Medical dramas on Indian television, with a few exceptions, focus more on the personal lives of doctors than the professional ones. Be it Sanjeevani or so people would say, the focus has always been on the doctors, sans their scrubs, lab coats and stethoscopes. There were weird beats in the early 2000s that were more House MD than General Hospital, but there was a proliferation of OTT platforms for stories that told stories about what doctors deal with in hospitals. If Mumbai Diaries started it, JioCinema’s new series Doctors takes it up a few notches. ,Also read: Sharad Kelkar reflects on having a stammer to become the voice of Baahubali: ‘I never thought my voice would be liked’,
What is the doctor about?
Set in a fictional hospital in Mumbai, Doctors tells the story of young resident Nitya (Harleen Sethi), who has arrived there to take revenge on her ‘biggest enemy’ – the country’s best neurosurgeon Dr Ishaan (Sharad Kelkar). She holds Ishaan responsible for the end of the career of her brother (Aamir Ali), himself a brilliant neurosurgeon. But on this journey of revenge, she meets fellow residents, falls in love, learns the meaning of medicine, and understands what the word doctor means.
The doctor ticks all the boxes. The performances are exemplary, the writing is clear, and the issues raised are relevant. The show does not preach any kind of sermon or assume a high moral standard. But what makes Doctors special is the raw naturalness that comes from it. This is Indian TV’s introduction to the OTT era, where melodrama gives way to nuance.
Producer Sidharth P Malhotra shows more than one quiver in his arrow as it is a far cry from the Sanjeevani-Dil Mil Gaye universe as Ardh Satya is from Dabangg. Both have their place, but the universe and genre the Doctor inhabits is something we have rarely seen in India.
USP of doctors
The doctor is not one-dimensional. It does not just discuss the incidents happening inside OT and OPD. It’s more than just medical jargon. We get a glimpse into the lives of the men and women behind the scrubs. However, this is always in the context of their identity as a doctor or how their profession affects them. Even their romance, identity crisis and addictions are shown with the drug as a desperately needed backdrop. It gives authenticity to the show and its universe.
Sharad Kelkar is fantastic. One of the most underrated actors of his generation, he breathes life into the role of Dr. Ishaan as the charming neurosurgeon. His poise, delivery and emotions are on point as he handles the emotional weight of the show along with the more capable Harleen Sethi. As a true heroine, she also does well. Worthy mention to Viraf Patel and Vivaan Shah, two actors who make extra efforts to show the humans behind their doctors on the show.
Being a medical drama, Doctors doesn’t shy away from talking about issues that matter, whether it’s euthanasia, substance abuse, the issue of donors getting preferential treatment, and where doctors treat their patients. Discriminate against. Thankfully, it does this without much melodrama or moral judgment. The issues come as everyday matters in the lives of our doctors and they are dealt with in the same manner through dialogue, not through sermons – a refreshing change for Indian content.
Doctors is a delicious, entertaining drama, which makes it even more special. The fact that the show, which could have been weighed down by all the surgeries and deaths, is still making waves is perhaps its biggest success.
All episodes of Doctors are streaming on JioCinema.
