Home Stories Movie Review: Netflix’s Experimental Anthology on Lockdown Scores Points for Spreading Hope and Optimism

Home Stories Movie Review: In a surprise move, Netflix India released its new offering, Home Stories, straight to YouTube instead of uploading it on their own platform. The reason being they want the whole world to see this movie for free. So why the generosity this time, asks the Netflix subscriber in me who pays at least 400 bucks a month for its services? Once you have watched Home Stories, you know the answer. Home Stories Trailer: The Netflix Original Film That Won't Release On Netflix (Watch Video).

Home Stories is Netflix's, or rather the anthology's dedicated creative team's way of telling you that this extended lockdown shouldn't curb your creativity. The directors, writers and actors have come out with ingenious ways to shoot the movie, without breaking the social distancing rules.

Through their four different tales that vary from dry humour to romance to hope to togetherness, Home Stories also tells you that this needful confinement shouldn't stop you from living the moment.

And in respect to the movie's good intentions and efforts, I am not put any rating to this review. Home Stories isn't really meant for that.

But that's not going to stop me from talking about the movie. So let's discuss each segment and what I liked the most about it, and what I didn't.

Out With It

The first segment in Home Stories is directed by Sahirr Sethhi, with story by Kaivalya Kulkarni. It is about a young man (Arjun Mathur) who has anxiety issues with a hint of agoraphobia. While the outside world beckons him, he struggles in leaving the flat. The segment ends with a twist, which is something you can guess, but is funny nevertheless. Mathur's performance as disturbed youngster is commendable, and special mention also to be given to the BG score here.

Will You Be My Quarantine?

Will You Be My Quarantine? is directed by Anubhuti Kashyap and written by Shiv Nair and Rajat Mehtani. Imaad Shah and Saba Azad give a twist to their real-life live-in relationship, as a couple whose one night-stand at the girl's home gets stretched to three weeks thanks to the lockdown. The trouble is they don't really like each other, which they confess to their besties through video calls. The only time they connect is when they have sex, otherwise they just can't stand each other. Which makes me wonder why the boy would not attempt to try to leave her house even once.

Will You Be My Quarantine? has a predictable plotline but it is engaging thanks to Imaad (who channels his inner Virat Kohli the way he swears!) and Saba's performances, and their natural chemistry. Also watch out for cameos from Little Things duo Mithila Palkar and Dhruv Sehgal. Little Things Season 3 Trailer: Mithila Palkar and Dhruv Sehgal Struggle With Their Long Distance Relationship in This Netflix Series.

Delivering Smiles

Delivering Smiles is directed by Tanvi Gandhi and written by Adhiraj Singh and Pulkit Arora. Tanmay Dhanania plays Prakash, a delivery boy who delivers packages as well as smiles, during lockdown. He is obsessed with vlogging his tasks, and his upbeat nature is very infectious. At least to us. For his customers are either scared to indulge him because of corona scare or don't bother to see him deliver the smiles.

This is my most favourite segment in the film, for Prakash's endeavor to spread the cheer transcends beyond the screen. Tanmay Dhanania's performance is too good, and we do feel bad for his character when he never gets the reactions he cares for. Thankfully, there is still positivity left in the world, and also in the segment, just when both him and the viewer least expects it.

Web Ne Bana Di Jodi

Web Ne Bana Di Jodi is directed by Ashwin Laxmi Narayan and written by Vishal Dayama and Punnet Chaddha. This segment is the Hum Saath Saath Hai of Home Stories, for it is about a wedding and features the biggest roster of cast members. Apoorva Arora plays a young girl who is marrying her sweetheart during lockdown, even though she, the boy, and their family members are all stuck in separate places. While the rest of the clan uses group video conferencing to carry out her sangeet and other functions, the father (Rakesh Bedi) isn't very happy about this unconventional wedding.

This segment is clearly inspired the real-life viral video of a bride's relatives perform the sangeet dance for her through video-conferencing. It does make you question the urgency to get the marriage done when not even the boy and girl are together. That said, Web Ne Bana Di Jodi is heartwarming because it makes you miss your family. The team has to be appreciated to pulling off this segment with the number of actors involved. Also lovely performances from the cast, especially Rakesh Bedi and Apoorva Arora.

You Can Watch The Whole Movie (Lasting Just 47 Minutes) Below:

Home Stories ends with a segment that shows how the team brought the film into existence. Seeing them issue instructions through video calls, assisting actors with cameras, cutting down the outdoor shoots to the minimum and more - you will have to applaud the efforts. This part is narrated as if they are jotting down a recipe, which makes it the most fun segment of the film.

Final Thoughts

Home Stories may lack polish or finesse you expect from a Netflix product (unless that product is Drive). What it has, is a good heart and a determination to show that a movie can be made even when you are sticking to social distancing. For that, Home Stories and its entire team deserve a special pack of brownie points!

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 12, 2020 10:37 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).