My interest in Call My Agent: Bollywood was aroused because it was an adaptation of the French TV series Dix Pour Cent.
The original French series is set in a talent agency and purportedly is a scathing satire of behind-the-scenes occurrences in showbiz. Some critics even compared it to Woody Allen's films, which was enough to intrigue me.
"How bad can the remake be? They have to stick to the basic premise, which is supposedly brilliant," I thought as I began the show.
Alas, the disappointment with Call My Agent: Bollywood was instant.
The series was vapid, undercooked, unfunny, clichéd, and frequently cringeworthy.
One wonders how such a monumentally deficient series was greenlit for production and release.
This was a catastrophic failure in direction, writing, production values, cinematography, and background score.
It was almost an outright failure in the acting department as well. The seasoned leads struggled with the amateurish material and delivered career-worst performances.
Why 'almost'?
Because of the presence of gorgeous and talented Anuschka Sawhney, who plays Jasleen.
It is said that able actors need good material to display their talents, but prodigiously talented actors shine irrespective of the material they are presented with.
Anuschka's performance was so perfectly poised that it seemed to belong to an entirely different, i.e., well-made series.
Anuschka breathed life into Jasleen such that you could imagine Jasleen's past. None of her co-stars in the series could manage this.
Unlike other characters in the series, Jasleen sounded and looked like she belonged to her profession, i.e., an auditor.
Her look and wardrobe added to the sensuousness and allure of Jasleen.
Anushka's distinctive screen presence, euphonious voice, and natural grace made Jasleen compelling, sexy, and memorable. When Jasleen was on screen, others faded into the background.
Jasleen, who was the only joy in this calamitous venture, deserves a spin-off series.
Here's my detailed review of Anuschka's triumph with Jasleen.
Call My Agent: Bollywood was released in 2021.
Since then, we haven't seen Anuschka very much on any screen.
Fortunately, the wait ended last week, on the 11th April, when the first season of Yuva: Sapno Ka Safar was released on the Waves streaming platform. The series is an anthology about the lives of Indian youth across 8 cities.
Anuschka features in the third episode, called Coconut Dreams, written and directed by Rima Das.
The following is a spoiler-ridden review of the episode.
Do watch the episode first by clicking here, and then read the review.
Set in Assam, this is a story of six college friends who reconnect after seven years and are compelled to confront their unresolved emotions over past conflicts.
The premise is that Namrata and Mova were the best of friends. But circumstances led Namrata to be romantically involved with the love of Mova's life. Consequently, Mova felt cheated and abandoned, which left her depressed. Namrata carries the burden of remorse, seven years after the incident occurred.
Some among the friends hold Namrata responsible for what they think is a blatant act of betrayal, while others accept life as it is with a desire to move on and enjoy the few moments with their friends.
Soon, Mova turns up.
The good news is that Anuschka is among the leads in this ensemble piece, and unlike Call My Agent: Bollywood, Coconut Dreams does well in every department.
Anuschka plays Namrata, the part gives her ample opportunity to display her immense talents, and she rises to the occasion with considerable elan.
The episode opens with Namrata breathlessly sprinting barefoot on a concrete road at dawn through the woods on either side. The forest is a metaphor for the myriad conflicts that afflict Namarata. Namrata is lost in a forest of remorse even before her day begins. She is probably aiming at inflicting herself with physical pain in order to overcome her emotional turmoil.
Anuschka conveys this all only through her eyes and expressive countenance, and without saying a word, leaving the scene open to interpretation. The frantic manner of her running makes it seem like she is trying to escape from her past trauma.
During a meal with her friends and her husband, Namrata's moods seem to elevate a bit, but the mention of Mova casts a dark cloud over. Anuschka delivers splendidly again, effectively depicting Namrata concealing her internal conflict while braving a smile and distracting herself with the delicacies before her.
When Mova arrives, Namrata is hesitant to join other friends engaged a jubilant group hug. Finally, they come face to face, there is a bit of eye contact, a hint of a smile, and a hug. Anuschka conveys Namrata's childlike hope that this may be the beginning of a journey to heal old wounds. While engaged in the hug, Anuschka's smile and eyes that are overcome by emotion, reveal that her affection for her friend hasn't diminished.
It doesn't help that while Namrata struggles with remorse, her husband just wants her to move on and put on a happy face for the holiday. Anuschka depicts Namrata's struggle to resolve her pain.
