Hundred (2020)
It’s fashionable to be a liberal now a day and I guess
that’s ok; but the definition of liberal is a whole different game.
And since the advent of Netflix and Amazon on
Indian scene it has become apparent that no one is going to back down on what
they consider is cool to present, which obviously includes nudity, profanity
and absurdity.
And as a society big on feminism we
need our own “Four More Shots Please” and “Veere Di Wedding” to define our take
on the matter; however people may disagree!
And out of nowhere comes Hundred
with a forgotten and irrelevant Lara Dutta in lead. And it swept me right out
of my feet.
In the ere of average web series,
with promising plots and not so promising executions; Hundred a subtle gem.
The story revolves around ACP
Soumya Shukla (Lara Dutta)
and Netra Patil (Rinku Rajguru).
ACP Somya Shukla is a talented woman trying to make her mark in a man’s world,
and Netra, she just wants to go to Switzerland.
They both live in completely
different worlds, but one day they collide. Netra is diagnosed with Brain
Cancer with only 100 days to live, that of course takes her to her wits end.
Never be the one to enjoy her life,
Netra decides to change that by having a beer for the first time, where she
accidently bumps into ACP Soumya Shukla, and then out of a small matter tries
to beat the shit out of a Auto driver.
Sparks fly when a drunken Netra
confesses to Soumya that in spite of her condition this has been the best day
of her life, the excitement she felt today is something she would like to feel
for the next 100 days of her life, and ACP sees in her a Police informant who don’t
care for her life.
And a fragile partnership is
formed.
Without going into specifics of the
story which in itself is engaging; what impresses is the way the story develops
organically, nothing is rushed or illogical or even forced.
But the cherry on the top is the characterization
of both women, as in, the false feminism we have been witnessing so far, the interpretation
of an independent woman is far away from the way one would like to see on the
ground.
The empowerment lies in the fact that
women being able to take their own decisions and putting their own lives in perspective,
not looking at themselves from the lenses of other people.
And both our ladies do just that,
they both take their own life in control without being overly dramatic. This
never feels like women oriented show just because it is helmed by two women. It’s
a regular thriller comedy, where protagonists just happened to be women.
Two dialogues I would like to
specially mention, one when ACP Somya Shukla says “I do modeling for the Police
Department.” When showing her frustration at not being given opportunities at
big cases, and second again by her, when she finds out black money is being
transported through washing machines she says “Hawala walo ka sense of humor
bhi accha hai.”
The show has its own twist and
turns, betrayals and characters which you don’t feel are from mars, and still are
able to entertain you. Both women get into their own love triangles, but you don’t
feel like judging them.
Parmeet Sethi as DCP is a
beautifully played role, same goes for the guy playing the love interest of
Netra (Second one).
The direction is best because even
the tense situations have been dealt with humor, the back ground music of the
show is light, and use of “Ek ladki bheegi bhagi si” as well as “Love, Sex or
Dhokha Darling” is electrifying.
All in all go for it… Rating: ****
