they are set in. The music is melodious and it deserves a soundtrack of its own. It is truly exceptional. The BGM blends well with its surroundings and also is able to evoke the right kind of sentiments. The cinematography is breathtaking and it captures some of the most beautiful frames of the village effectively. Directors Satish Nair and Rahul Pandey have done a phenomenal job in creating this world of interesting characters yet tactfully addressing the social issues which are prevalent.
Performances
The performances are excellent here. Aarya Sharma is pretty good. Tanishq Rana as Nibha is such a natural onscreen, I really enjoyed her performance. Stuti Trivedi as Reema had to bottle up many of her emotions and she does a fabulous job with it. Ishita Ganguly as Gitanjali is sincere and endearing. Kumar Saurabh as Lablabiya has his moments to shine as does Paritosh as Shankar, both of them are fabulous to watch. Garima Vikrant Singh as Genda Bua is first rate. Veterans like Vineet Kumar and Pankaj Jha are phenomenal and they really manage to hold your attention. Akash Makhija as Aatish is such an affable character with many shades of patriarchy. It was an interesting character and one of my favourites from the show and he was simply brilliant to watch. Alka Amin as Santoshi delivers such a heartfelt performance that it will moisten your eyes in a few scenes and make you want to give your mother a tight hug. Vaibhav Tatwawaadi as Nirmal delivers an honest and heartfelt act himself where his character is oblivious to the harsh reality(or its extent) of today’s times. He is well measured and never goes overboard. This was a towering performance where he commanded your attention throughout in the most subtle and nuanced manner.
Conclusion
Nirmal Pathak Ki Ghar Wapsi is a heartfelt social commentary which successfully captures the essence of Rural India. Available on SonyLiv.