Review: Ray
In our new series, we at Suggest Nest will do a review each week of the latest movie/tv show/ music album/ book. We will try to make the review as honest and raw as possible without giving away any suspense and also keeping it as brief as possible.
Type: Crime, Drama, Thriller
No. of Episodes: 4
Duration: 1 hr
Original Release: 2021
Cast: Manoj Bajapyee, Ali Afzal, Kay Kay Menon
Synopsis
Based on the short stories written by the award-winning Satyajit Ray. Ray is a multi-genre series that has a story covered in each episode thus containing 4 stories in 4 of its episodes. From dealing with insecurities to aspiring to become what one really wants. The mini-series has everything in store for you. A must-watch for the quality and brilliant on-screen performances from the high-caliber stars.
Highlights
The TV show Ray is an anthology comprises four short stories inspired by Late Indian Author Satyajit Ray' stories:
"Forget Me Not" by Srijit Mukherji revolves around the life of a successful entrepreneur, Ipsit Rama Nair. This story tracks a past event that turned around his present life and sends him to a vortex of self-doubt and uncertainty.
"Bahrupiya" by Srijit Mukherji reflects a story of a makeup artist, Indrashish, who gets his grandmother's valuable book about masks. Using the art of prosthetics, he thinks of taking revenge on his enemies. The story surrounds how the masks became his strength and weakness as well.
"Hungama Kyu Hain Barpa" by Abhishek Chaubey is about two people who meet in a train coach. It explores the link between the two people- Musafir Ali (well-known ghazal performer) and Aslam Beig (famous wrestler turned sports reporter).
"Spotlight" by Vasan Bala features an actor Vikram Arora who experiences a life crisis when another star started stealing his thunder among the audience. It highlights the struggles and insecurities of a celebrity.
Positives
All the actors have done a phenomenal performance and add charm to all the stories. Even the supporting casts did a terrific job, especially in the first (forget me not) and the second (Bahrupiya) story. The episodes, specifically the first and third, were magnificent art pieces with a fantastic story, direction and cinematography. The show presents the audience with a perfect blend of emotions and spectacular performances.
This miniseries is filled with thrill, suspense, and great dialogues, especially the third story (Hungama kyu hai bharpa with Manoj Bajpayee's gazals). A significant and intriguing scene that steals the show's highlights was the "wheelchair journey" in Ipsit Rama Nair's story. Visually, the series was very appealing and fascinating, with some extraordinary and creative stories. The first and the third story steals the stage as best ones.
Negatives
The miniseries was based on Satyajit Ray's unique stories. Satyajit Ray has penned down some inspiring stories, but the adaptation of these into a show is executed poorly. The fans of the author were quite disappointed as the director did not adapt the true stories rightfully. The writing and direction could be better. Some stories like the fourth one seem to be more exaggerated without entertainment, and becoming boring midway.
The first episode of the series is too predictable for a thriller and suspenseful story. It is the usual revenge story where a man's life turned upside down due to his past doings. The creators could bring much thrill and suspense to glue the audience to their seats throughout the story. The second story shows a sudden, vague and disappointing end. It also focuses on some unrealistic and illogical things happening in the protagonist's life.
Conclusion
It is a phenomenal series, appropriate for a one-time watch. This one is high on the star's acting and cinematography but lacks a proper adaptation of Ray's original stories. But, it can entertain you throughout and is worth binge-watching.
Our rating of this series is 3/5
By Ishika Khandelwal (Suggest Nest)
