In this telugu web series Santosh Shobhan showcases urban relationships and family ties
Simply put, the story of the new telugu web series Baker and the Beauty (Streaming on Aaha) A story between a baker and a female actor from a middle-class family, whose every move is watched by the paparazzi. As one of the characters describes it, it is the story of a boy living near Jubilee Bus Station in Secunderabad and a girl in Jubilee Hills.
The overarching story is along the lines of what we’ve seen in English rom-coms Notting Hill (1999) and more recently a Telugu film. In hypnotism (2018). So when I learned that the new Telugu series is an adaptation of the Israeli series of the same name by Assi Azar, I was curious and watched it. The Telugu series is a faithful adaptation, to choose a similar episode title – ‘Artichoke Soup’ becomes ‘Mushroom Soup’ in the Indian context. The Telugu series appropriates events taking place in the cultural milieu of Hyderabad. Appreciably, it doesn’t undermine the original content. It is the story of Baker as much as it is the story of her two siblings, and touches upon aspirations, awkward family ties, and acceptance of same-sex relationships.
baker and beauty
- Cast: Santosh Shobhan, Tina Shilraj, Jhansi, Shrikant Iyengar)
- Direction: Jonathan Edwards
- Streaming On: Ah
The 10-episode series, averaging 30-35 minutes in duration, is a sleek rom-com that comes alive with brilliance. Charming Santosh Shobhan plays baker Vijay Krishna Dasaripalle, who trades his fine arts dreams to help his father Venkateswaralu (Srikanth Iyengar) run a bakery. Vijay lives with his father, mother Padma (Jhansi), brother Vikram (Sangeet Shobhan) and sister Meera (Sai Shweta). The brother can be silly, annoying and cringe-inducing all at once and the mother, a livewire who is so outspoken it would be impossible to hold on to the secrets. However, the somewhat troubled sister has her own secrets. The close family is surrounded by friendly but openly curious neighbours, led by Sushila (Tarusha Saxena).
The opposite of this family is the world of female actor Aira Vasireddy (Tina Shilraj), whose father we hear about but never see. She is mostly controlled by her shrewd manager Lakshmi (Venkat) with her career and life in her mansion.
Vijay and Aira arrive early in the story and he finds himself immersed in its dazzling world, though always felt like an irrelevant outsider who can easily be brushed off. An unlikely romance blossoms, but turns tough with Lakshmi’s disapproval and Vijay’s now-off-skiing girlfriend Maheshwari (Vishnupriya).
As the episodes go on, we’re expected to suspend our disbelief at how a popular actress shines a light on a guy she barely meets and makes her go to the night with her gang. calls for; Soon she invites him to a house party (where adventure sports are held, apparently without security clearance) and a trip to Dubai! Never mind, it’s a fairy tale romance.
Adig Aira puts Vijay on a tenterhook and wonders if he is on a brief rebound from his breakup with the Bollywood star.
Vijay’s insecurities slowly come to the fore. He is always afraid of ending up with a bachelor, which explains why he has not been able to get away from Maheshwari strongly, despite not wanting to take their relationship any further. With Aira, it is she who is on the receiving end, unsure whether it will fit into her glamorous world. Aira’s indecision only adds to her troubles. At one point, Vijay asks her if she will go on a date with someone her manager picks for her.
Hell breaks out when the media comes to know about the Aira-Vijay romance. The effect the romance has had on Vijay’s family is hilarious. Jhansi is worth visiting. It’s a role she could easily have ended up in, but she gets the mix right — worrying about her son for no fault of her own that dating an actor would give her a better financial future. Guarantee is available. The Telangana dialect makes these lines even more funny.
As expected, the siblings complicate the story’s romance. Amidst all this, the middle-class family is forced to introspect on their own hypocrisy – do they really have nothing to be happy about? And, what if one of them is not as ‘normal’ as they understand it? Can they overcome their fears and accept homosexual relationships?
baker and beauty There are many subplots; While the sister’s part is treated with sympathy, the brother’s part is often lewd and sullen.
Jhansi, Srikant Iyengar and Sai Shweta have maintained the momentum with good performances. Santosh Shobhan takes the cake. He plays his part with an easygoing charm, and is effective at portraying the character’s insecurities. Tina Shilraj plays the part of the icy maiden well, but as the story progresses, her expressions are hard to count and can come across as non-reactive. Venkat’s portrayal of the manipulative manager needed more cutting. Prashant Vihari’s music deserves mention.
The rom-com could have been shorter, rather than trying to recreate everything that was supposed to be of Israeli origin. There are some obvious mistakes. For example, which corporate office orders puffs for a dinner party and asks for overnight delivery? It is a far cry that the mother did not feel anything wrong.
Nevertheless, it is of interest in its depiction of confusing modern urban romance.
(The Baker and the Beauty streams on Aha)
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