Aashram review: Prakash Jha’s digital debut showcases Bobby Deol as a scheming godman
After Class of '83, Ashram is his second outing on an OTT platform. As an actor, does he see any difference in working a film or a web series? “The OTT production value is as good as a movie's.
New Delhi: Aashram, an MX original series starts off with guns blazing. The Prakash Jha directed web series Aashram presents one such ungodly godman, who is more a conman.
Aashram is Jha’s first full-fledged foray into the webspace and he used this medium very well. The nine-episode series rests on the theme of a manufactured personality cult. Jha raises, chiefly casteism and classism and how it impacts every aspect of society. The sharpest is the way Dalit oppression is shown, especially in the beginning.
Aashram is, in a way, ‘Paatal Lok’ Plus. The shady goings-on in the ashram, the Baba, and his close aide, the discovery of a skeleton, greedy politicians, a bunch of missing girls.
After Class of ’83, Ashram is his second outing on an OTT platform. As an actor, does he see any difference in working a film or a web series? “The OTT production value is as good as a movie’s.
Bobby Deol is clearly enjoying himself as baba. The role of this baba who, through calculated moves, emerges as a messiah of the poor and the oppressed. He has a trusted aide in Bhupinder alias Bhopa (Chandan Roy Sanyal). The latter doubles up as his trouble-shooter, hitman and key interlocutor.
Jha’s nine-part season, written by Habib Faisal (story) and Kuldeep Ruhil (screenplay), sticks to his favoured themes of the caste system, caste politics, power play, and oppression.
The socio-cultural landscape portrayed in Aashram is, unsurprisingly, loaded against women. Many are shabbily treated in the women’s hostel that is a part of the ashram.
Besides Bobby Deol’s solid presence, Aashram is buoyed by steady performances by Aaditi Pohankar, Chandan Roy Sanyal, Anupriya Goenka, Tridha Choudhury, Tushar Pandey and Vikram Kochchar.