Shubham Kulkarni
Kota Factory Season 3 stands out mostly because it turns the camera towards Jeetu Bhaiya and shows how the man with the most optimism is hopeless at this point. The way the season explores his hopelessness is the most nuanced writing in a long time.
Vaibhav, Meena, Uday, Vartika, and Shivangi are now growing up. Their pressure is real, and their breakdowns are no more comical at all. There is seriousness in the surroundings, and the factory has still not managed to kill the human in them.
Pratish Mehta takes over from Raghav Subbu (showrunner) and makes gold out of Season 3. With his eye for emotions and the pain, he brings out the best season of Kota Factory so far.
DOP Shreedutta Namjoshi is the real behind-the-scenes hero who puts together frames that talk to you and are in a rhythm. There is poetry in how he sees this world, and he captures that so well.
Tillotama Shome’s entry into the world of Kota Factory is the best thing to have happened to Season 3. There is a calmness in how she approaches Pooja, and the trajectory from ma’am to didi becomes stellar. I wish she had a bit more involvement.
Jeetu Bhaiya is no more a phenomenon for us; he is as real as day and night, and we are all in search of our version of him. Kumar understands the responsibility and plays the character with all the emotions he has.
While this season very much serves as a swan song for the story told until now, it also serves as a hint at a new beginning, a new mentor, and the progression of the old one.