Showtime Star Cast/ Actors: Emraan Hashmi, Naseeruddin Shah, Mahima Makwana, Mouni Roy, Shriya Saran, Rajeev Khandelwal
Showtime Director: Mihir Desai, Archit Kumar
Showtime Release Date: 8 March, 2024
Showtime Available On: Disney+Hotstar OTT Platform
Showtime Released/ Available In Languages: Hindi
Showtime Season: 1 (Part 1)
Showtime Number Of Episodes: 4
Showtime Release Pattern: Season 1, Part 1 all episodes released together
Showtime Episode Duration: 40 minutes (approx each episode)
Showtime Critic Review:
It’s the Jubilee effect – everybody wants to tell a story about the film industry.
Jubilee was retro, this one’s contemporary with film studio politics, superstar tantrums, miffed mistresses, paid reviews, the lure of brand endorsements, and celebrity couples with simmering differences. Creator Sumit Roy, directors Mihir Desai and Archit Kumar, and half a dozen writers fictionalise on-set and off-camera shenanigans of the Hindi film industry, making it feel like it’s just another day in the studios.
A rap song about this being a jungle and strugglers landing here with ‘jeb khali’ (empty pockets) builds into a father-son showdown in Viktory Studio. Dying Viktor Khanna (Naseeruddin Shah), dismissed as outdated by son Raghu Khanna (Emraan Hashmi), has one last ace up his sleeve. Soon, the studio has a new owner.
Seasoned Raghu vs raw Mahika (Mahima Makwana), each trying to safeguard his/her territory.
Superstar Armaan (Rajeev Khandelwal), squeezing the balls of an assistant who dares wake him up for a shot, knows precisely how to humiliate filmmakers at his farmhouse by bringing them literally down to the level of planting and plucking mooli from the earth.
Raghu knows how to handle superstars – and their wives.
Star wife Mandira (Shriya Saran), once a National Award winner, can’t wait to make a comeback.
Film star and girlfriend Yasmin Ali (Mouni Roy) is miffed with benefactor Raghu Khanna.
A ballsy TV anchor finds herself splashed as ‘Begum of Bollywood’ on magazine covers.
Movies have titles like ‘Pyaar Dangerous Hai’ and ‘Agent Haseena’.‘1857 Warrior’ is a magnum opus – its lavish production has its own graph of highs and sighs.
The star wife handles journalists deftly, lobs a misstep by superstar hubby into the producer’s court.
A superstar with a fragile gender ego isn’t too thrilled with the wife returning to the spotlight.
Armaan throws the word ‘Armaanians’ casually.
But does it all come together to keep you dazzled?
Although it doesn’t have that rare quality which made Jubilee so watchable, Showtime is glitzy.
Viewers hooked on red carpet appearances and Insta reels will be amused with a Jahnvi Kapoor sashaying into a scene and welcoming Mahika to the “centrestage of the big boys club”. A premiere night has familiar faces like Neha Dhupia and Angad Bedi being papped. Director Nitesh Tiwari (of Dangal and Chhichhore fame) is pencilled in for a guest appearance (he is better behind the camera).
Emraan Hashmi has the right touch of arrogance in his swagger. Rajeev Khandelwal, Shriya Saran, and Mouni Roy exude comfort before the camera. Mahika Makwana and her confidante Prithvi (a charming Vishal Vashishtha) have a fresh appeal.
But domestic abuse looks like a social issue forced in. Lines like ‘Credit maanga nahi, kamani chahiye’ seem too laboured to make an impact. A big buildup for a maverick director called Satyen has an unknown artiste walking in and failing to impress. Why right-hand man Prithvi would schedule an important narration when there’s a vital shoot of 1857 going on, is like chaos/disorder being written in for effect. Calls for outraged boycott is too out-of-season to make a connect.
Most annoyingly, the season is broken into two halves with only four episodes streaming at the moment. It’s like watching a film till interval and then waiting for three months to catch up with the rest of it.
Showtime – Watch Or Not?: If you like the film studio ambience, wait until June and watch the whole season at one go.
Showtime Review Score Rating: 2.5 out of 5 (i.e. 2.5/5)
Showtime Official Trailer:
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