BOTTOM LINE
Novel Premise Doesn’t Fulfil Its Potential
PLATFORM
ZEE5
RUNTIME
120 Mins (6 Episodes)
What Is the Show About?
A small-time xerox shop owner, Prakasha, makes a shocking discovery: his machine can create living, breathing human duplicates. What begins as a simple trick quickly turns dangerous as these clones multiply and cause chaos. As the copies threaten his life and expose dark secrets, Prakasha must find a way to stop the madness before his reality is completely taken over by his own creations.
Performances
There is a likeability that Nagabhushana brings to the role of the common man, Prakasha, internalising his little concerns, dilemmas, and conflicts. Payal Chengappa, as Sooji, gets a juicy part as a girl lost between two men, though the resolution to her conflict feels too simple and cinematic. Manju Pavagada is aptly cast as a cop, while Yashwanth Shetty displays his flair for comedy in a brief role. Thukali Santhu passes muster.
Analysis
Jerax, ZEE5’s Kannada small-town sci-fi thriller, perfectly demonstrates how storytelling thrives on compelling concepts rather than big names, scale, or pomp. The series is built on a simple yet captivating premise: a xerox machine that creates human duplicates from photographs, wreaking havoc on the life of an ordinary citizen against the backdrop of a rural election.
Focusing on the life of Prakasha, a xerox shop owner with a mystical talisman, the narrative bridges two subplots: his love for a girl named Sooji and the election frenzy in a village where a local leader is murdered. How does an ordinary man’s life get upended so drastically? Director Srinidhi Bengaluru sets his world in Malavalli, Karnataka, infusing the story with local flavour through a motley cast of rooted, colourful characters.
While starting the story with the talisman, the director does not over-explain the idea. Prakasha, while young, falls ill, and a priest hands it over to him to guard him against trouble, though a few omens suggest otherwise. The show later fleshes out the rural backdrop and the election frenzy, a contest between two leaders, Deepu and Ramanna, and how Prakasha’s life is entangled in a mess.
Prakasha works well as a pivotal character because of his childlike innocence. He doesn’t desire anything beyond his shop, make little money and marry his lady love. The sci-fi touch in the story comes alive through its playful execution. The protagonist treats the xerox machine like a toy, which helps him converse with his girlfriend, his dead parents and ultimately to unlock a dark political conspiracy.
Like most thrillers with a sci-fi or supernatural element, the crux of the show is universal – ‘it does not take long for a boon to turn into a curse.’ The series gains steam as Prakasha has a whale of a time making a fool out of the cops, politicians, and a bunch of locals in order to save his girl. The screenplay has several catch-22 situations, where Prakasha lives on the edge.
Though the show has its fair share of merits, one also feels it does not reap the dividends of its premise to its full potential. The entire thread around the warring political leaders and the elections is clunky at best. The writing is slightly superficial, as it changes its hues conveniently: from the feel-good setting to the romance, the sci-fi element, political satire, and the thrills.
How does it start, where does it end, and what exactly does it want to say? The novelty apart, an element of vagueness permeates the execution. It draws you in briefly, builds the conflict, loses its way again, and the climax leaves you more confused than satisfied. For all the good it does, Jerax is a mixed bag with a handful of loose ends. It is imperfect but tolerable.
Music and Other Departments?
Vinay Shankar’s music tries to give a peppy, vibrant texture to the proceedings. While it works for the show during the lighter moments, the quirks do not always land. The cinematography by Adarsha R is largely impressive, as it lends a raw, rustic touch to life in a small town without diluting its visual appeal. The episodes move quickly, but on quite a few occasions, one wishes the writing were meatier rather than just witty.
Highlights?
Novel premise
Quirky rural flavour
Colourful characters, cinematography
Drawbacks?
Lacks momentum in execution
Inconsistent, partially vague writing
Few convenient creative choices
Did I Enjoy It?
Only In Parts
Will You Recommend It?
If you like the premise, go for it but be ready to tolerate its loose ends, vague execution in parts
Jerax Web Series Reviewed by M9 News
