Language: Hindi There’s no time quite like your college days when the biggest concern is only where to party every day and worry about results once a year. And if you happen to be four teenagers in a Delhi college who share a plush bungalow, then the party is at Banchhod Nivas every night. That’s the case with Lakshay, Avinash, Sameer and Akhil and the premise of a six-part situational comedy on Lionsgate Play. But when the hangover lifts, reality bites. Lakshay ( Prit Kamani ) is a privileged party boy who never cleans up after himself. His hygiene is appalling and his priority singular – a good time. Despite his absolute lack of responsibility, Lakshay’s heart is in the right place. Avinash ( Vishnu Kaushal ), his bestie, plays hard but also takes a hard knock when his girlfriend Mahima dumps him. Sameer ( Anshuman Malhotra ) is a timid poet with issues related to his authoritarian Army officer father. Sameer is also the most mature housemate and the moral compass of Banchhod Nivas. An aspiring cricketer from Ghana, Akhil ( Mihir Ahuja ) is the youngest and rounds off the quartet. He’s the innocent homesick newbie learning to navigate a new life. Written by Sidhanta Mathur and directed by Sahir Raza, each episode has a small story nudging along events concluding with some sort of life lesson for one or all of the housemates. These boys have endless resources to host boozy parties at night and hire a housekeeper who cleans up the mess by day. It’s not easy living in your own home, and then life delivers lessons that push them closer to adulting. There are some recurring cast members including Himika Bose and Inayat Sood. Akshay Oberoi appears in a cameo as the crazy and colourful Vicky Paaji, supplier of all things (legal and illegal), including providing Lakshay with a pet iguana. Most of the action unfolds on this one set. It’s a compact production that hinges on the chemistry of the housemates and easy repartee, which the quartet does achieve. Kamani and Malhotra deliver nuanced performances. Ahuja fits the role but his character doesn’t get a shining moment. Kaushal could slow down his dialogue delivery. Besides parental pressure, broken hearts and college results, the show throws in a token LGBTQ storyline, a wedding and deception. The season ends with the possibility to explore further antics of the residents of Banchhod Nivas. Perhaps by the next season, the dilemmas, compulsions and IQ of the characters would have upgraded. Feels Like Home is streaming on Lionsgate Play.
Udita Jhunjhunwala is a writer, film critic, and festival programmer. Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram
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