Title: Waack Girls
Director: Sooni Taraporevala
Cast: Mekhola Bose, Anasua Chowdhury, Rytasha Rathore, Chrisann Pereira, Priyam Saha, Ruby Sah, Achintya Bose, Barun Chanda, Lillete Dubey, Nitesh Pandey
Where: Streaming on Amazon Prime
Rating: 3.5 Stars
With this series, creator Sooni Taraporevala and her team introduce audiences to the mesmerizing world of Waacking—a dance form that, with its jazz-infused arm flourishes, dramatics, and vibrant intensity, embodies the sheer power of expressive freedom. Following Ishani (Mekhola Bose), the group’s choreographer and quiet cornerstone, alongside Lopa (Rytasha Rathore), the team’s plucky, openly butch manager, the series spins a tapestry of stories that explore personal, societal, and familial conflicts, set against the lively backdrop of Kolkata.
The plotline doesn’t merely idolize Waacking’s physical dynamism but dives deep into the lives of its ensemble of six young women. They battle internal and external barriers, confront stereotypes, and grapple with their dreams while trying to carve out a niche for themselves. These struggles, interwoven with the group’s infectious drive to succeed and perform, ground the show’s otherwise playful premise in earnest, relatable experiences. As Lopa hustles her way into making the team “a thing” in a dance-unaware society, her own defiance becomes the pulse of the series. Rytasha Rathore shines in this role, imbuing Lopa with an infectious, tenacious charm that balances the series’ tougher, reflective moments.
While the narrative moves forward with Ishani’s quiet yet determined artistry, it’s Lopa’s relentless energy that propels the plot. Rathore’s performance is both sharp and poignant, breathing life into a character who isn’t only the manager of the troupe but its heart. Bose, as Ishani, brings a grace that aligns well with the technical demands of the dance form, offering a more understated yet powerful performance as a driven dancer.
Supporting characters further enrich this tapestry of ambition and resistance. The cast features a blend of fresh and seasoned talent, including Achintya Bose as the encouraging Manik and Priyam Saha’s Michke, each with distinct stories highlighting the social and familial pressures they face. Veterans like Barun Chanda, playing Ishani’s grandfather with Alzheimer’s, and Lillete Dubey as Tess’s compulsively gambling mother, bring layered portrayals of aging hopes and disappointments that resonate with the story’s underlying themes. The late Nitesh Pandey also offers a memorable performance as Lopa’s strict, duty-bound father, his character capturing the generational resistance Lopa encounters.
Cinematographer Igor Kropotov’s dynamic camerawork elevates the series, making Kolkata a vibrant character in its own right. The city is visually celebrated, with Kropotov’s shots etching themselves into memory—whether capturing the adrenaline of underground dance battles or the quieter moments of familial tension.
For all its flair, the series occasionally falters, stretching thin in parts as it relies on emotional archetypes rather than innovation, with some repetitive narrative tangents. Yet, Taraporevala’s direction finds subtlety and strength, skillfully balancing light-hearted moments with the show’s deeper concepts across the six interconnected lives.
Overall, while the series deftly captures grit, identity, and creative rebellion—serving as a vibrant ode to individualism within a tradition-bound society—it wraps with the promise of a second season, leaving viewers eagerly anticipating the group’s journey, where every waacking pose and fierce movement becomes an act of defiance and freedom.
