‘Jubilee’ Review: Aparshakti Khurana, Aditi Rao Hydari Show Has Exquisite Vision

Vikramaditya Motwane trains his eyes once again on the highs and lows of showbiz with Jubilee, a show that seemingly borrows from real life but is done smartly enough to be labeled as homage. It is fitting that Jubilee follows the lives of multiple people trying to complete their own ambitions in Indian cinema since Motwane is so clearly a delightful mix between a filmmaker and cinephile.

The love for cinema – for its growth and its techniques – is hard to miss. The show is set against the backdrop of a newly independent India that is still grappling with the effects of the Partition – for cinema, that translates to the 1940s and 1950s. In the 50s, Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand, Dilip Kumar, Nargis, and Devika Rani ruled the big screen even as rapid advances in technology changed the face of Hindi cinema (the term ‘Bollywood’ is believed to have become popular much later). And for anyone with a knowledge of ‘Bollywood’ in the 50s, Jubilee is filled with easter eggs. 

Motwane tries to pump everything into the ten-episode series – ambition, jealousy, love, murder, mystery, art, passion, the art of consequences, and so much more. There’s a studio in Bombay, Roy Talkies, led by an ambitious Srikant Roy (Prosenjit Chatterjee) who brings his skill and charm to this role, as is expected from an actor of his caliber. 

He wants to put Roy Talkies on the map, especially by using technology like CinemaScope and introducing playback singing. His business partner, and the studio’s biggest marquee name, Sumitra Kumari (Aditi Rao Hydari), has bigger fish to fry. She falls for the new hero the studio is set to launch under the alias ‘Madan Kumar’ but this relationship takes a turn for the worse after she can’t trace the new actor anymore. 

This alias then finds a new host in Binod Das (Aparshakti Khurana), a lab assistant at Roy Talkies whose loyalty to Roy translates to an unwavering sense of belief from the latter in his star power.

It’s refreshing to watch Aparshakti Khurana break out of the archetype of the funny best friend because his stint in Jubilee proves he can do so much more, infusing his role with a necessary melancholy.

Binod Das is a conflicted man and this conflict presents itself in the way he performs and the way he behaves and it’s all magnificently crafted. 

There is a recurring theme of people who don’t get what they deserve taking it by hook or by crook and this paints every character in the show.

Amid all this, there’s Binod Das’ partner Ratna Das (Shweta Basu Prasad) who is endearing as always in her role but there isn’t enough in the plot for her to truly be attached to her storyline, considering how much is going on. Pulling away from the swanky Roy Studios, there’s an independent filmmaker Jay Khanna (Sidhant Gupta) whose family resides in a refugee camp after traveling from Karachi to Mumbai. 

A storyteller at heart, he embarks on a rags-to-riches story in a society that is quick to accuse and late to give chances. For his dream, he approaches the shady financier Shamsher Walia (Ram Kapoor). There’s also a striking Wamiqa Gabbi who gives an impressive performance as Niloufer Qureshi, a woman trying to rise in the ranks in showbiz.

Jubilee’s character work is stunning, courtesy Motwane, co-creator Soumik Sen and writer Atul Sabharwal, and yet in some cases, leaves more to be desired.

The show’s flaw is that it seems to be aware that there’s a thing as ‘too ambitious’ but sometimes, audacity bodes well for content especially when it’s set in the workings of something as glamorous and convoluted as Hindi cinema. 

But Jubilee forgets to attempt this audacity and instead, begins to suffer with pacing.

Aditi Rao Hydari as Sumrita is easily believable as a successful starlet on a mission and while, this might be a role thematically similar to her previous offerings, it doesn’t take away from her effort. Wamiqa Gabbi is mesmerising as Niloufer and plays her part well.

Sidhant Gupta’s act is convincing when he’s on screen alone but when he’s playing off other actors, his performance balances on the edge of becoming ‘too-acted-out’. 

Motwane’s magical and showy vision coupled with cinematographer Pratik Shah and editor Aarti Bajaj’s skill has an almost transformative and time machine-esque effect.

From vignettes and sepia tones to scenes that feel like they’ve been shot way before the 21st century, the film brings the effect of the 50s to the screen. 

Motwane finds a way to showcase his prowess and introduce the socio-political turnings of the 50s into his show without coming off patronising towards his audience. And yet, it has a good story but it's squandered because it never attempts to become more than its premise which is a shame considering the names attached to the project. 

Additionally, there are just too many narrative threads to follow after a point and naturally, some get more space than others but that leaves the others looking half-baked. The source material is delicious and full of premise, and so is Vikramaditya Motwane as a filmmaker. His reverence and affinity for Hindi cinema works so well in the first few episodes that the way the magic slowly fizzles towards the end becomes obvious. 

Jubilee mines the rich history of Hindi cinema in the 50s and picks from history and memory to recreate a forgotten but crucial element of the past. There’s premise, promise, and vision but the execution falls short and – I must reiterate – that’s a pity.