Never Ending Movie Carnival
Never Ending Movie Carnival
Jubilee all episode’s review: splendidly brilliant in all departments, a web series to be savoured forever
What: On the 14th of April 2023, Amazon Prime video released the final set of 5 episodes of Vikramaditya Motwane’s sprawling and ambitious period drama Jubilee set in the Indian Film Industry of the 1950s.
Jubilee is a splendid and beautiful ode to the golden era of Indian cinema infused with pure and pristine artistry which examines a spectrum of human frailties and vices - obsession, greed, deceit, envy, and revenge during the Independence era.
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Motwane and Co-writer Soumik Sen create the journey of a production studio and fascinating characters who undergo mental turmoil during the tumultuous times of partition when the communal tension was at its peak. The screenplay, devised by Atul Sabharwal, astutely captures the intensity and essence in the drama with compelling and moody background score (Alokananda Dasgupta).
But the re-imagination of the bygone era, the ethos, dialect, and the set design (by award winning art director Aparna Sud) are at its immaculate and sprawling best. While the technicalities resonate with the scale and ambition of this project, it's the performances and the respective arcs of the ensemble cast that stays in your mind. Their pathos lingers in your psyche. In its latest throws of the five episodes, Jubilee revels in the fractured souls of its characters soaked in remorse, loneliness, and guilt.
Jubilee with its limited set of 5 episodes left us at a crescendo and I just couldn’t wait for the next weekend to devour the remaining ones. The second set goes way beyond the story of a couple, their studio, the three young actors and the nation that’s learning to stand on its feet. Jay Khanna has created his studio and is making his own film. There is a scene where he breaks down because he still yearns for Nilofer’s love and leaves the set to clean up the toilet. The cameraman retorts and patronizes him of his irresponsible ways, but Jay keeps calm. It’s a standout moment for both Sidhant and Wamiqa.
The narrative meanders its way through a relationship between Nilofer and Binod/Madan Kumar, an introduction of a new writer – Asghar Ali, whose sincerity towards his craft is demolished by the commercial propositions and business viabilities and a dramatic courtroom drama finale.
As the episodes progress, the makers take us consciously to the abyss of loneliness and hollow ambitions. It is no longer just a spectacle, but an opera. Everything is a success, yet a failure. Life moves on.
Prosenjit Chatterjee, Ram Kapoor, Aditi Rao Hydari, Wamiqa Gabbi render earnest performances. The period touch enhances the dazzling Wamiqa and Gabbi. They look splendid and wonderful. Siddhant Gupta (of Operation Romeo fame) is terrific as Jay Khanna and the arc of his character emerges as the spine of this series. But the real scene stealer is Aparshakti Khurrana, enacting such a complex and layered character of Binod Kumar consumed by guilt of eliminating Jamshed (Nandish Sandhu) – the original Madan Kumar of Roy Talkies. Khurrana lends a rare degree of brood and he is flawless.
It was a pleasant surprise to see Arun Govil on screen after such a long time. I loved watching Narottam Bain( as Maqsood) and Pankaj Jha Kashyap(of Maharani) – their parts are meaty enough in the second instalment.
Astonishingly beautiful and prodigiously talented, Aditi Rao Hydari portrays Sumitra Kumari's enigma unmistakably - the woman who ran the Roy Talkies with a steel hand, squashing all rebellion and constantly walking a tightrope when it came to men around her. Jubilee casts an emphatic gaze at the romance and the abuse that characterized her marriage with Srikant Roy, the struggle of being a woman at the helm of a hyper-male domain, the soaring but short-lived happiness she achieved in the company of Jamshed and the tragedy of a life lived on the edge, always.
Resplendent, dazzling and chimerical, Nilofer has a surreal edge to her persona, beautifully depicted by the talented Wamiqa Gabbi. She yearns for love which never unfortunately consummates. A woman of substance with her head firmly on her shoulder, she's ready to flirt for her place in the sun.A daring blend of Cuckoo, Minoo Mumtaz and Sheila Ramani's adas and seduction, the actress elevates a spunky stereotype into an ebullient livewire.
In a largely supporting role, Shweta Basu Prasad lends a rare degree of grace and generosity to Bipin's understanding wife that creates an easy dynamic for Jubilee to fall back on. As the quintessential Boudi, Prasad’s seasoned performance etched in your mind as a woman in distress due to the marital discord.
A dreamer and a charmer, Sidhant Gupta's Jay is the hallmark of this series. The actor soaks him with a never seen before flamboyance, passion and youthful obstinance. The melancholy defining Jubilee is deeply influenced by Jay Khanna's realized character arc and his unrealized romance - from a penury-stricken refugee to a struggler to a successful filmmaker saddled with burning pathos.
As the egocentric, shrewd and arrogant owner of the Roy Talkies, Prasenjit approaches Srikant Roy like a seasoned veteran. The actor is demonstrating his range and versatility lately and Jubilee is definitely a dazzling feather on his impressive repertoire. The sepia tinted tonality lends sheen and authenticity to his character which is crude, cruel and larger than life.
"Maine apne Zindagi mein Jo kucch kiya hai, shayad sab galat kiya...lekin apne kiye par pachhtana ya apni galatiyon ke liye maafi maangna meri usoolon ke khilaaf hai",
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Aparshakti Khuranna as Binod Das epitomizes guilt, lament, adultery and defiance with a seething honesty and brooding intensity. The actor who started his cinematic journey playing jocular sidekicks has now forayed into playing layered and complex characters and his approach is tremendously astute and prodigious.
Brash, Irreverent and uncouth, Ram Kapoor's punchy and expletive spewing financier Walia is an uninhibited and unabashed interpretation of an opportunistic, boorish and business-minded person and you can't ignore him. Kapoor is spontaneous and immaculate in a vehement exchange of cuss words with Jay Khanna stealing scenes in short appearances.
As Jamshed, Nandish Sandhu might have had the least footage among the key protagonists, but Nandish Sandhu's Jamshed and his imagery hovers all throughout the series till the end - as the object of envy and guilt for Binod, love and longing for Sumitra and hatred for Srikant. Jamshed is a thing of the past but his enigma is impeccable and his reminiscence is unparalleled.
Vikas Shukla is a new entrant in the second instalment of the series, but Vikas imbues Asghar with unbridled sincerity and purity. He is the only innocent character whose honesty towards his craft is tragically trampled by the rich and conniving men in power and position.
Jubilee finds itself drenched in the sea of melancholy when it reaches its finale. “Dekho yeh duniya ke mele..saare ke saare akele” resonates with the mood of yesteryear’s “Bichhde Sab Baari Baari”, compelling us to take a bow before the music prodigy Amit Trivedi who has composed amazing tracks.
I go with 4.5 stars out of 5 for Jubilee. It has an irresistible charm and is undoubtedly binge worthy.
The show, jointly produced by Andolan Films, Phantom Films (Motwane) and Reliance Entertainment is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Ahwaan Padhee, is an IT Techie/Business Consultant by profession and a film critic/cinephile by passion, is also associated with Radio Playback as well, loves writing and conducting movie quizzes. More By Ahwaan Padhee