Campus Diaries Series Review – Extremely Lengthy, But Ends Decently

What Is the Story About?

Set in Excel University, Campus Dairies is a coming of age drama of six students cum friends. Their journey facing the different challenges, joys and emotions, individually and as a group, is what the series is all about.

Performances?

The biggest asset of the series Campus Diaries is its casting of the six friends. Each one is unique and relatable and delivers the requirements. The standout is Harsh Beniwal as Sudheer. It also helps him that the role offers him more than mere romance.

Right from the first sequence, Harsh Beniwal catches the attention. It gets repetitive and looks like a one-dimensional part until things change dramatically during the final few episodes. The character’s transformation, his arc takes him far away from the rest. The disappointment, the resolute attitude to face trouble, the dejection and facing the decision chin-on are some emotions that elevate the character and his performance. He literally becomes a hero of the series, which until a point looks like an ensemble cast.

Ritvik Sahore does well in the space given to him. He is another apt casting like the rest and does well throughout. His real breakout moment comes at the very end when he expresses his real anguish. It is the best ‘acted’ sequence, but there is not much happening for him at the same level otherwise.

Saloni Khanna is given a typical tom-boyish character. It feels routine initially, but as her relationships are revealed and layers of her personality come out, it gets compelling. Again, there is a constant build-up to an eruption of emotions. She handles that portion well and conveys the pain.

Srishti Rindani plays the ‘geek’ studious student of the gang. She easily carries off the role, but there isn’t anything particularly special or standout regarding her act.

Abhinav Sharma is good at playing an addict. He starts well but gets repetitive as the narrative progresses. More than the acting, the characterisation lets him down after a point.

Analysis

Prem Mestry and Abhishek Yadav are the creators of the series. The former is also the director of Campus Diaries. As the title suggests, it is about students studying at Excel University.

First of all, the thing that catches our attention immediately is the length. It instantly feels way too long for a series set on campus, and that is a coming of age drama. And that is what happens as the narrative progresses.

To condense the entire near ten-hour duration and multiple characters’ arc, it can be said that Campus Diaries is about different love stories. Most, if not all, the proceedings relate to love and friendship in one way or the other.

So, there is a familiar love story confusing friendship with love, a toxic love story, a love story with an age gap, obsessive love story – Campus Diaries basically covers them all and hence the excessive length.

Besides the love stories and their related drama, there is also time devoted to friendship and some parts related to college politics. The script bringing all these elements together is not tightly knit. There are so many filler sequences building characters and their bond. Some characters are part of the narrative after things have gone past mid-way. It makes for an exhausting watch.

And yet one goes through the proceedings (if one doesn’t mind the genre and routineness in the first place) only because of the actors and their chemistry. It is well done and helps us navigate the boring portions.

Besides the actors, the final few episodes also work, where the real emotion and angst lies. There is a proper culmination to all the various tracks with the right emotional appeal; however, routine the overall content might be.

The entire election track involving Sudheer, his scenes with the Principal and Priyanka is the best in this regard. The rest, too, are fine, which is why the finale feels alright.

Overall, Campus Diaries is a routine college-based coming of age drama with neat performances all around. It is also a tiring watch due to its massive run time. Give it a try, only if you like the genre and acting.

Other Artists?

Manoj Joshi as Dean has a commanding presence but is underutilized. Kushagre Dua overacts, mistaking it for intensity. Saloni Gur is likeable, and one wishes there was more of her and Harsh Beniwal together. The rest of the cast is alright.

Music and Other Departments?

Vaibhav Bundhoo, Simran Hora and Yash Tiwari provide the music for the series. A few songs are timed well, but still, they aren’t that memorable. The background score works well for the setting. The cinematography by Jerin Paul is decent. It could have been better, given the backdrop. The editing by Aakash Bundhoo is okay. The writing is on predictable lines, but the actors make most of it work with their delivery and timing.

Highlights?

Casting

Group Camaraderie

Few Relatable Emotions

Ending Portions

Drawbacks?

Very Lengthy

Screenplay

Routine Drama

Repetitiveness

Did I Enjoy It?

Yes, Very Few Parts

Will You Recommend It?

Yes, But With Huge Reservations

Campus Diaries Hindi Web Series Review by Binged Bureau 

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