There are moments when her friends engage in innuendo and direct subtle jibes at Namrata. Anuschka depicts Namarata's fragile state; she absorbs the insults and puts on a stoic display, the way water settles after a pebble is tossed in. But beneath it all, Namarata is crumbling.
When her husband interacts with Mova, Anuschka conveys the disapproval and insecurity that Namrata endures, but she doesn't feel she is morally entitled to either join the conversation or steer her man away from Mova. She instead pretends to be engaged in merriments with her friends. Once again, this is conveyed without a syllable.
There's a scene at night time before a bonfire, the uncomfortable silences and hesitation between Mova and Namrata are depicted beautifully.
Namrata's emotions emerge to the surface during a confrontation with her husband, who cannot fathom Namrata's plight. This isn't a volcanic eruption but a desperate plea for compassion and space, which sadly falls on deaf ears. He claims he has been carrying her burden of guilt while she thinks he's cold. It is a tough situation, and all are victims of circumstance.
Moments later, as the friends jubilate around a tea garden, Mova fondly recalls their times together. This is the first time we see Namarata smile with some semblance of abandon. Anuschka conveys the restrained elation Namarata feels from reminiscing about the old memories; she hopes those times will return, but there's also the realization that that ship may have sailed away.
During the concluding moments of the show, Mova berates Namarata about the hardships she endured when her best friend and boyfriend fell in love and married. This is the moment Namarata lets it go as she pleads with Mova that she tried to prevent it to not happening. They hug and shed tears. The scene wouldn't have worked without the two talented performers in top form.
The ending is open to interpretation.
Rima Das does marvelously with her writing and direction. Like all able filmmakers, she shows and allows the audience to infer.
The dialogues sounded like they emanated from the mouths of the characters rather than the minds of the writer, which is also quite an accomplishment.
Rima Das also uses the lack of time by allowing the audience to imagine what may have occurred.
There are no flashbacks, hence it is left to us to infer what may have occurred seven years ago. Perhaps Mova caught her lover and Namrata in flagrante delicto?
We are also allowed to draw our inferences based on the reactions of their mutual friends.
We are also allowed to infer if the confrontation and the tears were the first steps in a long journey of reconciliation, or was it a conclusion to a once-beautiful friendship?
There is no flashforward '5 years later' where the friends gather again and all ends happily ever after. That would have been too easy.
Rima Das also deserves to be commended for not using voice-over to spell everything out. This is a maker that believes in the power of image and the unsaid word.
The show is beautifully photographed by Aditya Varma, and I do feel like holidaying in Assam.
The editor, Abhishek Gupta, does well conveying so much in just 40 minutes. The background score by Tajdar Junaid is ethereal, and the sound design by Susmit 'Bob' Nath elevates the proceedings and builds the atmosphere.
Shahana Goswami, who is winning accolades for her sterling work in Santosh, does very well as Mova.
But once again, Anuschka Sawhney steals the show with her restrained and nuanced performance. She conveys her emotions with her facial expression and her expressive eyes.
Anuschka delivers the best kind of performance where the acting doesn't show, i.e., it seems real as if it is just happening, and a camera happens to be there capturing the occurrences unfold.
Anuschka never allows the emotional turmoil and the shame she feels for betraying her friend leave her character, even during the joyous moments, you feel the burden she is carrying on her shoulders that is overwhelming her.
A less skilled performer would have reduced Namarata to a one-dimensional character and focused solely on the remorse. But Anuschka focused on the conflict, which allows her to convey a gamut of emotions. The fact that the script doesn't compel her to say it out loud adds to the mystery.
As an artist, Anuschka must feel satisfied to be offered such a rich, layered character. The writer and director Rima Das had full faith in her talents and allowed her to explore the character and present the greys rather than blacks and whites.
Usually, the magic of discovering new talent can never be recreated, but Anuschka managed to achieve this feat. Watching her live, Namrata was like discovering Anuschka all over again.
I do hope we get to see Anuschka more often on any screen. Perhaps Anuschka can collaborate with Rima Das for a full-length series.
PS:
The episode was censored because it was on the Waves OTT platform, which is powered by Prasar Bharati, India’s state-owned public broadcasting platform. Yet, the muted expletives didn't affect the authenticity of the story or the viewing experience.
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