Kota Factory Rewind: From Jeetu Bhaiya's Wisdom To Beauty Of Friendship, S2 Will Up The Ante!

Two years back, The Viral Fever portrayed the unshakable burden of 15-year olds in India - the duress of proving their mantle by cracking the toughest engineering entrance, IIT-JEE through its hit web series, Kota Factory.

They took the viewers into the streets, coaching centers, and classrooms of Kota and delved into the minds of numerous students, each possessing unique traits, attributes, and intelligence. These distinct characters, hailing from different backgrounds, showed how different people perceive life and life goals in the crazy scramble of competition in India¡¯s biggest coaching hub.

Kota Factory [The Viral Fever]

For its amazing cast performances; blend of drama, comedy, and romance; its stunning cinematography, and the idea to film it in black & white, the show got immense popularity amongst the kids and adults alike, especially those who are living or have lived that life in Kota. Kota Factory¡¯s hard-hitting quotes, the off-gloomy outlook into IIT preparation, and Jeetu Bhaiya¡¯s wisdom turned it into a sensation, leading it to be dubbed as a redefining show for Indian television and OTT fronts.

And to serve on your hype for the upcoming Season 2 of the show, we have something to help you regather why you loved Kota Factory in the first place.

The Nostalgic Journey

Not all of us got to pass the IIT entrance examination, let alone study in Kota, that our parents. However, there was always this undeniable struggle to crack it no matter where you were from. Engineering as a profession was almost every kid¡¯s ¡°ambition¡±, and IIT preparation was a big part of his/her life in order to achieve that goal. Kota Factory directly reflects that struggle of competing with too many sharp minds while facing those barriers in understanding intricate concepts of Physics and Mathematics. And then eventually asking friends to help solve it, ultimately making them insecure of their progress too.

Kota Factory [The Viral Fever]

Then comes the hard part. Adjusting to not just a new routine, but a new life. Kota Factory explains the irony behind calling a place where students have their meals a ¡°mess¡±. Coz Tinde-Karela mix is a terrible taste and I speak from personal experience.

Kota Factory [The Viral Fever]

These sequences prick on the homesick emotions of not just an IIT aspirant but any person who stays away from home for college or work. And the talented cast of Kota Factory subtly adds a personal, emotional touch to them.

From the early days¡¯ issues of Vaibhav adjusting with the routine while familiarizing with the different cuisine to Vaibhav¡¯s Mom constantly worrying for her kid¡¯s well-being, Kota Factory rides us back to the days when life seemed tough (but we didn¡¯t know what¡¯s coming next). Remember how Vaibhav¡¯s mother smiles with a sense of satisfaction when her son doesn¡¯t receive her call.

Kota Factory [The Viral Fever]

It¡¯s these kinds of small details that the show explored with an emotional inclination that made us love it right from the first sequence.

A Stellar Cast Laying Groundwork for a Beautiful Friendship

Mayur More leads the cast as Vaibhav in a methodical and dedicated performance. Told from his perspective, Kota Factory uses Vaibhav¡¯s character¡¯s development to further the show¡¯s rationale. From his highly-strung first day in the town to his more confident and mature decision to move to a better institute, all scenarios develop the situation and characters associated with or around him.

Kota Factory [The Viral Fever]

As Vaibhav begins to overcome his struggles with the help of his friends, we see him becoming wiser and more sensible towards life and his goal to crack IIT. There¡¯s this subtle and recognizable change in his expressions, voice, and approach which clearly lacked at the beginning of the show. Plus, he gave us a memorable and relatable monologue to laugh at every time we watch it.

Kota Factory [The Viral Fever]

The trio of Vaibhav, Uday, and Meena could give the 3 Idiots, Dil Chahta Hai, and ZNMD a nice run for their money. From the first moment, both Meena and Uday tried nothing but to make things better for Vaibhav. Starting with pushing Vaibhav from A10 all the way up to A5.

Kota Factory [The Viral Fever]

Uday might be a galeech, but he¡¯s a charmer at heart. Alam Khan¡¯s carefree but considering character imparts both fun and some chucklesome chaos to the story. Uday enlightens the black & white screen space of Kota Factory through his wit and instant reactions to the situations, such as him checking out Neha¡¯s profile quickly when Piyush and Vaibhav have a chat of their lives.

