Whenever there is any show that aims to show corporate life for youngsters, it takes two approaches. The first approach is to glamourize and show everything from rose-tinted glasses. The second approach is to villainize everything and present an anti-work show. Rarely do the makers present a show that is balanced and realistic in its outlook. This is where TVF’s ‘Cubicles’ comes in. The show is loved by young professionals because of how real it is. The fact that they have released their third season recently is proof that they are doing something right and the audience wants more of it. Here’s all there is to know about the latest ‘Cubicles Season 3.’
‘Cubicles Season 3’: Story
The season follows the events that take place after Piyush Prajapati decides to “survive” in his job. But Fate has other plans for him. He ends up being the team lead who is in charge of an important project. This change in the structure makes his colleagues-cum-friends his subordinates. Piyush is now challenged with the complexities of middle management. His friends don’t take him seriously, his boss wants the job done, and he has to deal with the politics of corporate. This change in power balance introduces a lot of hurdles for him. With every episode, he learns more about himself and the job and continues to grow.
‘Cubicles Season 3’: Performance
Piyush Prajapati, played by Abhishek Chauhan, has grown as an actor and a character from his first appearance in Season 1. In this season, Abhishek looks more in control and more in charge of the narrative. His character as the new team lead is relatable. His frustration and helplessness, when he has to ask his friends to take him seriously, has been portrayed with perfection. The way his character makes mistakes and then bears the consequences of it is also commendable. He hasn’t been shown as a perfect leader. What works for him is that his character has flaws and that’s what makes his acting seem real.
Badri Chavan as Gautam Batra will remind you of every other colleague who wants to crack jokes and keeps everyone’s spirits lifted high. His jokes fail to land and that’s okay because that is how his character is supposed to be. He is supposed to be the office equivalent of the Class Clown and he perfectly fits into it.
Ayushi Gupta as Sunaina Chauhan is your diligent and sharp employee. She is one of those employees who will always do their work on time but will never shy away from speaking up when something is wrong. She has portrayed her character well because at times, she comes across as a mean office employee and you question her moves.
Naveen Shetty, played by Niketan Sharma, has now embraced parenthood in Season 3. He juggles parenthood and office. But at the same time, he also juggles with the low compensation. So much so that he actually takes a half-day leave to interview at another organization. He has played the role of a frustrated father and a colleague with ease.
What works is the camaraderie between these four characters. It will remind you of your office colleagues who are now your friends, and you share a lot of your life with them because you spend a major part of your day with them.
Arnav Bhasin’s Kalpesh Bhatia is the voice of reason for Piyush Prajapati. His character is in complete contrast to Piyush who is always fuelled by his emotions. He is that know-it-all boss who knows how to get things done. The way he has brought out the quiet confidence in his body language exudes that he is the boss when it comes to getting things done corporately and logically. At times, you cannot help but feel intimidated by him.
Shivankit Parihar as Angad Waghmare breaks the monotony of the series. Namit Kapoor as Vikram easily gets into the character of a CEO who just wants the final output. Ketaki Kulkarni as Neha is brilliant as the underconfident employee who is placed on a project after being on the bench for long. Sadly, Nidhi Bisht makes an appearance once or twice, but she isn’t playing a major role in ‘Cubicles 3.’
‘Cubicles Season 3’: Script, Direction & Technical Aspects
The dialogues are easy and relatable. There are times when Piyush is saying something to his team, and it reminds me of what my team lead has said. At times what Sunaina does and how she behaves is relatable because, at the end of the day, you are just looking out for yourself in corporate. What works is how people can see bits of themselves in every character in the show. You don’t just relate to one character; you relate to the multiple bits of every character. It is because of these reasons that the show is relatable for people who have just started their careers.
The situations that the characters are put in in the show are also relatable because that is exactly what happens in corporate. The simplest example of this is that the four characters sitting with the HR and giving feedback regarding their team lead.
What’s interesting to note is that every character has their own story running parallel to the show. When you have five main characters and five sub-plots, it becomes difficult to carry them along and tie the loose ends in the climax. However, the show has done a good job concerning that and all the sub-plots draw to a close. Equal attention has been paid to all the characters. As the show progresses, not just Piyush, but the other characters grow in their own path and that works well.
The cinematography has been done well. Staying true to the title, each scene captures life in a cubicle well. The title song fits and does not sound jarring. The editing is crisp which makes it perfect for a binge-watch marathon.
‘Cubicles Season 3’: Cast & Crew
Director: Divyanshu Malhotra
Producer: Arunabh Kumar
Cast: Abhishek Chauhan, Badri Chavan, Ayushi Gupta, Niketan Sharma, Ketaki Kulkarni, Nimit Kapoor, Khushbu Baid, Shivankit Singh Parihar, Arnav Bhasin, Pratish Mehta
Available On: SonyLIV
Duration: 5 episodes, 35 minutes each
‘Cubicles Season 3’: Can Kids Watch It?
Yes
Outlook’s Verdict
TVF has a knack for creating content that is relatable to the younger generation. They have done exactly this with ‘Cubicles Season 3.’ The show makes for a good weekend binge-watch marathon but that’s about it. Part of it needs to be blamed on the fact that it is relatable and real. People know that professional life is only restricted to 9-5, not beyond that. It is easy to treat it like a show that shows you in the office. There is nothing profound that will stay with you after the show has ended. The performance and the script have elevated the show. I am going with 3 stars.
