Release Date : April 14, 2023
123telugu.com Rating : 3.5/5
Starring: Sidhanth Gupta, Aparshakti Khurana, Aditi Rao Hydari, Prosenjit Chatterjee, Wamiqa Gabbi, Ram Kapoor, and others
Director: Vikramaditya Motwane
Producer: Dipa De Motwane
Music Director: Alokananda Dasgupta
Cinematography: Pratik Shah
Editor: Aarti Bajaj
Related Links : Trailer
Prime Video has recently come up with a web series named Jubilee. The series starring Sidhanth Gupta, Aparshakti Khurana, Aditi Rao Hydari, Prosenjit Chatterjee, and Wamiqa Gabbi in the lead roles is directed by Vikramaditya Motwane. Let’s see how it is.
Story:
The makers tried to showcase how the Hindi film industry used to be during the 1940s-1950s through five main characters. They are Srikanth Roy (Prosenjit Chatterjee), the owner of an independent film studio named Roy Talkies, his wife, and a star actress Sumitra Kumari (Aditi Rao Hydari), Roy’s trusted confidante and studio’s lab assistant Binod Das (Aparshakti Khurana), a playwright and a refugee named Jay Khanna (Sidhanth Gupta), and a whore named Niloufer (Wamiqa Gabbi).
Plus Points:
The biggest asset of Jubilee is undoubtedly the writing. The story is fantastic such that one immerses totally in the series. The writers Atul Sabharwal and Prachi Singh came up with five strong characters and tried to showcase the Bombay film industry through them. Every character is wonderfully written, and each has a huge impact on the series, irrespective of the screen time.
The series has multiple layers and also throws light on Bengal and Punjab issues during the India-Pakistan partition and the impact of the USSR and the USA on the Indian film industry. Everything related to Bollywood during the era of 1940s- 1950s has been shown in detail. Be it the evolution of new technologies in the film industry, the lifestyle of film stars, the affairs in this showbiz industry, the impact of piracy, or the politics involved in the cine field, everything has been portrayed with perfection.
One more advantage of Jubilee is getting the right artists on board. Every artist competed with each other and gave their best. Among the five, Sidhanth Gupta and Aparshakti Khurana get the majority of the screen time, and both did a spectacular job. Sidhanth Gupta hits it out of the park with this stupendous act, and we instantly connect to him from his first scene. Aparshakti Khurana’s role had multiple shades, and the actor’s performance is nothing short of brilliance.
Wamiqa Gabbi did an excellent job as Niloufer, and her chemistry with Sidhanth Gupta is mesmerizing. Aditi Rao Hydari is solid in her role, and her character was used to drive the story forward. Prosenjit Chatterjee, as the owner of Roy Talkies, is stunning and brings that royal nature required for the character with his body language and dialogue delivery.
Credit to the amazing production design, which transports the viewers into the 1940s era. The sets erected, the costumes designed, and the dialogues written speak volumes about the meticulous care taken by makers to take us back to the bygone era. Well, the Hindi film industry is mainly known for its songs, and we get to see that rich music in Jubilee. Every song is exquisite and shot fantabulously.
A lot happens regarding the story, yet the director succeeds in narrating every small aspect in an engaging and interesting manner. There isn’t any confusion or complexity in the storytelling, and the series is surely the best that has come from Bollywood lately.
Minus Points:
The show takes a slow start initially, and the makers take more time to establish the key characters. So a viewer has to go through a couple of slow-paced episodes to enjoy the ultimate drama further.
It would have been great if the character Jamshed Khan had been given more screen time. Though his character plays a key role in the plot, we don’t get to see enough of him, and this aspect could have been handled better.
Technical Aspects:
Technically too, Jubilee is one of the best shows in recent times. The background score by Alokananda Dasgupta is superb. The songs are incredible and nicely fit into the narrative. The cinematography by Pratik Shah is remarkable. The editing is decent, as a few portions could have been edited out. More amount has been spent on Jubilee to recreate the old era, and special applause to the makers for coming up with a web show.
Coming to the director, Vikramaditya Motwane, he did an excellent job with the series. Not only did Vikramaditya Motwane come up with an engaging narrative, but he also made sure to depict the industry’s dark side without any hesitation. He has extracted wonderful performances from all his cast. The director scores high marks for having managed to tell a story in a stunning way that has many layers. He has given a lovely ode to Bollywood cinema.
Verdict:
On the whole, Jubilee is a fitting tribute to the golden era of Hindi films. The amazing performances, the solid storyline, the great production design, and rich music are its assets. The slow pacing at times reduces the impact a bit. If you are someone who loves to know more about the film industry and celebrities, this series should be on your watchlist. Even Telugu audiences who adore films like Mahanati will end up liking Jubilee. Give this series a shot. It is worth all your time.
123telugu.com Rating: 3.5/5
Reviewed by 123telugu Team