An up-and-coming entrepreneur with an eidetic memory who seems to lead a charmed life. A makeup and prosthetic artist facing an identity crisis and pining for a woman actor. A poet and ghazal performer whose path crosses with a wrestler-turned-sports journalist on a train, leading to a startling realisation of a similarity between them. And a megalomaniac star obsessed with his ‘look’ and concerned by his slipping popularity, who starts to feel threatened by a religious woman leader with a rapidly expanding cult and clout.
These are the themes of Netflix's new anthology series, Ray, based on four of Satyajit Ray’s short stories released last week. The stories are interesting, offbeat, and could be many-layered. However, while Hungama Kyon Hai Barpa (based on Ray’s Barin Bhowmick-er Byaram, which translates to Barin Bhowmick’s ailment) starring Manoj Bajpayee and Gajraj Rao, shines with the direction and acting, Forget Me Not (based on Bipin Chowdhury'r Smritibhrom), starring Ali Fazal, is about an ambitious business tycoon who starts to lose his eidetic memory, falls a little flat in eliciting sympathy from the viewer. Bahurupiya (based on the story Bahurupi, meaning someone who dons multiple characters), marks the return of Kay Kay Menon who does a good job as a desperate man with bruised ego in search of affection and identity. And as for Spotlight, starring Harshvardhan Kapoor and Radhika Madan, it is only the ending that uplifts the otherwise immature storytelling.
Hungama Kyon Hai Barpa is hands down the best out of the lot. Under Abhishek Chaubey’s direction, the banter and chemistry between Musafir Ali (Manoj Bajpayee) and Aslam Baig (Gajraj Rao) is sweet, enjoyable and hits just the right comic notes. The duo comes across each other twice in their lives, both years apart, and on train journeys. Central to their meetings is an object, which in the end, ties together their fates in a sweet, funny, and accidental way. Bajpayee is adorable as the man who speaks Urdu lilted words and loves his poetry and ghazals – so much so, that he even imagines an audience in a train washroom. And Gajraj is affable as the chai-loving (possibly, a laced version of the beverage) man who loves to talk about his sporting legend before an injury compelled him to give it up. Together Bajpayee and Gajraj have an easy camaraderie of two strangers in a compartment which isn’t uncommon even today between train passengers.
Bahurupi is also a decent tale, with its protagonist Indrashish Shah (Kay Kay) giving a convincing performance as a poor man who lacks self-esteem, but not ego, and dreams of one day answering back everyone who has poked fun at his struggles and taken him for granted. He finds his solace in the art of makeup and prosthetics that he learned from his beloved and deceased grandmother. Bahurupi is the story of the power of an identity-less man who can mould himself into another’s skin – literally – and do and say things in their name as an act of vengeance. However, the power lies in knowing that the mask comes off, and the identity-less man deals with none of the repercussions. But what if it doesn’t come off? The story-telling keeps the viewer very aware of this tightrope that Indrashish walks. The ending of the story is deliciously shocking, though somewhat expected. But that it works, speaks of Srijit Mukherjee’s apt direction.
Spotlight could have been a powerful tale along the lines of The Dirty Picture in dealing with the growing irrelevance of a star who puts all their eggs into one ‘look’, even though it has a more comic edge. However, Harshvardhan Kapoor comes off a bit unserious about the whole thing, even childishly so. Even if that was supposed to be part of his young, hot-headed star charm, his portrayal of the character isn’t really imbued with it. So, when his insecurity grows at the arrival of ‘Didi’, a mysterious religious leader with a cult following, it’s difficult to empathise with him. What the short does portray well – even akin to real life – are the comedies of dogmatic faith, and what people who follow it are willing to do for no proof whatsoever.
The film picks up only towards the end and briefly when Harshvardhan’s Vikram meets Radhika Madan’s Didi, who turns out to be nothing like you would imagine a cult leader to be. Ultimately though, the woman ends up being used as a plot device to further the man’s journey (think Geet from Jab We Met or Bindu from Meri Pyaari Bindu). However, it is somewhat satisfying to see Didi having a mind, dreams, and schemes of her own that she’s unabashed about. Though her part in the film is much smaller, Radhika’s Didi is the true hero of the story.
Ironically, the most forgettable of the lot is Forget Me Not. Ipsit seems to have it all together – a bullish entrepreneur who will get what he wants at work, but also manage to be there for his wife and shop for newborn baby clothes. However, he starts unravelling after a person comes into his life claiming to have met him before but Ipsit cannot remember when. And Ipsit never forgets, leading him to second guess himself and ultimately start falling apart. While the film attempts to show the pressures of performing Ipsit faces, it doesn’t humanise him enough for us to sympathise when he starts spiralling. There aren’t complaints with the actors really, the storytelling and direction by Srijit Mukherji don’t build up nuance or crescendo well enough for the big reveal.
Ray is an ambitious attempt to capture the essence of Satyajit Ray’s storytelling. While some work, others don’t. The anthology is a one-time watch and has at least one gem in Hungama Kyon Hai Barpa, and arguably another in Bahurupiya. The rest, have some moments, but not enough going for them.
Disclaimer: This review was not paid for or commissioned by anyone associated with the series/film. TNM Editorial is independent of any business relationship the organisation may have with producers or any other members of its cast or crew.