What Is the Story About?
Waack Girls, an all-girls dance troupe, are the toast of the town in Kolkata, though the lives of the artists off stage are far from perfect. Ishani fights it out between her job and dancing career, staying with her grandpa. Lopa, the manager and Michke confront a conservative family. Tess’ mother is a habitual gambler, LP struggles to pay her rent and Anumita doesn’t find joy in gymnastics. How do they strike a balance between their realities and artistic passions?
Performances?
The performances – by a good mix of newcomers and experienced hands – are generally convincing. Rytasha Rathore makes a stronger impact over the others, probably due to her well-fleshed-out role and its rougher edges. Mekhola Bose delivers the goods as Ishani, who forges unity among the group while sharing a delightful on-screen camaraderie with the terrific Barun Chanda.
Achintya Bose, who also acted in Taraporevala’s Yeh Ballet, has an innocence and a boyish charm that works to his advantage. Chrisan Pereira, Ruby Sah, Priyam Saha and Anasua Chowdhury get a handful of moments to shine. Within minimal screentime, Adrija Majumder too makes an impression. The late Nitesh Pandey is superb in a role with grey shades, while Lilette Dubey is as dependable as ever.
Analysis
Sooni Taraporewala, the writer of the iconic Salaam Bombay and the director behind the refreshing Yeh Ballet, makes her web series debut with another dance-centric tale, Waack Girls. Moving beyond her Mumbai leanings, she sets the story in Kolkata, centring it on an all-female dance troupe, comprising women who’re deemed misfits by their families, but are a fiery lot on the stage.
Telling the story through a street dance form, whose origins date back to LA, popularised among queer clubs in the 70s, lends it an edge and adds freshness to the proceedings. Additionally, the Kolkata setting – which is a compelling mix of modernity and antiquity – gives credibility to the backdrop and provides a strong foundation for the rebellion and conflicts within the group.
There are a handful of characters and backstories to absorb across nine episodes. If Ishani, who lost her family in an accident, battles loneliness and makes ends meet, taking care of an ailing grandparent, Lopa, an ambitious manager, fights it with an all-powerful father trying to ‘fix’ her homosexual identity. Tess has a single parent who’s a habitual gambler and LP barely manages to pay her rent.
Michke is regularly reminded of her ‘weight’ issues by a Rotary club-obsessed mother, while Anumita is looking for an excuse to dump gymnastics for a career in dance, much to the shock of her father. The only boy associated with the troupe is Manik, Ishani’s well-wisher, who secretly buys cigarettes for her grandpa. How do they come together and most importantly, stay together?
Waack Girls is special not merely because it celebrates dance, but also for its effort to portray the dynamics within a group in all its messiness. It’s a tale where unity is fostered through disagreements, ugly fights and poor decisions. There are no easy victories – the girls lose more than they win, make a mess of an opportunity to perform at a high-profile wedding and their only chance to work in a film too bears no fruit.
Rising above their personal, creative and professional identities and struggles, the women, though far from perfect, complete each other in more ways than one. The subplot where Lopa ropes in an under-confident film school student to shoot the group’s music video within a tight budget across the streets of the city extends the show’s idea of celebrating sisterhood, seamlessly.
The show isn’t without its problems. Although the diversity in the characterisation is appreciable, the conflicts – say dementia, gambling, conservatism and financial woes – are too familiar for a story that’s all about defying norms. The storytelling, at times, is circular, stating the obvious repeatedly and beating around the bush, just because there’s time to elaborate.
Lopa’s banters with her father don’t exactly make an impression and the Manik-Tess romance portions appear rushed, not developed to their full potential. Waack Girls makes up for its missteps because of the warmth in the storytelling, the depth of its quieter moments and the detailing – both on a macro and a micro level. It’s also refreshing to witness a show set in Kolkata that isn’t all touristy and yet captures its spirit wholeheartedly.
Waack Girls tries to do in dance, what Gully Boy achieved with music. Go for it.
Music and Other Departments?
Salvage Audio Collective, the band behind the show’s score and a terrific album, is a breath of fresh air, for its effort to integrate the cultural legacy of Kolkata with modern-day music sensibilities. US-based Igor Kropotov’s cinematography helps us look at the city of joy in a new light, aided by Shailaja Sharma’s fantastic production design and Theia Tekchandaney’s stylish costumes.
Highlights?
Focus on a unique dance form
Diversity in the characterisation
Storytelling sensibilities
Drawbacks?
Repetitive at times
Conflicts don’t carry enough weight
Long-winded treatment
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes
Will You Recommend It?
Sure, if you enjoy dance
Waack Girls Web Series Review by Binged Bureau
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