by Inakshi Chandra-Mohanty
“Yeh camera bade kamaal ki cheez hoti hai, Jai Babu. Usme se tu duniya ko voh dikha sakta hai jo tu dekhta hai, jise tu dikhana chahta hai.”
Cinema is a powerful medium. Consisting of many scattered images shaped into life by the vision of a director, films have the ability to leave a lasting impact on an audience. It is an opportunity for a director to show the world what their eyes see, tell a story they want to tell, even if possibly deceiving.
Jubilee explores the power of perception in this world of cinema. Set in the 1940s-50s, as the Indian independence struggle changes the lives of many, this web series follows multiple characters entrenched in the politics of the evolving film industry. There is Binod (Aparshakti Khurrana) with his ambitious, yet crooked journey towards becoming a star, Roy (Prosenjit Chatterjee) who is more concerned about the success of his production company than the dalliances of his wife, Jay (Sidhant Gupta) with his cinematic dreams and struggles to escape the refugee life, Niloufer (Wamiqa Gabbi), a former courtesan with acting aspirations, and Sumitra (Aditi Rao Hydari) on a path towards justice after she loses the love of her life and her only escape from this industry.
All of them struggle with this battle of images and perspective. Maintaining the image of the name they carry and the legacy they hope to leave versus the reality they live. And nothing is more indicative of that than their respective memories of Jamshed Khan (Nandish Sandhu). For some a talented actor, for others a star who could not be, a lover for some, an obstacle for others. Jamshed’s death in the first episode haunts each character in different ways and sets the stage for their journeys filled with greed, passion, ambition, and power.
This universe created by Vikramaditya Motwane is an ode to classic Indian cinema. From moments that pay homage to memorable scenes, to the episode titles which are names of old Indian films, the series is a delight for cinephiles. The beautiful visuals supported by an intriguing story and terrific acting only add to this cinematic delight. Sidhant Gupta is the breakout star of this series. While everyone has done a commendable job, he enamors as Jay Khanna, to the extent that I desired to see more of him even when he was not on screen. It isn’t easy to hold one’s ground and create a strong impact in the presence of such experienced and talented actors, but Sidhant Gupta manages to do that.
There are times when the show falters. The biggest weakness in an otherwise beautiful creation is the convoluted writing. At times it isn’t clear where the story is headed, and the time jumps are confusing. Where the show should have picked up pace in part 2, it instead stoops into self-misery. My interest in the characters wane as their actions no longer match the arc I had expected. Maybe it is the optimist in me that hopes for something positive. Or at least something bittersweet to make up for the tragic journey. But, ultimately it leads to an unsatisfactory ending.
However, the immersive storytelling distracts us from its flaws. We are so drawn into this world, into these performances, into the dramatic visuals and fantastic musical score, that a few faults in the narrative are no grave issue.
“Jo chup rehta hai lamba chalta hai.”
While dreams, power, ambition, and freedom are the core themes of Jubilee, it is perspective that shapes it. Through these characters’ perceptions of one another, we also see Vikramaditya Motwane’s perspective towards the world of cinema. It is clear that this work of art comes from a passionate love for cinema. But is it also a mirror to the film industry today? Is it possible that he is not only giving insight into the workings of Indian cinema in the 1940s- 50s but is also bringing in a part of his own experiences? Maybe, maybe not. That is the beauty of cinema about cinema. We never know what is fiction, and what is introspection. It is all perception.
