The Broken News Review: Sonali Bendre makes a smashing debut on OTT as she and Jaideep Ahlawat expose the dark side of journalism

Film: The Broken News

Star cast: Sonali Bendre, Jaideep Ahlawat, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Indraneil Sengupta, Faisal Rashid

Bollywood Bubble ratings: 3.5/ 5 stars

The Broken News Review:

To be honest, I was looking for words to actually write about The Broken News because it is actually about a world which I am associated with. Considering that I can understand the field of media and journalism, it took me some time to actually pen down my thoughts and opinions. As we speak of the media world, here comes The Broken News which talks about the dark side of the media and journalism. This is an Indian adaptation of the popular British series Press. It takes us through what goes inside a newsroom and how the decisions are being made by the Editor-In-Chief. NEWS – a story of facts that can be shown as the truth or as fiction by adding a little sensationalism to it. The series shows the two disparate worlds where there are constant conflicting ideologies and incompatible ethics. It shows the reality behind our daily news and the never-ending pressure to deliver ‘Breaking News’.

If you are not versed in the media world, The Broken News will surely break the misconception of journalism which shows us the thin line between fiction and news. The series focuses on how two head honchos of the news channel try to show the story with different ideologies and perspectives. While one wants to keep it real and keep the credibility intact, the one into sensationalising the news or in Hindi we say sansani. As we are all exposed to the daily news in our day to day life but not many of us know what goes on behind the show. It is a lot of politics, drama, lies, betrayal, sacrifices and compromises.

No matter how much you stay true to your grounds, no matter how much to stick to your principles, no matter how much you believe that the media are the watchdogs, at the end of the day, it starts taking a toll on you and your business when the audience lives and breathes on tadkedaar news instead of pheeka news. That’s what The Broken News shows us the dark and ugly side of the media world which is quite intriguing and gripping.

The Broken News shows that a newsroom is full of chaos but there’s more to it. The media goes beyond the Newsroom as it is dipped in politics which is inevitable.

 

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Story:

Two leading Indian news channels – Awaaz Bharati News, headlined by Amina Qureshi and Josh 24/7 headlined by Dipankar Sanyal are in a race to tell interesting and breaking news to their viewers but on different grounds and beliefs. While one channel likes to show unbiased and true stories, another one projects the news above all the odds and ethics even if they have to add a little sansani to them. Both news channels have opposing principles that lead to a fierce rivalry. Amidst this rivalry, the dynamic journalist Radha Bhargava attempts to strike a balance between her personal as well as professional life. She finds herself in hot waters when she faces an uncertain and unfortunate future. As she goes on a route to find the truth, Radha stumbles upon her worst nightmare where she is being called an anti nationalist. Will she be able to reach the truth? Will she be able to prove herself?

Star performances:

Sonali Bendre as Amina Qureshi plays the Editor-In-Chief in Away Bharti. She is a woman who is true to her grounds and will not forget her ethics, even if it costs a fortune or her channel goes into bankruptcy.  Amina is a woman who will not bend her knee before the unethical news. She is the moral compass of her channel and knows the difference between right and wrong but has a vulnerable side. Sonali Bendre makes a smashing comeback in The Broken News which is also her OTT debut. Sonali as Editor-In-Chief does a fab job. She effortlessly shows the fierce as well as the vulnerable side of her character which makes you believe in her struggle and authenticity.

Jaideep Ahlawat as Dipankar Sanyal plays Editor-In-Chief of Josh 24×7 News. He is a fox, ruthless, quick and clever. He doesn’t just sell the news but stories without any fear or regrets. He broadcasts news for the TRPs and not to educate the viewers. Even if he is at fault, he makes sure that everything is worked out according to him without any hustle or hassle. He keeps emotions at bay and concentrates on the business. Jaideep does an absolutely astounding job as a fierce journalist. It is not that we have not seen him playing the shades of grey character before but Jaideep still brings freshness to the table which makes you root for him.

Shriya Pilgaonkar as Radha Bhargava essays the role of a feisty investigative journalist. Radha will cross any limits and can go to any extent to find out the truth. She is fearless and will put forward her truth even if it costs her life. Shriya has a strong hold on the story and has all the potential to demand attention.

Other supporting casts like Indraneil Sengupta as Pankaj Awasthi, Faisal Rashid as Kamal Wadia, Sanjeeta Bhattacharya as Juhi Shergill, Kiran Kumar as Radhe Shyam Bansal, Taaruk Raina as Anuj Saxena have done their best and are true to their parts in the web series.

Direction/ screenplay: 

Director Vinay Waikul who has directed Raveena Tandon starrer Aranyak brings another interesting watch. He manages to throw some light on the dark side of journalism and what goes inside a newsroom. I liked how had put politics in journalism which probably will be more explored in the second season. Vinay makes his characters crisp and to the point so when he tries to showcase the personal life of his characters, I couldn’t connect with them as one supposed to be. The first season has too many subplots which automatically gives an idea that the season will be followed by another new season. Vinay did a pretty commendable job on placing the puzzle pieces which will be made in the next season.

Hit or miss:

The Broken News is a must watch for sure, it will keep you hooked till the 8th episode. Not just to see the powerful performances by the leads but also for the plot.

Conclusion:

In totality, The Broken News is hard-hitting, gritty and will make you hit the next episode button. It enlightens us on what goes inside a newsroom and how news is being sold by the media. The 8-episodes series did entice me but also makes it quite predictable. It leaves the show on a cliffhanger note, indicating that it will come with season 2.

Watch The Broken News trailer here: 

 

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