What Is the Story About?
‘Hiccups And Hookups’ is Lionsgate Play’s first Indian Original, and the streamer is off to a flying start with this one.
Vasudha Rao (Lara Dutta) is a newly single woman, and mother to precocious 18-year-old, Kay (Shinnova). She moves in with her brother, Akhil (Prateik Babbar), after she catches her husband Dhruv (Khalid Siddique) in bed with his assistant. Akhil helps Vasu ease into the dating scene again, with hilarious results. The story also explores the interpersonal relationships of the three ‘Raos’.
Hiccups And Hookups is directed by Kunal Kohli and written by Indira Bisht.
Performances?
Lara Dutta is superb as Vasudha, aka Vasu. She’s got a largely-unexplored flair for comedy, which she harnesses to great in the series. She seems a tad awkward in the first episode, but once she gets into the groove, there’s no holding her back. Prateik Babbar is equally terrific as Akhil. And surprisingly, the same can be said for him. He’s clearly uncomfortable in the opening episode of the series, coming across as stilted and artificial. But from then on, it’s a smooth ride for him, especially in his interactions with his business partner (Sid Makkar), Rinzing (Meiyang Chang) and Ila (Ayn Zoya).
Divya Seth is suitably bitchy and bombastic as the siblings’ overachieving mother. In fact, she’s a hoot, with her snobbish nose-in-the-air demeanour. Mukesh Chhabra, the one who conjures magic with his brilliant casting skills, is a riot as Vasu’s misogynist and boorish boss. The rest of the cast is terrific too. It’s a lot of fun to watch their antics on screen.
Analysis
First things first, the best thing about ‘Hiccups And Hookups’ is that, thankfully, it is not a shot-by-shot, dialogue-by-dialogue remake of the Hulu series, ‘Casual’. Unlike several recent remakes of foreign shows (Indian remakes of The Office, Call My Agent, Doctor Foster & so many others), the writers of Hiccups And Hookups haven’t taken the lazy way out to simply translate the scenes and dialogue into a shabbily cobbled-together screenplay. Instead, they’ve written sparkling dialogues and scenes that are all their own. The humour therefore seems genuine, not contrived, and quite relatable.
Yes, the core premise of both—the original and the remake—are the same. Even a number of scenes are similar, with similar dialogues. But that may only be around 10% of the runtime of the show. The writers have considerably tweaked the settings, professions, situational comedy, humour, nitty gritty details, and lots more, in order to suit Indian sensibilities better. That in itself is an encouraging sign for the viewer to go the whole hog and watch the show in its entirety. In fact, at several places, the humour in Hiccups And Hookups is better than the original, ‘Casual’ – the funeral sequence at the beginning of the pilot episode, for instance.
The series is lighthearted, refreshing and an easy watch. It is good for a few laughs when you aren’t in the mood for heavier watches. The way director Kunal Kohli and writer Indira Bisht have portrayed the relationship between Vasu and Akku is a definite plus to lure Indian audiences. Another thing that is really refreshing about Hiccups And Hookups is how it talks about sex – inarguably the most taboo, brushed-under-the-carpet topic in Indian homes. Sex talk in Hiccups And Hookups is never cheap, sleazy, provocative or exploitative. It is frank, open and….tons of fun. And that is where Hiccups And Hookups stands apart from the crowd.
Dick-pics, fivesomes, casual sex, bisexuality – all of it is addressed with a refreshing candidness. Hiccups And Hookups is a fun watch if you love lighthearted fare that you don’t think too much into. If cerebral, serious, preachy content is your poison, better stay away.
Music and Other Departments?
The background score of Hiccups And Hookups is like a breeze of fresh air – not too loud or in your face, nor too funky. It is just right. Sneha Khanwalkar, after all. Director Of Photography Karthik Ganesh does a good enough job with the camera, infusing cheer into the frames. Akhilesh Kumar’s production design is very good. The show looks slick and stylish owing to his efforts. Pratul Gaikwad’s editing is good. And finally, Mukesh Chhabra’s casting is spot-on as usual.
Highlights?
Performances
Characterisation
Humour & Dialogues
Drawbacks?
A few scenes are copies of the original
Some might not like the overwhelming sex talk
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes
Will You Recommend It?
Yes, if you like lighthearted shows without a message tagged at the end.
Hiccups And Hookups Review by Binged Bureau
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