Ray Web Series Review: Manoj Bajpayee & Gajraj Rao Give The Wholesome Vibe Of Satyajit Ray's Short Stories
Each story in Ray deserves to be a feature film. However if anything, Hungama Hai Kyon Barpa and Spotlight are most recommended not only for the performance but also for the unique storytelling
Star
Cast:
Manoj
Bajpayee,
Gajraj
Rao,
Kay
Kay
Menon,
Harsh
Varrdhan
Kapoor,
Ali
Fazal
Director:
Vasan
Bala,
Srijit
Mukherji,
Abhishek
Chaubey
Available
On:
Netflix
Duration:
4
Episodes/
60
minutes
Language:
Hindi
Story:
Based
on
short
stories
by
Satyajit
Ray,
Netflix
presents
stories
from
a
satire
to
a
psychological
thriller.
The
anthology
follows
four
stories
with
life-changing
encounters
and
divine
interventions.
Review:
Netflix's
Ray
lacks
the
nuance
of
Ray's
stories,
but
it
presents
the
director's
version
of
his
stories.
Satyajit
Ray's
stories
have
not
been
about
good
or
bad,
they
were
about
the
characters
relationship
with
its
surrounding.
They
weren't
about
punishment,
karmic
justice
or
divine
intervention
but
introspection
for
the
characters
and
the
audience.
The
first
is
a
paranoia
thriller
directed
by
Srijit
Mukherji.
Titled
Forget
Me
Not,
the
story
follows
Ali
Fazal
a
celebrated
entrepreneur
and
what
led
to
his
downfall.
Known
as
the
human-computer,
Ipsit
Rama
Nair
never
forgets
anything
but
it
all
changes
when
a
stranger
approaches
him
at
a
restaurant
claiming
that
they
spent
an
entire
week
together
two
years
ago.
He
soon
beings
to
notice
memory
lapses
and
slowly
loses
his
mind
but
the
real
reason
behind
his
undoing
is
his
reckless
behaviour
towards
the
people
close
to
him.
While
Ipsit
is
the
big
evil
of
the
story
and
others
are
just
exacting
their
revenge,
it
is
Ipsit
that
you
end
up
sympathising
for.
All
thanks
to
the
mystery
around
his
character
that
has
been
maintained
until
the
last
minute.
One
of
the
best
things
about
this
short
is
Mukherji's
direction
in
the
last
ten
minutes
that
not
only
complements
not
only
the
story
but
also
Ipsit's
state
of
mind.
However,
Siraj
Ahmed's
script
lacks
the
depth
of
the
complex
characters
by
presenting
a
one-sided
story.
On
the
other
hand,
Mukherji's
Bahrupiya
starring
Kay
Kay
Menon
is
a
one-man
show.
Not
only
does
he
drive
the
story
home
with
his
performance
but
also
manages
to
justify
the
dark
tone
of
the
story.
Indrashish
is
a
makeup
artist
in
Kolkata
with
a
good
heart.
But
after
being
put
down
by
the
world
all
his
life,
he
decides
to
take
matters
in
his
own
hands.
While
he
plots
revenge
upon
the
ones
who
make
his
life
hell,
he
meets
Peer
Baba.
In
an
effort
to
mock
the
divine
power,
his
true
enemy,
Indrashish
takes
the
fight
to
Peer
Baba.
Just
as
I
had
started
to
wonder
why
all
anthologies
have
to
be
dark,
director
Abhishek
Chaubey's
directorial
came
to
the
rescue.
Hungama
Hai
Kyon
Barpa,
starring
Manoj
Bajpayee
and
Gajraj
Rao
will
easily
settle
you
in
a
bright
happy
world.
It's
not
perfect
but
it
more
than
what
the
audience
would
expect
after
the
first
two.
Not
only
are
Manoj
Bajpayee
and
Gajraj
Rao
amazing,
but
Chaubey
also
manages
to
introduce
a
new
twist
with
every
scene
change.
Vasan
Bala's
Spotlight
is
very
much
a
story
of
today's
world
where
influencers
show
up
overnight
and
own
the
world
as
their
own.
A
typecast
actor
Vik,
played
by
Harsh
Varrdhan
Kapoor
comes
face
to
face
with
his
worst
enemy
-
losing
his
fame
-
when
he
crosses
path
with
the
religious
icon
'Didi'.
The
mood
and
tone
of
the
short
is
established
within
the
first
ten
minutes,
but
the
makers
spend
too
long
to
set
the
stage.
We
also
get
some
goofy
scenes
of
Vik
trying
to
fight
fire
with
fire
but
soon
finds
out
that
he
is
no
match
for
the
world's
favourite
Didi.
While
Harsh
Varrdhan
Kapoor
gives
his
best
with
the
wafer-thin
script,
it
is
Radhika
Madam's
presence
that
drives
the
message
home.
Overall,
each
story
in
Ray
deserves
to
be
a
feature
film
to
explore
all
that
the
original
writing
represents.
However
if
anything,
Hungama
Hai
Kyon
Barpa
and
Spotlight
are
most
recommended
of
the
lot,
not
only
for
the
performances
but
also
the
unique
storytelling.