Web Series: Room No.54
Streaming on: ZEE5
Release Date: May 21, 2021
“Mi college jivitanni memorielanu miku tirigi gurtuchestundi.” (You will recall your life in college.)
Thus declare the makers of the new Telugu web series titled ‘Room No.54’ boasting about their content. The series is now streaming on ZEE5.
The 10-part web series is presented by Tharun Bhascker and directed by DS Goutham. Chinna Vasudeva Reddy of iDream has produced it with newcomers Moin, Krishna Prasad, Pawan Ramesh, Swetha, and Navya in the lead roles. Comedian Krishna Teja plays the central character.
A group of hostel mates and a day-scholar consisting of Venkat Rao, Yuvaraj, Prasanna, and Babai live in Room No.54. Their pastime is reading adult magazines, playing cards, and drinking. Venkat Rao has a romantic dalliance with his classmate Savitri. Babai who mostly speaks in English aspires to become a filmmaker.
Each of the10 episodes gives a peek into their student life with random incidents like their preparation for exams (‘The Night Before The Exam’), celebrating their birthdays (‘Birthday’), their failed Goa trip (‘Planning A Trip’), and waiting for results ( ‘Results’), etc. Occasionally, previous batch mates of the hostel also drop in.
The humor is generated from the day-to-day challenges that life throws at these four friends.
Moin as Venkat Rao, Krishna Prasad as Yuvaraj, Pawan Ramesh as Prasanna, and Krishna Teja as Babai have given decent performances but it is Krishna Teja who leaves a major impression with his humrous one-liners.
The web series is a nostalgic trip that recalled memories related to the college days of one’s life.
Bottom-line: ‘Room No.54’ is a simple series without any high dramatic moments and has cliched sequences. Some jokes are good, but it is largely formulaic. Since it is shot with a low production budget, the film gives a cramped feel. It needed better camera work.
