Title: Life Hill Gayi
Director: Prem Mistry
Cast: Divyenndu, Kusha Kapila, Mukti Mohan, Kabir Bedi, Vinay Pathak, Bhagyahree, Aditi Govitrikar
Where: DisneyPlus Hotstar
Rating: 3 stars
Welcome to Panchmoli, Uttrakhand, where the hills are alive with the sound of Dev (Divyenndu) and Kalki (Kusha Kapila) complaining about their first-world problems in a third-world setting. Imagine a reality show where pampered city kids are thrown into the rustic chaos of rural life, complete with culture shock and clumsy attempts at manual labour.
The premise is simple: siblings, Dev and Kalki, are sent to their ancestral hotel, by their tech-savvy grandfather (Kabir Bedi), who monitors them remotely. His mission is dubious but appears to turn these city slickers into competent caretakers of a rundown hotel, with daily tasks and occasional medals as incentives. The setup promises reality show chaos with a touch of family drama.
From the start, it's evident that the only thing Dev and Kalki share is their aversion to hard work and rural life. Their constant bickering resembles a radio stuck between stations of sibling rivalry and familial love. Kalki’s attempts at managing the hotel and Dev’s cluelessness about anything rural are as subtle as a sledgehammer. Their struggle to adapt to Panchmoli's customs results in a comedy of manners that's occasionally funny but mostly forced. The humour is over-seasoned, aiming to uplift but often overwhelming.
The first three episodes wander like a lost tourist in a hill station. The narrative, much like the hills, is frothy and picturesque but lacks depth. The subplots are like stringless kites, drifting aimlessly in the narrative breeze. One minute we’re watching Dev’s misguided romance with Hima (Mukti Mohan), their on-screen chemistry the only saving grace, and the next we’re in a half-baked tussle between Garhwali and Kumaoni cultures. This cultural clash feels tacked on, like an afterthought rather than a core element.
And let’s not forget the product placements, which are about as subtle as a billboard on a mountain road. Every time a character takes a sip of a suspiciously well-placed beverage, you can almost hear the marketing team’s cash register ka-ching in the background.
Performance-wise, the cast does their best with the material at hand. Divyenndu, Kusha Kapila and Mukti Mohan are sincere in their roles, their enthusiasm almost making up for the script’s shortcomings. Vinay Pathak as the siblings' father hams it up to the point of offering nothing substantial to his character. Supporting actors like Annapurna Soni, Atul Shrivastav, and Ishtiyak Khan shine briefly, like fireflies in the night—fleeting but memorable.
Aditi Govitrikar and Bhagyashree are barely present in the first six episodes, making you question whether they were just part of the background all along.
In terms of production quality, the series is decent enough but the picturesque setting of Panchmoli is not fully exploited.
Overall, the series is a mixed bag—like an unwanted holiday with moments of joy and many misses. If you’re up for light-hearted family drama and can tolerate some run-of-the-mill jokes, give it a watch, but don’t expect life-changing insights.
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