‘There’s something about Vyas’. And it is what elevates ‘Official CEOgiri’, the latest chartbusting, original web series from the stables of Arré, into a fascinating, gripping view.
Official CEOgiri is purported to be the sequel to its impressive predecessor– the much-celebrated, runaway hit, Official Chukyagiri. Yes guys, it is the Season 2 of the well-loved series. Sumeet Vyas was revealed as ‘The Voice’, the boss-drone called D, in the finale of that one. However, that time, the focus was more on Sunny Kaushal as Spandan Chukya, and Chukya’s travails in the murkiness of the corporate world.
This time, Sumeet Vyas is the man at the centre of it all. He’s D, aka Dil, aka Dilawar Rana, the CEO of Digital Analog, a digital marketing start-up. The series takes up from where Official Chukyagiri left off; and in so seamless a way that it’s difficult to fathom that it’s been two years since we last saw this motley crew.
Well, so D is the CEO of the company. The crimp in his CEOgiri style is SAD- Social Anxiety Disorder, which renders him a dysfunctional misfit of a CEO. The disorder makes him break out in a sweat, whenever he has to come face to face with people. He cannot make eye contact with anyone, cannot bear people to look at him, and is a social retard. His anxiety makes him hide behind a drone, safe in the knowledge that he can see everyone but none can see him.
So it is; the drone makes its omnipresence felt in meetings, conferences, investor parleys, and believe-it- or-not, even in parties. The series opens with a farewell party for Rati, the head of the Analog Think Tank, who’s leaving Analog to join another company. Everyone gives her a warm send-off, including D, from behind his, you guessed it, drone.
But there’s more to Rati than meets the eye. She’s two-timing Analog, all the while building her own company by siphoning off Analog’s contacts and goodwill. So, Rati makes off with the company’s clients, credibility and D’s composure, all necessarily in that order. Analog loses business and the trust of its investors, and D is given two months to save the company from permanent closure- an insurmountable task at any given time, and more so, from behind a drone.
So, will D be able to fight his SAD and come out of his forever-alone status, to beat back the big bad wolf of liquidation, snarling at his door? Or will he cave in to its huffing and puffing, like the house made of straw, and give up without a fight? Ah, interesting premise, if ever there was one.
While the storyline of the series is a hell of an interesting ride, it’s the ensemble cast that takes it to a stellar level. Aahana Kumra, as Rati, is in total bitch mode, kicking ass as only she can. She’s bold, she’s brazen, and she’s bindaas. She’s the one you love to hate and hate to love. Aahana, you go girl!
Gopal Datt, as Janitor Chacha, is like the benign, neighbourhood elder, spewing truisms with unerring aim, hitting the nail on the head, each time he opens his mouth. Pranay Manchanda makes an entry as D’s brother, and immediately makes us sit up and take notice. He’s got that air of mystery surrounding him, and you don’t know where his loyalties lie, and what his motives are, for doing what he does. He’s cute and creepy, rolled into one.
Sunny Kaushal, as Spandan Chukya, made his getaway in the first episode, and is yet to make an appearance again. Viewers are waiting for him to make a re-entry, to spice things up. Anand Tiwari and Mithila Palkar are sorely missed in this Season 2 of Official Chukyagiri. We hope these two make an appearance here too. That would truly be the cherry on the cake.
Title Track, Mera Safar by Anand Bhaskar Collective, is a joy to listen to. It is soulful, melodious and packs a sharp punch of ecstasy for listeners. It is a brilliant piece of composition that sets the tone for the compelling storytelling to follow. The dialogues are superb too. The series is studded with gems like this one– “When you’re falling off a cliff, it doesn’t matter whether you land on your face or your ass!” We’d watch this one for the dialogues alone!
One major grouse we have with Official CEOgiri is the oh-so- obvious product pushing it indulges in.
Every episode has the protagonists downing Digene, not once but a couple of times each, like it’s the magic elixir for all their troubles. Hey guys, you could try a bit of subtlety, instead of shoving the products down our throats so blatantly.
All said and done, spare us for re-iterating the obvious– There’s something about Vyas. It’s in his enigmatic screen presence– an inexplicable pull that draws viewers into his unfathomable circle of charm, without them ever realizing it. It’s in his baritone- softly seductive and strangely exciting. It’s in his looks– handsome, not in the conventional way, but striking, like a fine, pedigreed, full-blooded male. It’s in his acting– refreshingly natural, with nary a hint of pretence, and honestly earnest, which lets him slip into the skin of the character with consummate ease.
To come back to the show, Official CEOgiri delivers on every count of entertainment. You have our word for it. And yes, it’s official.
We at IWMBuzz.com give 4 out of 5 stars to this CEOgiri!!
(Written By Rashmi Paharia)