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Photo Credit: Prime Video
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The teenage years usually bring a flurry of confusing emotions, new desires, dilemmas, self-doubt, and more. And Prime Video's latest original series Dil Dosti Dilemma tries to tap into just that. The series features a young woman named Asmara (Anushka Sen) as its protagonist; An ordinary teenager from an uber-rich family, whose entire existence revolves around the validation of her best friends.
She dresses fashionably, speaks conventionally, loves to shop and party, and is embarrassed by any aspect of her reality that may not align with the carefully crafted persona of a classy girl she has created for herself. He is embarrassed by the unusual gift he received from his grandparents and cannot share his true feelings in front of his equally pompous friends.
When her mother realizes that Asmara may have grown into a worthy, grateful adult who has lost all respect for her roots, she decides to cancel her two-month trip to Canada and instead sends her to her grandmother's house in a small town, as punishment.
What follows is a predictable sequence of events in which the spoiled girl has a hard time adjusting to small-town life, only to be loved there. The show evokes stories that we have all heard and seen many times. Don't be too surprised if it reminds you of a childhood moral tale, because it's just as sweet, if not more so. The occasional screen presence of Shruti Sheth, who plays Asmara's mother in the serial, whose acting skills still seem stuck in time, might remind you of the popular 90s show Sharrat, if you were an ardent fan like me.
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Photo Credit: Prime Video
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While the show tries to superficially portray the complex emotions that teenagers experience, it barely gives a taste of reality. Everyone is so loving, understanding and sympathetic – the series often feels like a coming-of-age version of Sooraj Barjatia. It's a world where nothing as dark as HBO's Euphoria can exist. In this Toyland version of the world, a teenager can easily become a torch bearer of morality, and adults not only follow in silence, but also indulge in frenzied celebrations of the individual. It's like the show is written by a teenager to spread goodness in the world.
The show tries to touch on teenage relationships as it shows a boy who seduces Asmara's best friend Naina thinking she likes him, only to use her to get to her father, who is a famous tennis coach. Although she expresses interest in him for his ulterior motives and specializes in gaslighting, the character is treated in a saccharine manner.
The only thing the show had going for it was the honesty with which it tried to show the feelings of self-doubt deep in the teenage heart. It beautifully captures that sweet spot of adolescence where innocence and sinfulness coexist.
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Photo Credit: Prime Video
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The series, however, where it should show similar care to other characters, portrays Hindi speakers as unhealthy and completely stupid. For example, Visakha Pandey's character comes across as a towering idiot with zero common sense, as she hails from a small town and blurts out the wrong English words. Similarly, Arjun Berry's character is degraded because of his rich Hindi vocabulary. He and his language are only lit for a few laughs, none of which ever feel earned.
If you're looking for something that treats its content with the importance and care it deserves, I'd recommend you skip this one. However, if you want something to go on in the background while you wrap up your pending assignments or other tasks, you can tune into this no-brainer series — or perhaps if you care for a misguided take on teenage utopia, where happily ever afters exist.
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