Showtime Review - A Riveting Exposure of the Film Industry on Celluloid

Showtime Review: Dharmatic Entertainment and Disney Plus Hotstar brings the industry story to celluloid with Showtime, starring Emraan Hashmi, Mahima Makwana, Mouni Roy, Rajeev Khandelwal, Shriya Saran, Vishal Vashishtha, and Naseeruddin Shah. I don't know who thought of the idea of the first 15 minutes of this series, but whoever it was actually has some mind game going on in his mind. The series begins with an outsider girl struggling in Mumbai, and from the trailer, we all know that she becomes an insider. That's one thing that gives you an idea of the story. The second thing has got to do with some mind games for critics. They knew that critics were going to review it, so they showed the reality of critics in the next scene so that they could believe how honest this story is going to be, no matter how many stars you give. It was a thoughtful tactic, and I, as a critic, believe that it worked big time. A producer is buying critics and their four-star ratings, and then there is Mahima Makwana, who represents the rare species called 'honest critics'. Showtime just won me in those 15 minutes.Mahima is an outsider who suddenly becomes the new owner of one of the biggest studios in the industry, Viktory Studio. Emraan was the one who took the charge after his foster father couldn't modernise things according to time. So now it's a battle between the deserving heir and a fresher. Will Mahima be able to beat Emraan? But let's forget that battle for a moment. There is so much more to this narrative. It brings the entire circus of the film industry to the screen. Right from producers, actors, their personal lives, critics, the media, nepotism, public reactions, political issues, and what not. It's a detailed take on the film industry, and no matter how many times they flash cautions at the beginning saying that 'the show is fictional and is made only for entertainment,' they know it, and the audiences know that it's heavily inspired by true hidden facts of the industry. And there is so much stolen from industry happenings, be it paparazzi, press conferences, PR, marketing stunts, love affairs, or references from so many celebrities and movies. Like, for instance, Ayushmann and social message, Alia and audience's pulse, pandemic ke baad audience ka taste badlna, national awards vs. box office hits, and so on. One of the dialogues even brought up the South vs. Bollywood battle, and for Pushpa: The Rise, they used Kamal: The Fire. I mean, it's so crazy and so entertaining. Entertainment, entertainment, and entertainment... and drama... That's what Showtime's story is all about.

In terms of negative aspects, yes, the series drags a little bit in the middle. Some scenes are definitely drawn out of proportion. They didn't really have to overdo things here. Everyone was in control as far as it was about that one project, 1857, and the people attached to it. But after a while, it started getting into the personal lives of the characters, and I don't see what that has to do with the theme of Showtime. I mean, it's showtime, right? Then show only the industry things and keep personal lives aside. It would have reduced the runtime, of course, but would have given the series a better grip and a tighter screenplay. On the positive side, it's a wholesome, entertaining circus show on the film industry, and I don't think there is anyone who's not interested in knowing the secrets of BTown.Emraan Hashmi shines in the lead role. His charisma, persona, and attitude are on point, and he easily stands out amongst everyone in the series. The second-best performer is Mahima Makwana. Dare you, she is not as experienced as Emmi, but she has literally gone close to him. I have seen her work in TV serials, which hardly have anything to do with the real acting. There are more cries than acting in that soapy world. Antim had a smaller role, so let's welcome her in style for showing her fabulous skills in the leading role, despite being a sort of newcomer. Mouni Roy looks hot, and she had to because she was playing an item girl. Her dialogue delivery was problematic in some scenes. Shriya Saran steals the show with that one scene: "Flying kiss, ma'am," say the paps. That's so real. She actually does it in her life. Naseeruddin Shah did fine in the first episode; Vishal Vashishtha looked convincing; and Rajeev Khandelwal has been underwhelming as per his high standard.Showtime has a lavish production design and a stylish look. The costume department cannot go wrong with a production house like Dharma, which has been in industry for years. Those cameos of Manish Malhotra and Dabboo Ratnani were so cute. Showtime's basic is taken from the Bollywood industry, but the plot is based more on family drama. You can relate to almost every character if you have seen or known the people in the industry for years. Sumit Roy gives an insight into many things that people don't know, and it was a gutsy decision to think about creating something that might expose many tactics of the industry. Mihir Desai and Archit Kumar's show is like a BTS ride into the dark world of industry secrets. OTT is habitually abusive, so I don't think audiences will mind that. Rather, they will enjoy it because all those scenes demanded such extreme reactions. It's human nature, you see. Some jokes are too funny to take seriously, but what to do? They were so true to reality. The entire team has produced a decent show that can be enjoyed without any tension or brainstorming. And you must have a look at it to know some crazy things about our tinseltown. Lights, camera, action, and reaction... That's all there is to it. And it will be continued in Volume 2.