Following his successful movie Namaste Wahalaby Nigerian-Indian filmmaker Hamisha Ahuja Postcards It also focuses on the dualities of its two countries of origin.
POSTCARDS: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?
Initial shot: In Lagos, Nigeria, a Nigerian wedding unfolds with guests dressed to the nines and a large buffet on display. One of the guests at the dance, Aunt Bunmi, speaks in voice-over and states that since the death of her husband, she has decided to live life to the fullest.
The essence: Auntie Bunmi is the life of the party in her native Lagos, even after the death of her husband 20 years earlier. But by living life to the fullest, she has neglected her health and has developed fibroids, and the only treatment for her is in India. Meanwhile, her estranged son Yemi is a dancer who is desperate to leave Nigeria. By a stroke of luck and coincidence, he lands a dancing gig in Bollywood, which takes him to Mumbai and inevitably forces mother and son to confront their breakup.
What shows will it remind you of? There is a bit of grace and frankie in the show’s central idea, following an elderly woman who is determined to live life to the fullest even when she and her family don’t exactly agree.
Our opinion: There is a long history of the Nigerian and Indian film industries intertwining: the Hindi film industry has long been a source of entertainment for Nigerians, and many Indians have lived in Africa for generations in the wake of British colonization. It is natural that there is some overlap between the stories told in each country.
The first of six episodes of Postcards It doesn’t show much of Indian culture outside of a small scene where the creatives select Yemi as a new dancer for their film. But filmmaker and creator Hamisha Ahuja uses the series’ opening moments to highlight how similar the cultures are: extravagant weddings, auntie culture, and incredible food.
The premise is simple and has great potential to explore many prescient cultural themes and stories: family estrangement and the means by which two people can get back together; navigate a new environment, even if cultural similarities exist; and possible racism at the hands of Indians who generally prefer light skin to dark skin.
There are some moments of overacting and amateurish execution: in one scene, Aunt Bunmi collapses in her shop due to her health, and her fall seems like the kind of dramatic acting found in less professional productions. Still, there’s enough meat on the bones and a small enough commitment to justify giving Postcards a shot.
Sex and skin: Nothing to see here.
Parting Shot: Yemi and his friend celebrate his new job as a dancer in India and a graphic shows a plane taking off from Lagos and landing in Mumbai.
Sleeping star: There are only two actors who seem to carry on for the rest of the season, and Tobi Bakre as Yemi gives the most naturalistic performance as a dancer with high aspirations but low motivations.
Most pilot line:: “Think of your family, think of your child. Don’t you want to be there for him?’, a doctor tells Aunt Bunmi, the first hint that she has family apart from her late husband and the spark that convinces her to accept medical help in India.
Our call: TRANSMIT IT. The Nigerian-Indian crossover leaves room for an interesting cross-cultural examination.
Radhika Menon (@menonrad) is a television-obsessed writer living in Los Angeles. His work has appeared in Vulture, Teen Vogue, ELLE.com and more. At any given moment, he can reflect long and hard on Friday Night Lights, the University of Michigan, and the perfect slice of pizza. You can call her Rad.
