By Muhammad Zunair
It was about 5 weeks ago, a video came into my suggestions while I was scrolling through YouTube, with the title of Kota Factory Episode 1. Just like most other people, I checked the video out of curiosity and the first impressions I had after watching the episode were like “How on God’s good earth I was not aware of this piece of beauty!”
Prior to Kota Factory, I had not seen much of the Web Series and was not sure about the quality of this particular genre but as I watched this 47 some minutes long episode, I was all in for the remaining episodes. Five weeks later, the series’ first season ended with a beautifully written (D&D kindly take notes 😛 ) and quite captivating finale. And not to mention, I am now eagerly waiting for the second season.
Kota Factory, The Viral Fever’s latest original and India’s first black and white web series, encompasses the lives of students who are currently studying/taking coaching in Kota to get admission in IIT, and gives quite valuable critique on the shortcomings of the Indian education system. The story revolves around the life of Vaibhav Pandey(Mayur More) and his friends and explores different dimensions of their lives and touches the socio-cultural aspects as well.
One of the most peculiar features of the series is the way it has been shot. I mean the aerial shots, the cinematography, and especially the idea to film it in black and white kept me engaged throughout the whole series. In addition to great storytelling and flawless writing, all the lead actors, including the very likes of Jitendra Kumar, Ahsaas Channa, and Mayur More, were all brilliant, each in his own way.
Now, what separates Kota Factory from all other Web Series is the fact that most of the Web Series do not seem to have this capability of developing a connection with the audience but, contrary to my expectations, Kota Factory is being created in a way that it converges all the storylines and brings them together in an almost perfect manner while keeping the audience engaged. Also, the writers of the show have done such an amazing job to play with the subplots while keeping the story on its main course and not allowing the audience to feel disconnected.
Lastly, the main reason I felt a great connection towards the series was its elements of relatability. Back in the day when I was doing my Intermediate and was worried about getting admission to University, I had this sense of responsibility or should I say the pressure to get a spot in a top-ranked university. I can still remember that there was this culture of coaching classes/academy system and just like Vaibhav Pandey, most of us were entangled and lost in the maze of coaching classes, peer pressure, and personal issues. Therefore, it made me feel related to the story, both as a character and as an audience. So, I recommend you all to go and watch this great series, especially if you are feeling low after watching the poor finale of Game of Thrones. (pun intended!)
Adios!!!
