Hostel Days - Only For A Few Moments

Hostel Daze, a popular Hindi web series, has been remade in Telugu as Hostel Days. Directed by Aditya Mandala, the show is streaming on the OTT space on Amazon Prime Video from today onwards. Let's see how it goes.

Story:

Hostel Days is about six engineering students and the various experiences they go through in their hostel life. Sai (Darahas Maturu), Chitharanjan Bhattacharya (Mouli), and Naveen Yadav (Akshay Lagusani) are roommates. After a struggle of four years, Theppa gets his admission. Kavya (Aishwarya Hollakal) and Rithika (Jaiyetri Makana), who have contrasting personalities, are also part of this story. What all did these six people go through in their hostel life, forms crucial crux.

Analysis:

For someone staying in a college hostel and pursuing their education, the show will be relatable. For others, it would be a passable show as it has moments here and there. The attempt to depict the hostel life is appreciable despite the flaws. Cameos by Jhansi and Rajeev Kanakala are neat.

The best part about the show is the way Sai’s character has been designed. Many can relate to this particular character, and Darahas Maturu has breathed life into the role. The actor’s sincere and natural performance is the biggest asset of the series. The series becomes interesting from the mid portions, with Sai’s love story taking center stage. These sequences are likable with some cute moments.

The last episode is entertaining, where the students try to clear their M1 exam by studying a day before the exam day. Mouli Tanuj Prasanth, who is famous on social media for his funny videos, impresses with his neat performance. Akshay Lagusani, Anannyaa Akulaa, Aishwarya Hollakal, and Jaiyetri Makana are good in their respective roles.The series takes a slow start, and the narrative is sluggish till the mid portions. Nothing much happens in the first two episodes. Scenes like ragging are presented in a regular manner, and they aren’t much exciting.

Though the presence of cuss words might not be an issue for youngsters, they might be problematic for other sections of the audience, thereby restricting the show’s reach. Mouli does well, but his screen time is limited, and the show leaves us wanting more of him. While a few jokes land well, a few don’t. The second episode, ‘The Rakshakudu,’ is boring and doesn’t evoke laughter as intended.

Sidhartha Sadasivuni’s music is good, and the show also has a song that strikes a chord. The cinematography by Fahad Abdul Majeed is neat. The production values are adequate. The editing is good from the third episode.

The direction by Aditya Mandala has done a decent Job . There is some effort to showcase the inner self of a female lead who tries to lead her life the way she wants to. This aspect is appreciable but the casting and the first two episodes could have been far better. The humor is enjoyable in parts but not in totally.

Verdict:

On the whole, Hostel Days has a few good moments at regular intervals. All the actors performed well, but the show picks up steam only from the mid portions. While a few comedy scenes work, a few struggles a generate good laughs making Hostel Days ends up being an okayish watch this weekend.