By Troy RibeiroFilm: ‘Mithya’ (Streaming on Zee5); Duration: Approximately 35 minutes per episode (Six episodes)
Director: Rohan Sippy
Cast: Huma Qureshi, Avantika Dassani, Parambrata Chatterjee, Rajit Kapoor, Avantika Akerkar, Samir Soni, Naina Sareen, Krishna Bisht, K.C.Shankar, Bishakha Thapa
IANS Rating: **1/2
This six-episode series meaning, “false or lies,” is an intriguing noir crime thriller that depicts the aftereffects of trauma taking place within the mind of a troubled woman.
Leaden and bleak like the winters in a hill station, Mithya appears gloomy and trite but beneath its surface is an engaging thriller mounted in a pretentious manner.
With its characters quoting from literature and poetry, there are many a line that appears superfluous, a by-product of contrived dialogues in the screenplay.This is especially evident when Juhi, a professor of Hindi literature, before giving an assignment to her students on “Tathya, Satya and Kathya,” which means Fact, Truth and Fabrication (Story), tells them, in science and history, there are only lies and truth, but in literature, the truth has many facets.
The facts begin with; while lying in bed with her husband Neil (Parambrata), after a dispassionate session of what was supposed to be an intimate moment, Juhi looks into the ceiling only to notice a spider weaving a web.The spider and its web are subtle metaphors to Juhi and her universe.
Juhi’s web gets complicated when she accuses her student Rhea Rajguru, the daughter of one of the college trustees, of plagiarising.Rhea’s plagiarised assignment is just a Macguffin that allows Rhea to manipulate Neil and Juhi so that she can reveal the dark hidden truth that has been haunting her.Most of this series pleasures come from its innate taut story, but the many feints and dodges are a killjoy.Leading in the first episode with Juhi fascinating about her colleague Vishal (Indraneil Sengupta) before going to her class, seems like a half-baked subplot.
At the start of the second episode, the doctor suggests that Juhi can not conceive because of Neil.But later on in the same episode, the blame game inadvertently shifts gear on Juhi, and by the end of the series, Juhi miraculously conceives without an IVF treatment.
Also, later on, somewhere in the fifth episode, an unwarranted, misleading telephonic conversation between Sharmistha (Naina Sareen) and Juhi seems like an afterthought of the series’ creative team, to throw the audience off-balance.Similarly, scenes between Rhea and Arun, aka Ronnie (Krishna Bisht), the guard of her hostel, are a tease.There’s some good casting.With an author-backed noir role, Avantika Dassani, in her debut performance, is sincere and projects the right mix.As Rhea, a figure dependent upon control, Avantika plays her part of menace, intrigue, and scheming minx with gusto- and conviction.She holds her steed amongst ace colleagues.
Huma Qureshi as the traumatised Juhi, Parambrata Chatterjee as her concerned densely mindless husband, Rajat Kapoor and Avantika Akerkar as Juhi’s parents – Anand and Sudha, Samir Soni as Rhea’s father Rajguru, Indraneil Sengupta and Naina Sareen as Juhi’s colleagues, K.C.Shankar as the investigating police officer Ajeet and Bishakha Tapa as his assistant Sunanda, are all fabulous actors living in the skin of their characters.The series ends on a cliff-hanger subtly promising to return with season 2.
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Juhi’s web is complex in the event that she is accused by her pupil Rhea Rajguru, who is the daughter of one of the college’s trustees of plagiarizing.The assignment that Rhea has plagiarized is an Macguffin which lets Rhea to control Neil and Juhi to ensure that she can expose the secret that has been in the shadows for a long time her.Most of this series pleasures are derived from its taut story, but its many tricks and evasions are a joy to watch.The opening scene, in the opening episode with Juhi fascinated by her friend Vishal (Indraneil Sengupta) prior to going to her class appears like a sloppy subplot.
In the beginning of the second episode doctors suggest that Juhi cannot concoct due to the influence of Neil.However, later in the same episode the blame game accidentally shifts focus to Juhi and, towards the final episode of the show, Juhi miraculously conceives without the need for IVF treatment.
Also later in the fifth episode, in the fifth episode, there is an unjustified phone call that is a bit misleading among Sharmistha (Naina Sareen) and Juhi appears to be an afterthought of the creative team, in order to cause confusion for the viewers.The scenes that take place of Rhea and Arun, also known as Ronnie (Krishna Bisht) as the security guard of her hostel are the perfect tease.There’s an excellent cast.With a noir character that is backed by an author, Avantika Dassani, in her debut performance, is genuine and conveys an appropriate mix.As Rhea an individual who is who is dependent on the control of others, Avantika plays her part of danger, intrigue and the scheming minx with conviction and enthusiasm.She is a staunch defender of her horse among the best colleagues.
Huma Qureshi plays the traumatized Juhi, Parambrata Chatterjee as her frightened, numb husband Rajat Kapoor as her husband, Avantika Akerkar, as Juhi’s mother and father – Anand and Sudha, Samir Soni as Rajguru’s father.Indraneil Sengupta as her mother, Naina Sareen as Juhi’s friends, K.C.Shankar as the police investigating officer Ajeet and Bishakha Tapa as his assistant Sunanda They are all fantastic actors who live in the flesh of their characters.The series concludes with the cliffhanger, promising that it will return with season 2.
