I am glad TVF took the criticism received after the second season seriously and put in some genuine effort to improve the quality of the show. The third season was a massive improvement from the disastrous second season and with this one they have completely outdone themselves once again. Of course, the first season continues to be the best one but full marks to the creators for this fantastic effort. This season not only entertains but also impacts you emotionally and is guaranteed to leave you with a tear or two by the end of the show. TVF has mastered this art of creating shows that make you laugh as well as cry but I wasn't expecting something like this from a show like 'Hostel Daze'.
WHAT'S GOOD :
1. Unlike the previous three seasons, this season had a common thread that ran parallel to the central plot of every episode. This is what differentiates a web show from five random YouTube videos made for entertainment; this is what lends more believability to the universe being depicted in the show; something unique takes place in every episode, but the characters haven't forgotten the other things taking place in their life.
2. As always, Nikhil Vijay, the powerhouse of talent leads from the front in the acting department. Nikhil Vijay's performance during his monologue about placement to Shubham Gaur (who plays Rupesh Bhati) and his facial expressions after he gets placed hit you hard. I never thought I would cry watching a show like Hostel Daze, but that is exactly what happened during that scene. The writing and Nikhil Vijay's phenomenal performance ensure that you genuinely care for his character and his success felt like a personal achievement. Watching that scene, I felt happy not only for the character Jatin Kishore but also the actor that is Nikhil Vijay; this is the guy we have been rooting for since the first season, this is the guy we have enjoyed watching in so many YouTube videos, so watching him perform brilliantly on this big stage just fills you with pride. Hostel Daze would be nothing without Nikhil Vijay and the crazy character that he has portrayed in the show.
3. It's one thing to make a good season that entertains the viewers, but it takes a lot of effort to come up with a near perfect ending that leaves the viewers with tears in their eyes and a smile on their face, so kudos to the writers for achieving this rare feat. The final episode had already given us a solid ending with the farewell of Jatin Kishore but that final phone call between Jatin and Rakhi completely took me by surprise and made me so happy that I almost felt like standing and applauding for the legend that was Jatin. That ending may have felt bittersweet but it was a memorable one for sure.
4. One thing that I always look forward to in Hostel Daze is which actors are going to break the fourth wall while narrating the story of the episode. Thankfully, TVF did not break the tradition in the final season and we have a well-known face breaking the fourth wall in every episode. Among the guest appearances of this season, Gopal Dutt was easily the best. His acting was as flawless as always but the dialogues that were delivered by him were actually very well written.
WHAT'S NOT GOOD :
1. The songs were not at par with what we usually hear in TVF shows. The music of first season, composed by Vaibhav Bundhoo, was so good that it's remembered even four years after its release; I just wished the creators had asked Vaibhav to compose some songs for this season as well. The writing of the final few scenes was outstanding, I just wish the song that played in the background was equally memorable.
2. The twist added in the final few moments of the show was completely unnecessary and should have been avoided. The show was coming to a beautiful end, there was absolutely no need to take it to a completely different direction.
3. The selection of Utsav Sarkar once again raises the question as to what happened to TVF's impeccable casting team. Although, he was much more watchable in this season, it goes without saying that Utsav Sarkar's acting skills are not at par with the other actors of the show and he is definitely a terrible replacement of Adarsh Gourav. The only good thing is that he is no more the main lead of the show and has been reduced to a side character.
Now that this show is over, I really hope that TVF steps out of its comfort zone, because it's quite clear that they are stuck in some kind of a loop, where they just want to make the same kind of stories over and over again. The tagline of TVF has always been, "Lights, camera and experiment", I just hope the creative team remembers that as well.
