A Potpourri of Vestiges Review
By Murtaza Ali Khan
Rating: 6.5/10
JL50, the new Sony LIV series
created and directed by Shailender Vyas, was originally meant to be a science
fiction movie but now it has been released as a four-part minseries with each
episode clocking roughly 30 minutes. The sci-fi thriller series revolves around
a CBI investigation of a flight crash in the hill town of Lava situated in West
Bengal. The investigation takes a shocking turn when it is discovered that JL50
which crashed a week ago is actually the same airplane that had mysteriously
disappeared after taking off from Kolkata (erstwhile Calcutta) 35 years ago.
JL50 stars Abhay Deol, Pankaj Kapur, Piyush Mishra, Rajesh Sharma, Amrita
Chattopadhyay, and Ritika Anand who is also one of the producers on the series.
While Deol plays a CBI officer named Shantanu, Kapur plays a professor of quantum
physics who holds the key to the mystery surrounding the crashed airplane.
Now, as evident from the
aforementioned storyline, the theme of time travel is central to JL50. According
to Wikipedia, the concept of time travel involves “movement between certain
points in time”. However, it is widely accepted that even though time travel
may be theoretically possible, but it is beyond our current technological
capabilities. But that hasn’t stopped the science fiction writers from
exploring the different aspect of time travel. If we talk of cinema, film
franchises ranging from Star Trek to Back to the Future to X-Men to Avengers have
depicted humans arrive in the past or future, almost at will. Each time a new
time travel theory is put into effect. Generally, the most popular means of
time travel involves a time machine—originally made famous by H. G. Wells' 1895
novel The Time Machine. But, over the years, we have become more sophisticated
when it comes to time travel. Take, for example, the concept of wormhole (aka
Einstein–Rosen bridge). A wormhole can be visualized as a tunnel that links
disparate points in spacetime. So, basically, if we enter the tunnel which is connected
to the present at its opening we can effectively travel into the past or the
future connected to its other end. It’s like taking a shortcut in time. JL50 too relies on the concept of wormhole to explore
the possibilities of time travel.
It is heartening to see
serious sci-fi finally working out reasonably well in India. In the past we
have seen the concept of time travel used ludicrously in films like Fun2shh and
Action Replayy, but JL50 finally brings some dignity to time travel. Credit
goes to creator-director Shailender Vyas and actor-producer Ritika Anand for
their belief and commitment to their vision. Abhay Deol and Pankaj Kapur also
need to be commended for backing a project like JL50.
Now, JL50 has all the right
ingredients and yet it falls short of attaining brilliance. And it’s mainly
because of two reasons. Firstly, JL50 lacks the deep exploration that the long-form
narrative requires. The ending is too quick and slick. While it may have worked
for a movie, it leaves a lot to be desired within the construct of a
miniseries. Secondly, the makers appear to take the viewers for granted when
they choose to go easy on science and the concept of time travel. Gone are
those days when the Indian audiences weren’t exposed to international films and
series. Viewers of today, especially those on the web, are well accustomed to watching
sci-fi films and series. For example, a viewer who has seen Christopher Nolan’s
Interstellar is bound to feel a bit let down by JL50. Why stick to the
elementary stuff when the audiences have an appetite for more?
Despite the misses, JL50
holds a great promise for the future of sci-fi films and series in India. Pankaj
Kapur’s riveting performance is really the strongest point of JL50 followed by
Abhay Deol’s long-awaited return to form. Kapur is right up there with the very
best actors in the country. In JL50, he plays a Bengali professor specializing
in quantum physics with such effortless ease that one can seldom associate with
a non-Bengali actor essaying a Bengali part. And he makes the character
absolutely delectable to watch. Every time he is on the screen the show attains
a different level of brilliance. As for Deol, he finally brings his A game to
the fore ever since he lost his mojo during the 2010s. He did essay some truly amazing
characters during the 2000s but then the last decade wasn’t so productive for
him. One hopes to see his best work yet during the 2020s. And JL50 is certain a
good start. Also, the performances of Ritika Anand and Rajesh Sharma are solid.
Amrita Chattopadhyay also makes her presence felt during her shot but memorable
appearance. The couple of scenes she shares with Deol are quite intense. If you
are a sci-fi lover then JL50 will certainly not disappoint you as long as you
don’t approach it with very high expectations.
Rating: 6.5/10
A version of this article was first published in The Daily Guardian.
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