Jugaadistan review: Ahsaas Channa and Sumeet Vyas' show does not hit the spot

2/5

Story:

Jugaadistan is ​a young-adult series on Lionsgate Play that showcases the lesser-known side of university life. ​Besides Ahsaas Channa and Sumeet Vyas, it also features Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Arjun Mathur, Taaruk Raina, Rukshar Dhillon, Danish Sood.

Review:

​Ahsaas Channa and Sumeet Vyas have featured in a lot of shows for The Viral Fever that are extraordinary and extremely watch worthy. Lionsgate Play's new series Jugaadistan also gives the same vibe, especially for its supposed representation of student life and college culture. However, it cannot be called a show worthy of your time.

Directed by Akarsh Khurana and Adhaar Khurana, the latest series ​tries to showcase the gritty side of college education, competitive exams, university elections and more.

The plot unveils how there are multiple organised gangs that work with a group of intelligent students who take competitive exams for someone else in return for a heavy sum of money. In simple language it can be called cheating, however, it's much more than that such as identity fraud.

The makers have crammed this young adult series with a lot of relevant societal issues but have failed miserably executing them within the 8 episodes. First of all, they start by introducing the issues that the students are being victims of in this university such as racism, election fraud, wrongfully use of power, but they neither show much light on these matters nor conclude them. Most of the scenes doesn't feel complete and it seems that the makers have used several jump cuts to leap from one situation to another in the show.

I, being a fan of Sumeet and Ahsaas' craft, have been heavily disappointed with their performances. While the former has completely failed to play a serious, sturdy university politician, the latter doesn't bring anything new to the table except a serious tone to her character.

Meanwhile, there are a few actors who make the show tolerable including Parambrata, whose character named Bijoy Das is a professor of the college and tries to get to the depth of the examination scam along with Arjun's investigative journalist Tarush Khetrapal. Danish's Gagan Kishore, who is competing in the student union election opposite Sumeet, can be seen completely involved in his 'good boy' character.

Playing the roles of intelligent students, who are the leading face of the identity fraud issue, Rukshar and the Mismatched fame actor Taaruk are another two artists, who have kept the show afloat with good chemistry and apt performance.

The series displays how most of the characters are committing fraud in their respective jobs and tries to justify it with the word 'jugaad,' however, Jugaadistan doesn't get justified as a title.

Verdict:

With a better flow of writing, better execution of the scenes and performances, the show might have been successful. Meanwhile. according to me, it's not worth the time!