And his care for Vaibhav¡¯s growth in both studies (him taking Unacademy Plus subscription for him) and in personal life are quite visible throughout the show. Remember how he tried to help Vaibhav with Vartika, well, in his own way -

Kota Factory [The Viral Fever]

Furthermore, who could forget that the most appealing Uday would also be a vulnerable emotional kid from the inside, something he displays in his intriguing and engaging monologue about life.

Kota Factory [The Viral Fever]

On the other hand, the beloved and innocent Balmukund Meena is a reverse thesis on Uday. Rajesh Ranjan¡¯s graceful acting has already been witnessed in many TVF sketches and Kota Factory permanently validates his talent. Meena¡¯s character is someone, not just admirable but appreciable and inspirational as well. How often do people accept the lack of resources in life and try to make the best out of what they have, like Meena who opted for Prodigy despite being accepted into Maheshwari?

Kota Factory [The Viral Fever]

And then his innocent confession of how he hasn¡¯t tasted a cake in seven years was just adorable.

Kota Factory [The Viral Fever]

Meena perfectly encapsulates the bunch of students in Kota who relies upon the dream of making it big through IIT after venturing from a comparatively smaller or rural area, trying to find family in friends.

Besides, Ahasas Channa¡¯s Shivangi, a complete contrast to her boyfriend Uday is fabulous and retains her extrovert attitude. Despite having her own dominant and out front personality, Shivangi has a deep admiration for Vaobhav¡¯s determination and Meena¡¯s decency, making her an amazing friend and an essential one as well for the group.

Kota Factory [The Viral Fever]

Revathi Pillai Vartika forms a perfect pair with Mayur More¡¯s Vaibhav which very attractively and pleasantly portrays the young, budding romance between two adolescent kids; which comes to them as a sparkling and dynamic turn in their lives.

Kota Factory [The Viral Fever]

And while she comes to screen for a relatively less amount of time, Urvi Singh¡¯s studious and pure-spirited Meenal has her own comic yet virtuous aura.

Kota Factory [The Viral Fever]

And to learn the true meaning and definition of friendship, take some lessons from Meena.

Kota Factory [The Viral Fever]

A Blend of Intrigued Emotions and Genres

The Viral Fever is famous for creating a holistic sketch that blends multiple genres into the story with humor and comedy at the front, which helps in building the premise and plot with an optimistic approach.

Like the way, Kota Factory addresses the issue of eating mess food based on strategy and not taste.

Kota Factory [The Viral Fever]

Or how it shows a different route around a complex and highly time-consuming subject.

Kota Factory [The Viral Fever]

Kota Factory uses the city as a great medium to set up the plot as witnessed during Vaibhav and his Dad¡¯s auto-ride throughout the city. The auto driver casually explains the city¡¯s significance and the hierarchy of coaching institutes as an expert which creates a sense of curiosity for viewers as to what all this show could explore in the coming episodes, which made Season 1 more engaging.

And when the driver just iterates Vaibhav¡¯s biggest fear without thinking, it sends a chill down the latter¡¯s spine, making viewers wonder of all the thoughts that may cross that character¡¯s mind and how the show will further them in the forthcoming episodes. And we expect nothing less from Season 2.

Kota Factory [The Viral Fever]

The show then goes down a more light-hearted note with friendship at its core, subduing characters¡¯ issues through the formation of some pure bonds and relationships.

Kota Factory drives away from the Bollywood cliches associated with such genres and instead of showcasing the overrated high-profile life of teenagers, it takes a more realistic approach towards character portrayals. These teens don¡¯t ride cars and fancy bikes to schools but rent Activas to travel the city.

It perfectly amalgamates the hustle of Kota¡¯s life and the pressure of coaching classes, DPPs, and batch shuffling examinations - along with the casual innocence of 15-year olds who tries to make this scuffle easier through each other¡¯s help. This amazing balance of intriguing emotions is what makes Kota Factory worth all the praise.

Hard-Hitting Wisdom of Jeetu Bhaiya

If only one could have a teacher and a friend in one person - though fictional, Jeetu Bhaiya is now every student¡¯s dream faculty. As the show calls him, every kid¡¯s agony aunt, Jeetu takes everyone¡¯s issues and makes him his own. Whether it¡¯s adjusting to routine or saving someone from being caught with pornographic material, Jeetu Bhaiya has a perfect solution.

