Rating: 3.5/5
‘Little Things’ season 4 continues to tell the story of Dhruv (Dhruv Sehgal) and Kavya (Mithila Palkar) as they approach their ’30s and deal with all the baggage that comes along with growing older.
Story
The season starts off with Dhruv and Kavya meeting each other in Kerala a whole 14 months after they had both decided to make major decisions about their personal lives.
Dhruv is coming back to India to helm a new project after a productive time in Finland while Kavya is looking to transfer back to Mumbai after a difficult adjustment period in Nagpur.
The fourth season follows in the footsteps of previous ones with the two of them tackling their problems, both professional and social, often getting into arguments and disagreements but eventually working together to find a solution.
Dhruv has to adjust to a new opportunity in a completely different environment and the added responsibility of leading a team. He has initial teething issues getting used to his team members and the system in place of the way things are done.
Kavya is looking forward to working in Mumbai again but hits a roadblock when she develops a medical issue that cannot handle the stresses of a 9 to 5 job. She tries to accustom herself to a life at home with a lot of free time but also contemplates getting surgery to fast track her return to the daily rat race.
The primary focus of the season is Dhruv and Kavya coming to terms with the idea of marriage and reaching the level of comfort that gives them the confidence to start the next chapter of their story.
Performances
Dhruv Sehgal and Mithila Palkar are once again at their charming best in the roles of Dhruv and Kavya, thoroughly typifying the internal conflict that people of their particular age often times face in their lives. Their chemistry together shines at the forefront of this season.
Dhruv has lived a more laid back life moving from one project to the next without ever really feeling at home except for when he was at Bangalore. For someone who never really took charge in his life, he exhibited his growth by taking on a new challenge as a team leader. He’s still quick to anger at the first sign of a difficult situation but usually becomes more aware and rational once things calm down
Kavya is a control freak and workaholic who prefers to plan out every aspect of her life and prefers to keep an on the future when making important decisions. All this is tossed out the window when she’s forced to spend the foreseeable future at home taking off her back and avoiding a heavy workload. She struggles to acclimate to her new schedule or lack thereof and even considers surgery just so that she can go back to her structured busy lifestyle.
With the spotlight primarily on Dhruv and Kavya, there isn’t much room for other characters to shine, with their screen time best described as serviceable with respect to the advancement of the plot.
Positives
With the first 4 episodes set in different parts of Kerala, the cinematography is absolutely top-notch. The filmmakers do a wonderful job of encapsulating the stunning beauty of the state in all its glory.
The season moves at a comfortable pace, adeptly laying out the path the characters take to finally reach that life-changing decision in the end.
The script is well written with engaging discussions taking place often that the audience will definitely be able to relate to on a regular basis.
The background score and soundtrack act as a subtle character that constantly enhances the setting of the series.
Negatives
While mostly engaging, the abundance of conversational back and forth that takes place between characters can be a bit much to take in for the audience. With the prolonged focus on a particular subject, certain scenes may begin to feel like a long drawn out affair.
The complexity of some of the conflicts that Dhruv and Kavya encounter followed by their swift resolution feels idealistic at times. It’s definitely inspirational to see two people work through their problems with proper communication but it possibly lowers the significance of some of the topics of discussion that have much higher stakes in real life.
Worth it?
‘Little Things’ is a wonderful portrayal of the life of a millennial as a part of the Indian middle class and the pitfalls that they go through in terms of work and relationships.
The charisma exuded by the lead characters makes this series an enjoyable experience throughout.
Also Read: ‘One Mic Stand’ 2 to feature Karan Johar, Sunny Leone, among others