Hustlers review: Exciting and fascinating drama on start-up journeys

Hustlers review: Exciting and fascinating drama on start-up journeys 

Dreams, aspirations, and Jugaad collide in the journey of Sanjay Sharma (Vishal Vasistha) from a student at India’s most prestigious engineering college (Indian College of Engineering) to becoming an entrepreneur and disrupting the start-ups space. Jugaad, in colloquial term, means shortcut. A paradox for the saying, “There is no short-cut to success”.

The show ticks off with Sanjay getting arrested for a cyber scandal and moves into flashback where he has just entered the college in 2010. He is under constant pressure inflicted by his stern dad (played by Ankur Arora) who always reminds him of securing a 9.5 CGPA. While Sanjay, holds a low self-esteem because of the low rank in the entrance, he has an unwavering belief that he will be a famous icon one day. On his room’s whiteboard, even he writes, “Naam Kamana Hai” as one of his goals.

While the hostel rigamarole reminds you of 3 Idiots and Chhichhore, the show transforms into a thought provoking one with Sanjay’s quest and his foray into the start-up ecosystem. He is conflicted morally and mentally and takes some bold decisions which changes his life irreversibly.

The good part of Hustlers is that we get a protagonist with grey shades. It’s a dark world where he manoeuvres his darker motives. Director Harsh Dedhia stages the story written by Karan Narvekar, and Rahul Patel, with oodles of drama and engaging moments on the lines of TVF’s Aspirants and the recent Vidhu Vinod Chopra film, 12th Fail, that relied on the underdog spirit of standing up back after setbacks and failure.

Hustlers, along with its fascinating storyline, lines up earnest performances – Vishal is compelling as the protagonist who brings the authentic character of Sanjay Sharma on screen. The actor is seen essaying the role with ease and a pro-level skill set, which fits well with his character. Samir Kochhar on the other hand, aptly captures the nuanced nature of the character Mihir Jain, his professional guru. The audience will be deeply moved by their immersive performance, experiencing intense emotions, and leaving them with a hunger to hustle for their dreams. Anjali Barot and Maharishi Dave also perform requisitely.

 

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