Koi Bhi Problem Ho, Use Dhun Do

And he also has a casual, pragmatic, and to some extent, an off-beat perspective towards catering to the kids¡¯ needs. Also, while being friendly, he can be a bit critical when he sees kids taking it either wrong or too lightly.

Kota Factory [The Viral Fever]

And he is constantly making students aware that pepping for and cracking IIT is not just a matter of long hours of taking notes; you¡¯ve got to be smarter.

Kota Factory [The Viral Fever]

Jeetu Bhaiya is this perfect man who excels at his job and knows how to make the right call at the right time. And that¡¯s the reason he knows these two years of preparing for IIT is all the same for everyone, but it¡¯s important to realize this fact and make your issues a challenge to get through it.

Jitendra Kumar, the actor behind this fascinating portrayal has admitted that such teachers who could also pose in for a friend are hardly available to learn from in Kota, but if it ever could be true, we¡¯d surely wish it would be someone like Jeetu Bhaiya. And from the trailer for Season 2, looks like Jeetu Bhaiya is still wiser than ever.

Kota Factory [The Viral Fever]

That Analogous Opening Sequence

While the show takes many emotional, wise, and funny turns throughout five episodes, it mostly focuses on the better side of IIT preparation as the characters in limelight are all written to be academically brilliant and adamant about clearing that exam. Though Uday portrays the vulnerable section of kids who have fewer chances to clear the IIT Entrance, there isn¡¯t any in-depth exploration of that aspect of Kota. The crowded coaching institutes, the lust for rankers, and the bitter experiences of kids who don¡¯t meet the criteria for top batches were mostly left unexplored. However, the opening sequence does build up some parallel before the show journeys on its set premise.

In the first sequence, Vaibhav¡¯s father tries to get Vaibhav into Maheshwari Classes through all hooks and crooks but is ultimately denied. Sameer Saxena, who pays the coaching head gives an insight into the harsh reality of Kota¡¯s competitive vibes and the intricacy and difficulty in cracking the IIT examination.

Kota Factory [The Viral Fever]

It also delves into the business aspect of Kota¡¯s coaching institutes and the competition and hunger between them to get the best rankers on their lawns to improve their credibility. There¡¯s this overconfidence Mr. Maheshwari displays when he discards Vaibhav¡¯s past academic achievements.

Kota Factory [The Viral Fever]

Furthermore, a direct rejection of the Minister¡¯s recommendation shows how monopolistic Kota¡¯s coaching business has become which may not bow down to anyone and may continue with its biased practices of dividing students per their business interests.

The show then goes to track Vaibhv¡¯s journey, leaving these complex discussions behind, but through this one scene, the creators have cleverly hinted at the fact that they are aware of this aspect of Kota¡¯s life as an IIT aspirant, which they may explore further in Season 2.

The Beautiful Cinematography

An additional plus point of the show was its beautiful cinematography (for instance Vaibhav going away from the crowd at beginning of S1E1; while merging with them at the end of it). The decision to shoot it in black & white has added depth to it. It¡¯s this color grading that polarizes the show¡¯s two distinct aspects. It helps in drawing parallels between the witty and entertaining life full of friends and acquaintances and the tongue-in-cheek representation of the Kota¡¯s stressful vibe found in the competitiveness of coaching institutes.

Kota Factory [TVF/Netflix]

Plus, the show displays a clean sense of camera work, with angles perfectly moving from one place to another, giving additional details to the scenes. It captures the expressions and scape of all characters and the surroundings a more comprehensive inclusion within the story. That¡¯s how every aspect of the show speaks to the audience, regardless of the screen-time. And the trailer for Season 2 shows this approach will continue as the story progresses towards the second year of IIT entrance preparation.

Kota Factory [TVF/Netflix]

With such a cult following, the show¡¯s Season 2 is going to attract a lot of people towards the second chapter of this wonderful story, and it would be an adventure to see the new set of characters giving us a deeper look at Vaibhav¡¯s and his friend¡¯s fight for IIT entrance as they approach the final stage of their preparation.

Kota Factory Season 2 Will Be Available To Stream On Netflix On September 24.