Review: In ‘Jerax’, surreal comedy ensues when a photocopier churns out human clones
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Of all the modestly budgeted mini-dramas that ZEE5 has been rolling out lately, Jerax is ripe for a big-screen version. The Kannada series can barely contain its expansive ideas about ambition, hubris and doubling within a six-episode format.
Written and directed by Srinidhi Bengaluru, the show’s plot bears some similarity to an episode in the animated series Gravity Falls. A prophecy that revolves around the perfect alignment of planets ensures that Prakasha (Nagabhushana) becomes a photocopier not just of documents but also of humans.
A talisman around Prakasha’s neck is responsible for churning out replicas of the people in his life. The temptation to play God is impossible to resist, especially since Prakasha is love with Sooji (Payal Chengappa), who is engaged to someone else.
Prakasha soon figures out how to animate the clones and make them do his bidding. Rival candidates for an election, the police and Sooji’s fiance and Sooji herself all get involved in Prakasha’s grand but also clumsy plan for world domination.
The surreal premise is intriguing enough to sustain interest. The small-town setting inspires a typical gallery of desperadoes. The ensemble cast gamely mugs away as Prakasha’s plans go haywire. This is the fine print in the prophecy that he didn’t quite read.
With limited resources and a...