The title says it all. I don't know who all it applies to but I am sure the audience is not deprived of the verb interpretation of that word! I keep wondering what #Netflix saw in the new series #Choona that inspired them. Was it #JimmyShergill, once known for his dashing persona but now reduced to country gangster roles? Or was it someone who fed them the ‘treatment’ of astrology and mythology ? Or the heist that pretends to be a cross between #MoneyHeist and #MisionImposible but turns out more like #SabKaBaapAnguthaChaap, which is by the way a 2023 Bhojpuri release ! Or maybe it is the Virtual Reality special effects including the laser rays that remind you of countless Hollywood heist scenes. #Choona is one hell of a crazy, rambling story that leaves you tired and weary just thinking about the plight of the writers and the makers of the show.
Avinash Shukla (#JimmyShergill) is the Chief of Urban development at the Swacch Samaj party and has aspirations of becoming the Chief Minister. He has deep faith in astrology and all his fingers are adorned with precious stones. He seeks advice before proceeding with any of his plans which are anyways to do with threats, extortion or murder. In a turn of events, he asks his bodyguard Madan to “drop off” his astrologer which means throwing him off a bridge!
The essence of the story written by #PushpendraNathMishra is about ‘six planets’ conspiring to wreak revenge on Shukla. There is Yakub Ansari (#AashimGulati), a student leader whose ambitions are dashed by Shukla. Ansari is perhaps the lead on the show but only because he looks the part; the way his character is written has nothing to do with this. J P Yadav (#VikramKochhar) is a contractor who turns alcoholic after his plans are turned into naught by Shukla. Baankey (#GyanendraTripathi) has been demoted after taking on Shukla and slapping him at a temple. Pandit Upadhaya (#AtulShrivastava) owes the loss of an eye to Shukla and Bishnu (#ChandanRoy) is the nephew who pretends to be dumb but is waiting for an opportunity to exact revenge for the murder of his sister.
#Choona has just too many characters. Just when you start following the fortunes of one of them, the story cuts into the track of another. Along the way, they slip in the character of Triloki, the master of disguise, played by #NamitDas. He is first seen covered in cement as he attempts to paint the wall exterior of Shukla’s house and ends up eavesdropping on the conversation inside.
I think the makers soon realize that there are too many characters to handle. They rope in #ArshadWarsi to do the voiceover and don't know when to hit the stop button. As a result, the second half of the show has more VOs than dialogues!
#Choona is one of those rare examples of a show that is overwritten, and this proves to be the weakness as the narrative becomes dreary and overbearing beyond a point. I would say this one is eminently missable !
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