What Is the Story About?
Chutzpah is set in urban online culture focusing on social media and its impact psychologically. The story is about the dual lives of five different individuals addicted to social media and the online world in distinct ways. Their characterization illuminates the various ill effects of the medium.
Vikas is in a long distant relationship. He works in the US as an App Developer for a company. Deepali is an influencer who is the inspiration for Kevin. His roommate, Prateek, is a stud who wants to score with as many girls as possible. Rishi is the exact opposite, a shy guy who finds comfort in watching porn sites. How these guys unique worlds with heavy social media influence face reality check forms the story.
Performances?
Kshitiji Chauhan nails the role of a repulsive stud who uses online dating apps to score girls. The contrast between the initial hyperactive confidence and the insecure self he turns out to later is brilliantly brought out.
Aashima Mahajan neatly expresses the duality of lives of social media obsessed people. The restaurant and its next scene show her controlled dramatic flair without going overboard.
Elnaaz Norouzi provides the oomph factor to the series with her glamour. She plays pornstar with ease and also later shows a different side that hits emotionally.
Varun Sharma starts well but is lost, much like his character in the middle portions. The ‘confusion’ adds to the irritation with no real progress in the story. As usual, a funny sequence stands out involving him. Tanya Maniktala playing his long-distant girlfriend is superb.
Gautam Mehra presents the hyperactive geeky stereotype well. But, nothing much happens performance-wise related to him. The rest of the actors are okay in their small parts.
Analysis
Simarpreet Singh directs Chutzpah. The subject of the series is interesting, no doubt. Many are attempting projects in similar space, especially on OTT. But, somehow are failing to give that definitive outing.
Chutzpah features five unique characters and how social media shapes their lives. The narrative follows the anthology-style with minute connections between these people.
The long-distance relationship and getting used to a new place and surrounding forms the crux of Vikas’s track. It is nothing new. We know where it’s headed, but heartening and compelling performances of actors make it okay.
Deepali is a famous social media influencer in the online world. Everyone wants to be like her and have her confidence. But in real life, she is the one lacking it. These contrasts and undercurrent emotional arc work well to an extent.
Rishi is similar to Deepali in real life (lacking confidence, but due to other reasons). He visits porn sites to get over his issues, and his life changes when he meets Wild Butterfly. It is very repetitive initially, but the end offers a decent payoff.
Finally, Kevin and Prateek’s stories are intertwined as they are roommates. The former is obsessed with becoming an influencer and creates viral videos, whereas the latter is a stud on dating apps and boasts about the women he had sex with. The track, too, is repetitive. Nothing happens until the end, where the tables turn.
All five stories are relatable to youngsters addicted to various social media platforms and follow the like-share and comment model with always an eye open for sexual gratification. The problem is the muddled execution and screenplay, which makes the narrative needlessly confusing and most tedious. It also feels over stylised without any real positive effect.
When one thinks of each story individually after its end, there is not much content in it. The absolute failure of the series is the lack of depth in these identifiable short stories.
Overall, Chutzpah has the ‘chutzpah’ in the title, but the content lacks the ‘chutzpah’. A relatable premise for the youth has been boringly presented. Give it a shot if you want to try some variety, but be prepared for the boredom.
Music and Other Departments?
The background score for the series is neat. It adds to the mood. The cinematography of Gianni Giannelli is pretty good for a web series. There is a high emphasis on style, which at times looks distracting. The editing by Shantanu Shrikanth Bhake could have been better. Some transitions between the stories are very abrupt. The writing is decent as far as differentiating the characters are concerned. But, they ultimately lack depth in holding the attention.
Highlights?
Premise
Casting
BGM
Cinematography
Drawbacks?
Predictable Stories
Muddled Narrative
Repetitive Content
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes, In Parts
Will You Recommend It?
Yes, But With Huge Reservations
Chutzpah Hindi Web Series Review by Binged Bureau
We’re hiring!
We are hiring two full-time junior to mid-level writers with the option to work remotely. You need to work a 5-hour shift and be available to write. Interested candidates should email their sample articles to [email protected]. Applications without a sample article will not be considered.
