“Im not an ex-IITian; I am an IITian” says Jeetu Bhaiyya in #KotaFactory. This line sums up the nation’s obsession for getting their children into the top 1% that constitutes the prestigious IITs. It is a dream and a curse as the children flock towards the preparatory schools under the influence of peer pressure. In many homes, this is almost a rite of passage as notes and study material are handed over and revered. One or two years spent in austere conditions, burning the midnight oil and eschewing worldly pleasures is a veritable sanyas for millions of young boys and girls in middle class India. Ironically, it is not the IITs that fetch you the palatial house and the fancy car; the IIMs are the go-to destination for that. In many ways the IIT dream captures the middle class ethos - Pride in your accomplishments over your assets.
Preparing for IIT? Put away that remote. Pass_Me_The_Remote reviews the story of IIT aspirants in Kota, Rajasthan. Season 2 of the show debuted earlier this year on #NetflixIndia. Shot in an unusual monochromatic tone, the show makers believe that this is testimony to the dreary lives of the children; it is almost as though there is only one facet to their lives. The signature top-angle drone shots and the shots from the top dome give you a distinct feel that you are looking in on a rat race that becomes the bane of most Indians anyway.
Created by #SaurabhKhanna and #ArunabhKumar, this show comes from the house of #TVF and is arguably one of their best written shows. Perhaps next only to #TVFPitchers. Directed by #RaghavSubbu, the protagonist is a sedate, molly-coddled Vaibhav (#MayurMore). The show unfolds from the eyes of Vaibhav and his friends Balmukun Meena (#RanjanRaj) and Uday(#AlamKhan). #AhsaasChanna is superb as Shivangi Ranawat and the talented #JitendraKumar plays Jeetu Bhaiyya.
In my view, this was a show waiting to happen given how relatable the concept is. The rivalry between the coaching institutes Prodigy and Maheshwari and the class divide between them is depicted brilliantly. The children go through stress and health issues, discover sex and self-pleasure, miss their mothers’ fuss and affection and find solace in their professor’s words; Jeetu Bhaiyya is the veritable elder brother in this madness. “A little bit of cheating is Ok but it shoulndt become a habit” he says in his candid, forthright manner. Look at the average middle class Indian and this is what you see reflected in his philosophy - don't break the rule; bend it ever so slightly and further your progress!
The show suffers from a lack of female perspective. What it does well though is to stitch together varied strands into one common narrative. Teenage insecurities, relationships, social mores and friendships come together seamlessly. When Vaibhav stops picking his mother’s calls, she justifies it saying ‘Ab uska mann lag gaya’. The ‘sugar and curd’ recipe for physical and mental preparedness to take on the academic rigors is yet another typically Indian tradition.
A potential Season 3 is in the offing. So far the show has stuck to safe ground. As you read through the statistics on mental health, you realize that as per the NCRB reports, Kota also has a track record of student suicides. In India, the pressure to conform drives many hapless children into this quagmire. I hope the show will embrace some of the darker elements of this ecosystem. For now, it is a rather well documented study of India’s top secret academic conveyor belt!
