Web-Series Review: Maharani: Just an Above Average stuff! ***

1942nd BLOG POST

I watched “Maharani” – the web-series which recently started streaming on Sony Liv. Referring to the trailer, I didn’t have much confidence in the show, and I also didn’t expect Huma Qureshi to pull off the role of a rural woman. Now, after watching the series, I must say that it is strictly an okay-ish series which does well on few parts and falls flat on another unwanted stuffs the makers tried justifying through their sub-plots. Huma Qureshi has been able to play her part beautifully but still she is not as convincing as she could have been. Her acting, dialogue deliveries, facial expressions, conviction – everything is good to go with the role and she has tried well to ride the show on her shoulders for most of the time. Her transformation from a simple homemaker to the Chief Minister of Bihar in 1990s is nicely justified from her end even when script doesn’t allow her to try much.

 

We have regularly seen murder mysteries or a spy-cop investigating dramas which have made almost every web-series created in a similar manner. This was supposed to be a completely different subject but to bring the feel of an investigation in the show – you will find two such sub-plots in the story – 1. Investigation of the scam which gets introduced after Rani Bharti becomes the CM – 2. Investigation on who fired the bullets on Bheema Bharti (played by Sohum Shah) when he was serving as CM. Secondly, right in the initial scene itself, the show focuses on how casteism has prevailed in Bihar during 1990s but unfortunately the subject gets completely lost later in the show and there’s no focus on this premise at all.

 

Now, talking about Rani Bharti who is the central character here, the fascinating element that you wanted to watch is her transformation from a rural character to a CM who will bring revolution the way Anil Kapoor does in Nayak. Unfortunately, the transformation happens immensely fast that you can’t even register when it happened. You find it surprising that just in the next episode itself she begins with confident speech in Parliament and then starts taking tough decisions like a pro and that too, without her successful CM husband’s guidance. These are the mistakes which doesn’t let Maharani become a web-series which can’t be skipped. You can easily miss this and not regret at all.

Now talking about few good points – the Parliament sessions are very nicely organized and presented. They are the most entertaining and unmissable element of the show. You will just enjoy the kind of dialogues, poems and references used by all the characters who speak during their debates and discussions. You will find Amit Sial as a surprising factor in all these scenes. He does it with so much belief and conviction that you will not want to believe that he’s not a Bihar’s opposition leader in real life. Even beyond these scenes, he has given very great performance and is one of the pillars on which this show stands upon. Another great part of the show is minimal background music which keeps you grounded while watching without getting overwhelmed. Last but not the least, the dialogues are superb. You will love watching characters talk with each other with a perfect amount of sarcasm and humour blended in their conversations. There are no mistakes made here.

 

So, overall, as I said this is just an above average web-series which can be missed and doesn’t has anything for which you should watch it. I give it 3 stars out of 5. Watch it only when you are done with other popular web-series and movies released lately.

 

Thanks.

 

WRITING BUDDHA