When we hear Kota, coaching, IIT, the first thing that comes to mind are the endless reports about student suicides, academic pressure, students with the sole aim to get into IITs even at the cost of their lives.
The premise is gloomy, so is the reality. But The Kota Factory (TKF) successfully describes the ethos and pathos that define Kota, the city that churns out an assembly line production of JEE toppers and budding IITians, in a perfectly brewed tragi-comedy genre.
The five-part original series is also unique in another way. It boosts of being the first black and white Indian web series.
The trope, like many TVF trademarks, doesn’t stay a gimmick, it helps in giving the city and the story of aspiring students a distinct touch. A symbol of monotony that most students face in the city.
Actors Make The Kota Factory Shine
The name of the series, as well the individual episodes, sheds light on how the city sucks out the individuality of young students and spits out what is an optimised assembly line of individuals with only one goal in mind.
The series follows the story of Vaibhav Pandey (Mayur More), who is a starry-eyed IIT aspirant from a small town with big dreams. But he is also a bundle of nerves at times and sometimes his anxiety is enough to trigger yours. The credit of relatability lies equally on the impeccable writing of creator Saurabh Khanna and More’s subtle but powerful acting prowess.
He finds companionship in Meena (Ranjan Raj) and Uday (Alam Khan).
Ranjan Raj aka Meena, deserves a special mention. His meek and often dwelling in class consciousness character is a friend that we all wish we had in our lives. He solves physics doubts and asks about Vaibhav’s bowel movements with equal ease.
When he says “Tum ameer log kabhi bhi cake kha lete ho?”, you can’t help but chuckle at the child-like innocence.
It’s the actors that make this series shine. No character seems insignificant at any time. Even the ‘galeech’ Uday is lovable and the cameo that Ahsaas Channa makes as his girlfriend, Shivangi, is a breath of fresh air. She is also representative of the scarce but badass presence of women in the testosterone filled city.
Focus on Solutions, Rather Than Problems
Apart from the students and their conflicts, there is a character that invokes your faith in good teachers and good people in general.
Jitendra Singh aka Jeetu Bhaiya is our only hope for redemption from the rampant capitalism that is part and parcel of the city. He is the self proclaimed ‘agony aunt’ who solves any problems that the students face.
Jeetu is the one that takes away half the gloom and replaces it with practical solutions. He is the force that guides the unsure, lost Vaibhav to become a good student and moreover a confident young adult.
Jeetu coupled with Meena and Uday help Vaibhav swim in the sudden deep end he is thrown into, slowly. In a city that focuses on making robots and where emotional accessibility is a distant dream, we are hooked to see if Vaibhav can will come into his own.
Another breath of fresh air is the absence of toxic bro culture that becomes a trope at times in series like these. Also, it doesn’t always talk about rebellion with or without a cause. It talks about regular Joes, who have to conform to norms like most of us do everyday.
Impeccable Production Value
The production technicalities remain hard to fault. Original songs coupled with a kickass background score that go perfectly with the monotone but also pump energy into the bursts of emotions that our characters feel. The framing makes us feel uncomfortable when required with tight frames and close ups whereas the wide shots give a sense of the city and also a possible feeling of liberation.
Almost on Point, But Suffers at Times
Like any other series, The Kota Factory also suffers from flaws. The foremost for me being the overt placement of the sponsors.
The show is sponsored by an educational app and after a point, it starts taking away from the story and starts becoming a distraction.
Also episode 4 that takes the romantic route for Vaibhav, takes away the built-up pace of the previous episodes. It could have been done away with. Also, it is titled Shutdown, which I felt played on the stereotypes a bit too obviously that women mean distraction or shutdown.
Even though it does try to have a unique take which is needed, the show mentions depression, suicides, counselors and coping just once. And the solution for coping that Jeetu Bhaiya gives might feel too good to be true for many. The show sometimes starts dwelling in its own utopia, which puts off the viewer.
What’s The Verdict?
After a long time we see an educational satire that plays on new genres and story-telling with strong performances. Also it being freely available for viewing on YouTube is a massive plus.
If you are looking for something worthwhile, The Kota Factory can be a nice watch that will make you think not about death and gloom but leave you with optimism. The chants of a season 2 have already started!
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