Varun Sharma’s OTT debut with his Fukrey team takes time to fin its footing, but once it does, it grows on you
Web Series: Chutzpah
Chutzpah Cast: Varun Sharma, Manjot Singh, Elnaaz Norouzi, Tanya Maniktala, Diksha Singh, Gautam Mehra
Chutzpah Director: Simarpreet Singh
Where to Watch: Sony LIV
There are many web series these days that start off with a bang only to fizzle out later, which is kind of expected given the cookie-clutter of shows flooding every OTT platform imaginable. And then there are some that don’t begin well, but given time and patience, grown on you and end on a high. Honestly, we’d wish they all began and ended on a strong note, but then again, if wisher were horses, beggars would ride – that distinction is only reserved for the crème de la crème of shows, and honestly speaking, that’s how it should be. As for those not falling into that distinction, we’d rather they ended than began well because nobody likes things ending on a tepid note, right? Thankfully, Sony LIV’s Chutzpah, starting Varun Sharma and Manjot Singh, and created by their Fukrey franchise Director Mrigdeep Singh Lamba, belongs to the latter category.
So, are you excited about what to watch this weekend or what to watch this week and wondering whether Chutzpah is worth your time? Scroll down for my full Narappa review…
What’s it about
Following parallel stories of 9-10 characters, some of whom are also inter-connected by their tracks; Chutzpah slowly but surely delves deep into the addiction, shallowness, and fickle nature of the beast that is social media, taking over and eventually replacing everything real in our lives.
Watch the Chutzpah trailer below:
What’s hot
Director Simarpreet Singh, along with writer-creator Mrigdeep Singh Lamba and co-writer Amit Babbar have their heart in the right place, and it shows from episode 4 onward as Chutzpah comes into its own, highlighting every evil and hollow thing about social media that’s not only plaguing our society, but also creating a false cushion for people to abandon reality. Everything from sex chat rooms, startup apps and obsessiveness for followers to trolls, multiple filters, illusionary profiles and even the infamous ‘Guys Locker Room’ are examined on a deeply psychological level that only reward you if you have the patience to invest in the show. Of course, whenever you doubt your patience, the performances, especially those of Varun Sharma, Manjot Singh, Elnaaz Norouzi, Tanya Maniktala, Diksha Singh and Gautam Mehra, help you make that decision easier. The camerawork also lends a much-needed seedy feel to the setting, in sync with the world of social media and its condemnation the web series opts for.
What’s not
That very test and demand of patience is what could put many viewers off as it isn’t until the fourth episode that things really starting moving forward and coming together – Chutzpah has its moments till then, but they act as a rudderless cruise-liner, lovely to look at but all at sea. And even when the payoff does start appearing, it isn’t huge, at least not in the comical vein the promos alluded to, which could put more viewers off. It’s only Varun Sharma who managed to extract some laughs, but that’s also because he gets the most hilarious lines. And even at just seven episodes long of not more than 30-40 minutes each, the show could have done with some seriously better editing. Coming to the profound message that it goes for, well…it could’ve delivered that it in a more coherent manner, which would’ve also helped make the output more viewer friendly.
BL Verdict
If you have the patience and willingness for the reward on investing it to be subtle rather than huge, then Chutzpah would make for a decently interesting watch. It’s heart and soul are clear in their objective, but only as the web series proceeds beyond its initial hiccups, and even then, both needed a better course of action. That being said, those willing to sacrifice laughs as the makers did for a telling statement on social media evils should walk away with an introspective experience. A line in this Sony LIV show that goes by, “There was a time when fans would do anything for their stars, now stars do anything so that their followers (online) don’t leave them,” perfectly sums up what Chutzpah aims for. I’m going with 3 out of 5 stars.
3 out of 5
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