Switch on any OTT platform and you will find a huge variety of content. But no thanks to a barrage of expletives, nudity, intimate scenes and violence, there are not too many options for children. That’s where Zee5’s recent offering Fireflies: Parth Aur Jugnu scores big. What makes this live action drama featuring kids as protagonists unique is that it serves a perfect blend of mythology, folklore and nostalgia for the young Indian audience.
It’s not often that one sees parallels drawn between storytelling of yore to contemporary times. National Award-winning filmmaker Hemant Gaba deserves to be lauded for his attempt at exploring the broader ideas of good vs evil, environment conservation and friendship with a narrative following a teenager’s journey as he discovers the mysteries and magic of his neighbourhood. Gaba’s treatment is akin to the unraveling of a folktale that we heard as bedtime stories from our parents and grandparents.
The honest writing resonates with us as viewers as we feel for the 14-year-old’s internal conflict when he has to repeat the ninth standard. At the same time, it also draws us into the world building with an interesting mix of characters who add a sense of mystery to the drama with their antics. With the right dose of innocence and sincerity, the proceedings suck us in as the mythological event occurs in the third episode. And then on, there are plenty of heart-warming moments till the 10th episode.
What also makes Fireflies relatable for the young audiences is that Pallavi Sharma’s dialogues keep the mystery, magic and innocence intact. Cinematographer Jesil Patel has not only beautifully captured the locations, but has also added to the ambience of the narrative at the same time.
The child artists have delivered such honest performances that you feel for them. Riva Arora (Shilpi), Harminder Singh (Chunky), Anuj Kurana (Rawat) and Anaya Shivan (Heema) and Harshit Bhojwani (Robin) prove to be natural born actors in this children’s series. Aekam Binjwe endears himself to the audiences as Jugnu, and Meet Mukhi packs in the many emotions Parth goes through during the course of the narrative.
As in the cast with all content, some sections may find something lacking in Fireflies: Jugnu Aur Parth, but then again, how many big filmmakers and showrunners can be credited for creating a series specifically for the young audience. That’s why Gaba and Zee5 deserve credit for taking the steps in the right direction.
