Jazz City Review: At the heart of Calcutta, 1971, a revolution brews in a snazzy jazz bar as the birth of a nation changes the course of the world.
Jazz City Cast
Arifin Shuvoo, Sauraseni Maitra, Shantanu Ghatak, Aniruddha Gupta, Sayandeep Sen, Shreya Bhattacharya, Shataf Figar, Alexandra Taylor, Amit Saha
Jazz City Series Creator, Writer & Director
Soumik Sen
The series has 10 episodes, each about 50 minutes long.
Jazz City Review
It’s not every day that we get to watch a show on Bengali history with fantastic performances and, first and foremost, actors who can actually speak the language and don’t just masquerade themselves as “Bongs.” Jazz City, in that regard, made me feel a certain type of way as we see a revolution brewing in the backdrop of a popular jazz club. The owner, Jimmy Roy, thinks of himself as someone above all of these “silly” things and just wants to do good business. However, there comes a time when most people understand the importance of preserving their culture, heritage and language, as, without it, we are but empty people without hundreds of years of history to be proud of.
The series is a moving watch that explores identity, loyalty and political awakening in the most personal and stirring way possible. With the inclusion of Jimmy’s jazz club, we also get a different angle to the story, wherein there are different things at stake. Jimmy’s own involvement in the quest to free Bangladesh from Pakistan makes for a great watch and leaves your heart racing. On theme to get the point across, the series uses various elements, including music, to get the point across. Music isn’t just another part of it; it forms the very soul of the story, as it is with most Bengalis.
The atmospheric setting, the jazz-infused tone and the retro styling make for an immersive experience as well. I found myself transported to the era while watching these characters bring such an important part of Bengali upbringing to the screen. It’s hard not to be stirred as we watch people standing up for their rights to speak their thoughts in their own language. The atrocities that they had to go through for something presumably this simple are honestly shocking and will leave viewers on edge.
The combination of political drama and espionage, with the heavy cultural commentary, will leave viewers engaged. However, this might also be a cause of people not finding things too interesting or the pacing falling at times, because it’s quite densely packed with information and the layered plot. You do feel the weight of 10 episodes at times. That being said, it makes for a good history lesson as well for viewers, as it brings forth some of the most interesting and heartbreaking moments of our nation in an intriguing way that will cause a stir within you.
Arifin Shuvoo and Sauraseni Maitra are fantastic in the show. Shuvoo, especially, has a natural charisma to him that makes him the perfect candidate to be the owner of a jazz club in Kolkata’s Park Street. He’s ambitious, cunning, but with a good heart, and his character arc makes for an interesting watch. The way the story progresses from the first episode is extremely engaging and, apart from some dull periods, I found the series absolutely eye-catching.
Final Thoughts
I thoroughly enjoyed watching Jazz City. The charm, political intrigue and thrilling liberation of a nation create a gritty yet entertaining watch that evokes a range of emotions. This is perfect for those who relish realistic thrillers steeped in the harshness of real life. It serves as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by our predecessors to secure the life we enjoy today.
What are your thoughts on Jazz City? Let us know in the comments below!
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