The Bane of Stardom. Review on Kafas

Today we laud the various avenues available for the ambitious ones to showcase their talent. The lucky ones garner stardom overnight. But does it really come that easy? Kafas on SonyLiv uncovers the dark side of the glam world.

Seema Vashisht(Mona Singh) and Raghav Vashisht(Sharman Joshi) eagerly await their son Sunny Vashisht's(Mikhail Gandhi) return from his debut shoot of a film by a big Production House owned by Vikram Bajaj(Vivaan Bhatena). While the ambitious mother has already left her parlour job in anticipation of the much craved for star fame of her offspring, the son looks visibly distraught and uninterested in the surprise celebration arranged by his parents.

By and by the parents come to know that their underage son has been abused by the owner of the Production House. They accuse the grandmother(Zarina Wahab) of being careless and negligent. She is the one who had chaperoned him to the shoot.

The couple seek legal aid but are discouraged to pursue the case against the mighty Mr. Bajaj because of lack of proof, the expenses involved and very slim chance of winning. Seema approaches Vikram Bajaj's wife(Preeti Jhangiani) emotionally appealing to her as a mother to another mother.

But the Legal Team of the Production House compels them to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement(NDA) to keep their mouth shut. They also offer an astronomical amount in lieu of their silence. The parents consider this the best alternative to secure the future for their children.

In the meanwhile, Vikram Bajaj decides to exclude Sunny from the Promotional Campaign of the film which is again a big setback for the child. His elder sister also wants to pursue a career in acting and keeps on appearing for auditions though she fails every time. She thinks she does not have enough talent and is inferior to her brother who is already a star. Her mother also dissuades her. She misunderstands her mother as she does not know what has happened with her brother.

Irfan Akhtar(Mukesh Chhabbra), a journalist, is after Raghav to elicit information against Vikram Bajaj as he smells something fishy. But Raghav having consented to the NDA evades him. He feels guilty of not taking any action against the culprit. Seema regrets her mistake of realizing her unfulfilled dream of becoming a star through her son.

However, the money the Vashishts have received by signing the NDA ups their social status. Sunny is now in the same school as is Agastya, son of Vikram Bajaj. Both are friends. But Sunny is not at peace and feels let down after working so hard. He tries to stab Vikram Bajaj but fails and runs away. Then he tries to slash his veins but is saved at the nick of time.

Shreya(Tejasvi Singh Ahlawat) comes to know about the secret of his brother and takes matter in her own hands. She gets in touch with Irfan Akhtar. At the same time, an article about a similar abuse involving Vikram Bajaj surfaces which is like a silver lining. The climax is a shocker for Vikram Bajaj as well the viewer.

Kafas(Caged) is as gripping as any other web series. But there are certain glitches in the script which are glaring:

(1) Sunny is crestfallen when he is ousted from the Promotion Tour even after the torture he has been subjected to which is unrealistic.

(2) The series fails to emphasize that pushing an underage school kid to follow a passion which can encroach upon his study time is a simple no-no.

(3) The wife discussing with her pedophile husband about his sexual orientation and pleasures is disgusting.

(4) Sunny's emphasis on being'straight' and not gay is regressive and a deviation from the pivotal point of the series.

(5) The series ends with Shreya getting ready for another audition, considering what the entire family goes through to enjoy stardom, is anomalous.

What does the series underscore?

That merit can still prevail where casting couch is a known bane?

Following passion is more important and fundamental than completing basic education?

Life of the middle class is unworthy?

Not getting disillusioned even in the face of exploitation?

Cleansing the murk out of the system which thrives on it?

It is okay to be star struck and fame thirsty even if one is underage?

Is it not the duty of the parents to make their offsprings aware of the bright as well as flip sides of their aspirations?

Whether Kafas is able to properly answer these questions I am not sure but I will definitely recommend all parents who aim high for their kids to watch it.