We have witnessed many pakhandi babas in masala movies. They did everything apart from religious practice and preachings. The babas and their mannerisms slowly vanished. Prakash Jha’s Aashram web series shows us an ungodly godman who is clean from the outside but rotten from inside.
The sharpest discrimination is shown in the beginning of a Dalit girl Pammi who is unfairly outdone in a local competition. The savarna rival is made to win then comes a flashpoint which leads Pammi and her brother to the police station. Then we see a massive and fortress-like ashram of the baba mentioned above.
Aashram web series is a decent watch with nice performances but leaves you wishing for more. The second part of the series will be released shortly. It is yet to be seen whether the second part will bring back the sharp social comment with swift storytelling, a forte in which Prakash Jha is an expert.
