My Review of Web Series on Zee 5
“What an Idea, Sirji!” is a famous ad line for the former ‘Idea’ Cellular but ironically, that is the reaction you have for the Director after watching delightful 5 part Web Series. It has the shades of Frank Capra’s 1946 classic Hollywood movie ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ starring James Stewart, with the underlying message that one must make life simple and uncomplicated for it to be beautiful & serene. Today’s families are overrun by quick fix gadgets & machines & are stressed, technology driven prisoners to the digital world !
The story revolves around a typical urban middle class ‘parivaar’ – an aspiring mid-aged couple, a flamboyant unmarried brother and two tech-savvy teenaged kids into which returns somewhat unexpectedly, the patriarch Dad, a well off, retired Naval Officer. He finds his return isn’t taken warmly by the residents, all so riveted to mobiles, laptops & apps, they’re virtually incommunicado to each other despite living under the same roof. His attempts to make conversation falls on deaf ears with zombie like looks from them.
So ‘Old Man’ throws a lucrative offer they find difficult to let go. The challenge – Rs.1 Cr to each member on one condition- six months they’d have to undergo ‘digital fasting’. They all fall for it, not realizing what it’d do to their lives revolving around digital world.
To delve more on how each one copes with existence sans mobiles, laptops & apps could be spoilers but this a thought-provoking film that’s futuristic in reverse. After all in the 70 & 80s, when we were young, life went on with it’s simple joys & pleasures, struggles and successes, without the versatile gadgets & devices that we have today but what we remember are family ties & friendships and the prized possessions like letters & cards ! Slowly technology made redundant our gramophones, records, discs, cameras & VCRs. Through the eyes of the ‘Oldest member’ the series explores the family journey as they navigate a tech-free life, rediscover real connections and confront long buried emotions.
‘Thode Door Thode Pass’ belongs entirely to that brilliant actor, Pankaj Kapur who gave us masterly roles as in “Ek Doctor Ki Maut’ (1990) and ‘Ek Ruka Hua Faisla’ (1986) & many others. He plays Ashwin Mehta, the retired Navy-man with such sublime grace, dignity and humour, that we wonder why aren’t there more roles for him on OTT. Mona Singh as his good natured ‘Bahu’, Ayesha Kaduskar & Sartaj Singh as grand-kids are real slice of life & lovely portrayals ! To me, portly Kunaal Roy Kapur looked a bit of a mis-match opposite Mona, but tries his best as does, Gurpreet Saini as the younger son.
The series has just five episodes & I binge watched it all in one sitting for 2 hours plus ! It surely lifted my spirits and made me resolve to spend less time on W’App than I do !
Working on Living 