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With box-office figures and a film’s success or failure being a regular talking point, it is only fitting to have a series like ‘Showtime,’ which gives viewers a taste of what exactly it is like within the fierce and competitive Bollywood arena. Let’s see whether the show manages to steal the spotlight or not!
Showtime tells the story of how Viktory Studios – a production company which contributed to the finest films of Indian cinema, sees various changes after the founder’s son, Raghu Khanna (Emraan Hashmi), starts calling the shots. Raghu is more concerned about box-office collections and profits rather than creating memorable and path-breaking films like they once used to. Things take a sudden turn when Raghu’s father, Viktor (Naseeruddin Shah), dies and leaves the company to Mahika (Mahima Makwana), his granddaughter from a previous marriage. Mahika is an entertainment journalist who displays integrity and is surprised by this new responsibility.
While all eyes are on Mahika, Raghu soon becomes a competitor to Viktory Studios and begins the battle between their production companies. While the producers are at it, we are also introduced to some actors. Armaan Singh (Rajeev Khandelwal) is a Bollywood superstar who you will end up loving and hating at the same time. Armaan seems to value pure cinema but his ego needs to be satisfied now and then. We also meet Yasmin Ali (Mouni Roy), Raghu’s girlfriend, eagerly waiting for her big break as an actor after doing various item songs. You also meet a promising writer Prithvi (Vishal Vashishta), who is also Mahika’s boyfriend, and Mandira (Shriya Saran), Armaan’s wife and a former actress wishing to make her comeback.
The plot thickens when the lives of these characters are explored, and you witness them having to fight their own battles amid the competitive atmosphere.
‘Showtime‘ succeeds in creating characters that are intriguing and somewhat relatable despite being in a world which often seems far-fetched. The cast stands out in their roles with Emraan Hashmi once again entertaining us in his unusual avatars. Mahima Makwana proves to be a natural performer as Mahika, making their face-off all the more interesting to watch. Rajeev Khandelwal is delightful to watch and helps Armaan often seem to be the most endearing character of the series so far despite having moments you would hate him for. Mouni Roy showcases her brilliance yet again and impresses as the heartfelt Yasmin who you will end up rooting for. Vishal Vashishta also shines in the role of Prithvi, and this seems to be a crucial character in the upcoming episodes.
The story of ‘Showtime‘ is interesting, but you often wish for some revelations which are a bit more shocking as you go along. It has twists, that’s for sure, but perhaps it could have been more impactful through its presentation. Nevertheless, the characters and deep interest we have in Bollywood are enough to make us see this journey through. The show also features good songs like ‘Class‘ by Badshah and Diesby, and ‘Mahroo’ by Romy.
If you have always been curious about the lives of Bollywood biggies and how things possibly work, this will be a real treat to watch!
