Bombay Begums Review: A Relevant and a Significant Watch!

Created by Alankrita Shrivastava, Bombay Begums, a six-episode web series from Netflix India, stars Pooja Bhatt, Shahana Goswami, Amruta Subhash, Plabita Borthakur, and Aadhya Anand in the primary roles with Manish Chaudhary, Vivek Gomber, Danish Husain, Rahul Bose, and others as the supporting cast.

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Set in an always-busy, hungry-for-opportunity Mumbai, the storyline of Bombay Begums primarily focuses on five female characters with a hi-fi corporate world that serves as the backdrop and also as a crucial facet that alters and defines the personalities living in it. Consequently, the six-hour-long series details the good, bad, and ugly of the world it creates and ends on a cliffhanger that can be explored in the next season if renewed.

As the majority of the narrative revolves around corporate drama, one of the more compelling aspects of Bombay Begums is that it doesn’t follow the conventional storytelling blueprint that moves from point A to B and C. The primary characters dictate the story and their actions, and the drama surrounding them progresses the plot all through the six episodes. The core strength of the show lies within its characters which are interlinked to one another and the societal problems that it discusses from the very first episode.

Not having the opportunity to watch her previous work before, I should say that I’m thoroughly impressed with Pooja Bhatt’s stellar performance. Her character, Rani, carries such an aura throughout the entire show, and she did a phenomenal job in portraying her role as this powerhouse CEO. From her humble beginnings to dealing with chauvinistic colleagues and the struggle to save her newly appointed job, her character added a ton of weight to the overall show alongside her emotional effort of looking after her family and stepchildren.

Shahana Goswami plays the character of Fatima, who also has a lot going on in her life as she struggles to balance her personal and professional life and the mental stress that comes with it. Her performance, in particular, shines bright during the interactions with her husband, played brilliantly by Vivek Gomber, and her trying to discover the joy that she misses and answers to a ton of questions through the incidents that she experiences during the narrative.

Amruta Subhash, who we’ve seen play a wide variety of roles in Gully Boy, Sacred Games, and Choked: Paisa Bolta Hai, impresses yet again with her portrayal as Lily, a prostitute. Her character, in particular, seems relatable when it comes to her wanting to lead a respectful and peaceful life but is somehow being ridiculed by societal image and misogyny. Aadhya Anand, who plays a 13-year old high-school student on the show, gives a whole new Gen Z standpoint to the narrative of how situations get mishandled and treated in today’s culture. And it is intriguing to listen to her poetry narrate the show and watch her get more developed with her decisions across all six episodes.

Plabita Borthakur, on the other hand, did a decent job in portraying her character as a small-town girl trying to make it big in Mumbai. Her well-written role adds significance to the overall narrative of the series, from her being sexually harrassed to getting victim-blamed, silenced, and shamed. The entire #MeToo side of things was expertly handled by the writers as it gave a clear-cut perspective of how the victim actually feels in these situations and how life and individuals rapidly change around her.

Subsequently, because of the complicated characters, Bombay Begums is high on emotions and might not be everyone’s cup of tea. The screenplay is sharp, decently-paced, and makes the show very much bingeable from start to finish. Above all, credits to the creator, Alankrita Shrivastava, who did a fantastic job in creating a world comprised of characters that are compelling and choosing a subject that is relevant, relatable, and also significant to explore. Additionally, the production quality and the costume design on the show also look par and fit the narrative so well through and through.

Overall, Bombay Begums on Netflix impresses when it comes to narrating complicated characters and shedding light on several issues people face on a day-to-day basis in a fast-developing and corporate metropolis like Mumbai. However, there are a few narrative issues that might dampen your overall interest, but the sharp screenplay and the six-episode length make the show an easy binge from the beginning to the end. Watch ‘Bombay Begums’ on Netflix India here.

Rating – 3.25/5 | Grade – B

Images via Netflix India

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