Is this mini-series inspired by true events worth your time? Or is it just another story? Read the full review here to find out.
'Hustlers: Jugaad Ka Khel' focuses on welcoming the viewers into the world of entrepreneurship with this gripping mini-series, said to be inspired by true events. As the narrative unfolds, you will experience the highs, lows, and feel the determination of Sanjay Sharma. The series is based on how hard work added with some makeshift makes Sanjay Sharma a hustler, who wants to earn a name for himself, build a brand of himself.
In the vibrant city of Mumbai, the show follows the inspiring story of Sanjay Sharma (Vishal Vashishtha), a smart and ambitious young man determined to break free from his father’s norms and older brother’s shadow. Belonging to an average middle-class family, Sanjay's parents pin their hopes on him to succeed in life as he moves to the big city to study further. After adjusting to life on campus in a top-tier engineering college, he realizes that he wants to start something of his own, that he wants to become an entrepreneur, much to the disapproval of his strict father (Anurag Arora). Despite facing various obstacles, Sanjay strives to stand out from the crowd and prove himself different from his fellow classmates and his successful older brother. Throughout the series, Sanjay experiences ups and downs, but he eventually figures out an idea, focusing on affordable Paying Guest accommodations for newcomers struggling in an unfamiliar city. The support behind his idea's execution comes from his caring mother, friends, classmates, and a reluctant mentor named Mihir (Samir Kochhar). They are right behind Sanjay, supporting and advising him as takes a step and becomes a part of the world of start-ups.
All the cast members, main and supporting roles, have done a fantastic job. There is no one who has overacted, which is why the performances really stand out. The spotlight has been shared by all the actors, which was lovely to see.
Vishal Vashishtha, who plays the main character Sanjay Sharma, does a tremendous job in keeping a hold of his disorderly yet determined character. The show focuses a lot on his journey, and Vishal makes it seem too real. His performance is so convincing that despite a few confusing moments in some scenes, somewhere, I would find myself rooting for him to succeed.
Anubha Fatehpuria plays the role of Sanjay's mother with a delightful and heartwarming touch, delivering a performance that feels warm and fuzzy, and very relatable. Anurag Arora, portraying Sanjay's father, delivers a stellar performance. He is stoic, stern, stubborn and strict; basically, an embodiment of the traits of many fathers in middle-class families. And of course, Maharshi Dave, in the role of Sanjay's older brother Manoj, skillfully balances between being narcissistic and an overachiever. As the series unfolded, my dislike for his character grew, but again, that just means he has done an outstanding job.
Anjali Barot as Vanshika delivers a short and sweet performance. Not to forget, her on-screen chemistry with Vishal is too pure for this world. Meherzan Mazda as his first-friend and roommate in college, Manoj, is a lot of fun and makes you realize what kind of friends you should truly have in your life. Amman Uppal as Badri Prasad aka Baba has honestly stood out the most. His character seems to have taken on the role of a guiding angel.
Samir Kochhar as Mihir is sophisticated, to say the least. His role as a CEO commands your full attention. Whenever he’s on screen, there’s a fresh wave of confidence and sass. Coming to the company’s co-founders, Rishi Hapawat as Amit, Archi as Ayesha and Noor Raaj as Swara have a huge role in carrying forward the narrative. They have made a lasting impression with their limited screen time.
Written by Karan Narvekar and Rahul Patel, 'Hustlers' is an amazing piece of work. It brilliantly highlights the importance of trusting your gut and never giving up. The narrative is a perfect blend of humour and determination, with all characters well-developed, and each having their own screen space to be out there. The series wonderfully showcases tons of makeshift solutions with plenty of dramatic moments, which don’t let the show become too serious, while also being serious at the same time. The plot, the dialogues, everything is panned out in a straightforward way, with no unnecessary scenes and no skip-worthy moments.
Even Harsh Dedhia, as a director, appears to have had a clear goal in mind to only focus on building up a crisp narrative for a mini-series. The way emotions have been put forth, issues, relationships have been shed light upon; all fabulous. The narrative truly evolves from a lighthearted world to something meaningful. It’s as if Sanjay’s growth equals to the narrative’s growth; they’re both in line and in sync. So, I feel the direction has been fairly good, considering the show keeps you hooked from start to end.
The camera work is intriguing, with the use of various shots, especially close-ups, that go along with the story. What's good is that they don’t play around with the camera too much, giving the story enough space to unfold slowly. The editing is also fairly decent for most parts of the screenplay. I love the animations that are thrown in-between some scenes to explain to the layman some terminologies related to start-ups. As someone who doesn’t know much about this world, I loved that concept so much. The music, as well, by Sangeet and Siddharth Haldipur, uplifts you and doesn’t feel like it’s forcefully added into scenes just for show.
Director: Harsh Dedhia
Cast: Vishal Vashishtha, Samir Kochhar, Anjali Barot, Amman Uppal, Meherzan Mazda, Anurag Arora, Anubha Fatehpuria, Maharshi Dave
Available On: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon miniTV
Premiere Date: January 24, 2024
Episodes: 5
Genre: Biography, Comedy
Language: Hindi
Duration: 30-60 minutes
Yes, but with parental guidance.
As someone who doesn’t really consume much Hindi content, I was fascinated by this show. 'Hustlers' is an ideal series to binge when you need a dose of confidence and motivation. It’s not only a series, but also serves as an inspiring journey for those who think out-of-the-box and dream big. Filled with ups and downs, and endless opportunities and possibilites, it's a great watch solely because of its no-nonsense story and good performances. I thoroughly enjoyed watching it in one-go!