It had been a while since the promos of Alt Balaji’s Hum went on-air and yesterday was D-day, where the show went live. As usual, the first episode is available for free viewing, while you need subscription for the rest of the 11 episodes.
Having seen the first episode, I analyse the storyline, the performances and does Hum live up to the expectations afterall
What’s It About
A minute or so into the episode, we are informed about the royal history of the Kapoor family, where they were once the royal people in Daulatganj (from their maternal side), but as mother Kapoor decided to marry the love of her life, she was ousted from the royal clan. The in-love couple had a great time together and gave birth to three daughters, till the father was succumbed to death.
The sisters, Devina (Ridhima Pandit), Isha (Karishma Sharma) and Sakshi (Payal Bhojwani) are as contrasting as individuals can be. They all want different things in life and have their expectations towards the same. But, it is Devina, who is the responsible one, and just like any elder sister, she is always there for her younger sisters.
The Kapoors are invited to the 50th birthday bash of Vikram Bedi (Satyajit Sharma) in Mumbai, which is to the surprise of mother Kapoor, as post her best friend Pari’s death, her husband Vikram Bedi hasn’t looked back. Nevertheless, the family packs their bags and are off to Mumbai for the party.
Mumbai city is known to be the city of dreams and that is what it is for the sisters as well, where the trio have different expectations and goals from the city. Mother Kapoor refuses to go to the party, but the sisters are all decked up and attend the party, where they are humiliated by Pammi Aunty. The humiliation continues as Vikram is also taken by surprise by the entry of the sister trio and he realizes that it was a mistake done by his assistant. Isha gets back to Vikram with her wit, and now, he is impressed with her.
The party may be a normal one otherwise, but turns out to rather eventful for Devina and Isha. On one hand, Isha finds herself stuck in a situation with the zip of her dress in the washroom, and on the other hand, Devina is helping out a dancer at the party who needs to go to the hospital to her ailing mother.
And thus enters the saviour to both girls in distinctly different avatars, Rahul (Kushal Tandon). We immediately come to know that Rahul is a playboy, where he sleeps around with women and even hits on Isha, when he gets the chance. However, in an absolutely opposite avatar, Rahul is a kind-hearted soul, who helps Devina with the situation of the dancer and saving her from Pammi Aunty’s wrath.
The next thing we know, Devina finds herself dressed up to perform at the party filling in for the dancer, but is saved by Isha, who says she will sing instead. Devina goes on to sing a beautiful song and impresses one and all. The party is concluded, followed by Devina and Isha talking about this guy they met at the party with their own versions.
In a parallel frame, we come to know that Rahul is actually under Vikram Bedi’s wings and addresses him as boss. The men talk very cryptically about love and what is love according to them, which insinuates some major twists ahead.
How will life change for Devina and Isha owimg to Rahul and Mr. Bedi? That is what makes things interesting..
What’s Good?
One of the biggest highlights of the show is the casting, where every character seems to be tailor-made for the actors portraying them. From the bold and hot Isha to the docile and responsible Devina, playboy yet soft-hearted Rahul to a rich man with a personality, Vikram Bedi; the actors suit their roles perfectly.
We will get to the execution of storyline later, but when it comes to the base plot, that certainly is an interesting one. Apart from some cliched moments and layers to characters, the story is intriguing and as things uncover with time passing by, things get better.
What’s Not-So-Good?
Everything in the show from frame one seems supremely rushed. There is a lack of connect between the scenes in terms of the editing. The biggest flaw of the show is a thread that should hold the scenes together.
I don’t know if it’s just me, but there seems to an uneven audio frequency with the voiceover and the actual dubbing. Some times, things are echoing and at times, it is too loud. (Yes, I checked my audio mixer, there was nothing wrong with that).
The Performances
The standout performer amidst the whole cast is undoubtedly Ridhima Pandit as Devina. Apart from the elegance she portrays with her wardrobe in the show, her innocence, honesty and subtle act as Devina is what binds every scene with each other. For those who have seen Ridhima in her TV show, we know how she can ace loud characters! But, with Devina, Ridhima proves her versatility yet again, and she is easily the best thing about the show.
P.S – We were pleasantly surprised by Ridhima’s singing prowess in the show, as she has beautifully sung Agar Tum Na Hote for a segment.
Karishma Sharma as Isha is in her usual space and she seems comfortable as ever. The uninhibited nature along with a hidden subtely is portayed by Karishma will good acting chops.
Kushal Tandon as Rahul can easily fool you in the initial frames, where he plays a playboy and you seem bored by the same. But, his mellow scene with Ridhima and powerful scene with Satyajit goes on to show how much Kushal has grown as an actor, and apart from his obviously macho frame, he has a lot to offer to the script.
Payal Bhojwani as Sakshi is good, but Satjayjit Sharma as Vikram Bedi is yet another star performer in the show. His tall and lean frame with baritone voice makes him the perfect Mr Bedi.
The Verdict
There are some major flaws in the editing, audio and scene-connectivity, but it is the heart and the performances of Hum that gets you hooked instantly to it. As the first episode ends, you immediately want to know what happens next and that is when one knows, they have made a good show.
