What Is the Story About?
Aspirants is the story of three college friends, Abhilash (Naveen Kasturia), SK (AbhilashThapliyal) and Guri (Shivankit Singh Parihar). They come from different backgrounds but have a common goal of clearing UPSC and become a civil servant of India. Hence, they all join the same coaching institute.
Years later, the thick as friends are separated. What happens during the time of their stay at Rajendra Nagar? Who are their new acquaintances, and how their story ends is what the series is all about?
Performances?
Naveen Kasturia, Abhilash Thapliyal, and Shivankit Singh Parihar are the three pillars of the series. Each has a unique character and impactful moments throughout the duration.
Among the three, Naveen Kasturia is the ‘lead’ in a technical sense. As it is his journey and his rigidity that form the core conflict of the narrative. He is superb in part. From the initial nerd like appearance to the confident IAS officer, a massive character arc is pulled off effortlessly. The emotional scenes dealing with failure and not facing reality are neatly showcased.
Abhilash Thapliyal and Shivankit get equal footing. Both get the right balance of fun and drama in their characters. The average Joe looks of Abhilash (perfectly cast for a stereotyped part) suit the personality, and some scenes hit the mark and gut due to the context. He gets the correct expressions. Shivankit is the fun-loving guy of the group with a strong yet sensitive personality. He brings out the duality well. Again, he is a neat casting choice, which further adds to the emotions behind his easily accessible act.
Analysis
Apoorv Singh Karki directs Aspirants. By now, The Viral Fever has created a brand that is also becoming formulaic in its approach. With that in mind, Aspirants is another typical subject from the team with a different, but instantly identifiable backdrop.
Like any good and engaging show, the opening itself draws the audience into the world of the series. The righteous IAS officer on the one hand and the teacher on the other perfectly set up the Aspirants.
Soon, the hook arrives, involving the separation of the buddies. It is a routine conflict in stories involving friends. We have been watching this ever since Dil Chahta Hai. And yet Aspirants makes one glued to the proceedings. It is due to the strength of writing, performances, and the background score predominantly. And, the background of UPSC gives it a ‘fresh’ connective tissue.
The setup of Rajendra Nagar, the locality, the issues, friends and the dilemma related to the UPSC exams is the space that allows all the positives mentioned above to flourish. Thus, it brings a double impact.
The subplots dealing with the positive and negative attitude, the mentor-like figure in Sandeep, the idea of IAS (why one chooses it in the first place), the relationship with the house owner are all dealt convincingly in typical TVF style. Each of these subplots has moments that are sure to make eyes moist.
Some of the drama, therefore, has scope to feel contrived and manipulative when overdone. Luckily, there is less of the former, but a few moments fall in the latter category.
As mentioned earlier, the core conflict (outside the UPSC) involving the friends is highly clichéd. Still, it is neatly done. The impact is felt due to the actors and terrific background score that stays with us long after one finishes an episode.
After all the hard work, the ending feels a little rushed and convenient to get things across and end. It is okay, but it could have been better, though.
Overall, Aspirants is another successful TVF product. It gets all its trademark elements in play and delivers, the familiar story notwithstanding. Give it a try if you love rooted, emotional dramas with a middle-class sensibility.
Other Artists?
Apart from the three leads, Sunny Hinduja as Sandeep stands out. He appears briefly, in between, but all his scenes leave an impact. He makes ‘Sandeep Bhaiyya’ a memorable role. Kuldeep Singh, as the house owner, is excellent.
The best part of TVF Productions is the casting. Even a minor bit character registers for his near authentic representation in the set up. Or at least that is the impression we get. Either way, it is working. There are many such bits and pieces role which fill the universe of Aspirants, and make it wholesome.
Music and Other Departments?
The music by Rohit Sharma and Nilotpal Bora is alright. A couple of songs work, but that’s it. The background score by Tusshar Mallek is the heart of Aspirants. The recurring violin bit BGM Iis one of the best works in the OTT space. Georgy John and Arjun Kukreti are cinematographers. They have done a neat job in giving the series a realistic look yet with excellent quality. The editing by Tushar Manocha is sharp. It keeps the narrative gripping and tight despite the slow pace. The writing is impactful.
Highlights?
Casting
Performances
BGM
Writing
Engaging Drama
Drawbacks?
Lengths
Pace
Predictable Story
Okay Ending
Unacadamy Brand Placement
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes
Will You Recommend It?
Yes
Aspirants Hindi Web Series Review by Binged Bureau
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