MASABA MASABA Superb comedy drama deserves a second season

THIS six-part series premiered on Netflix recently and took everyone by surprise.

The comedy-drama sees well-known young Indian fashion designer Masaba Gupta make her acting debut and play a character that is directly inspired by her own life, including having the same name. The series starts off with a divorce and then explores various aspects of her life from trying to find love again to sustaining a fashion empire. The story also examines Masaba’s relationship with her famous mother Neena Gupta, who also plays a fictionalised version of her self, including how she re-launched her acting career with an Instagram post.

Although the show puts out a disclaimer about it being fiction, what really makes it special are all the obviously real elements in the storyline. There is plenty of comedy in the fast-flowing series, which is predominantly in English, and has some outrageously funny moments that will catch audi

Starring: Masaba Gupta, Neena Gupta, Satyadeep Mishra, Neil, Bhoopalam Director: Sonam Nair

ences by surprise. The jokes are also very edgy and more in tune with the kind of writing that would be found in an international series.

Director Sonam Nair brilliantly brings the story to life and extracts great performances from the entire cast, which includes some celebrity cameos. Masaba is a revelation in her role and doesn’t come across as a debutante with a unique performance. Not surprisingly, there are plenty of eyecatching outfits and a fashion show sequence on a boat that is a laugh riot. Clever touches include nice use of social media and a younger version of Masaba appearing.

On the downside, the quirky background music is a little annoying. But perhaps the biggest criticism is that it is only six-episodes long, because this is far superior to most serials that have come out of India this year. It ends on an interesting cliffhanger and hopefully that will motivate Netflix to commission a second season of this superb comedy.