The first episode of The Viral Fever’s newest web series, Aspirants, is available on YouTube. After the first episode, the Hindi web series meets all the criteria that have now become an integral part of TVF. It’s emotionally mature, has that spark of comedy, and most of all, feels like a relatable story.
With Naveen Kasturia, Abhilash Thapliyal, Sunny Hinduja and Shivankit Parihar, aspirants follow UPSC aspirants who often study for the exams for years while pursuing coveted bureaucratic positions. Thapliyal’s monologue in one of the earlier scenes reveals why these trials are almost sacred in our land, forcing the characters to end their lives while taking the trial. It is this monologue that draws you into the universe of the aspirants and keeps you involved for the next 40 minutes.
Similar to Kota Factory, this series follows the fragile dreams of students who want to change their lives. This is the center of Delhi’s Old Rajendra Nagar, and the creators manage to capture the mood of the place almost instantly.
The first episode moves in two timelines. The first timeline features the three main characters – Abhilash, SK, and Guri trying to prepare for the exam – and the other timeline, which occurs six years later, lets them navigate their friendship due to a past trauma.
Kasturias Abhilash is sincere and it is his seriousness that immediately puts you in his corner. His conversation on the roof with Hinduja’s Sandeep Bhaiya in the first episode gives aspirants emotional power. The characters seem vulnerable when facing a test of this monster. It’s too early to tell, but Sandeep has an ominous atmosphere that suggests a darker plot.
Overall, the 45 minute episode is impressive enough for the audience to come back next week.
Aspirants was created by Arunabh Kumar and Shreyansh Pandey and written by Deepesh Sumitra Jagdish and directed by Apoorv Singh Karki. The next episode falls on April 14th.
