Shiksha Mandal: A Missed Opportunity

Plot

Shiksha Mandal follows the story of Aditya and his search for his missing sister in the midst of an education scam that involves fake candidates taking medical entrance exams. The plot shows corruption, fraud, cheating, and criminal conspiracies that affect vulnerable students in India. While the story is multi-layered and relevant to society, it lacks finesse and subtlety, making it appear disjointed at times.

Acting

The show boasts a star-studded cast including Gulshan Devaiah, Gauahar Khan, and Pavan Raj Malhotra. While the actors try their level best to redeem the show, the difference in performing styles is glaring. Devaiah's intense act keeps the audience engaged, while Khan delivers a fierce and no-nonsense cop character convincingly. Malhotra's portrayal of a grey character with many layers is convincing, but the youngsters playing students come across as raw and natural.

Cinematography

The show has a good staging in some scenes, particularly in the examination sequence where the focus shifts to Devaiah's character. However, the editing could have been tighter as some scenes drag on for too long, and the background score fails to elevate the impact of the reel action.

Direction

Director Syed Ahmad Afzal tries to infuse the 'underdog vs the system' formula in the narrative, but it fails to do justice to the approach. The plot is multi-layered, making the story appear complicated due to choppy editing and an inconsistent screenplay. The show strays too often into unnecessary subplots, such as Aditya's romantic tale or Anuradha's marital issues.

Verdict

Shiksha Mandal is a missed opportunity despite its potential. The story and concept inject energy and freshness into familiar material, but the execution lacks finesse. The show has enough to keep you entertained, but it falls short compared to recent productions that have tackled similar themes.

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