JL50 review: A blend of history and time travel gets a decent landing

JL50 is an amalgamation of Indian mythology and science fiction. The series is directed by Shailendra Vyas and stars Abhay Deol, Pankaj Kapur, Piyush Mishra, Ritika Anand, and Rajesh Sharma. The series talks about concepts of quantum physics and time travel. The story revolves around a plane crash investigation which leads to theories about time travel. It is available to watch on Sony Liv.

Plot of the series

When flight AO26 with goes missing, a plane crash is reported at a location which is out of the route of AO26. Shantanu, a CBI officer, is tasked to investigate if the plane was hijacked, as it crashed way out of its route. When Shantanu reaches the site, he finds out that the plane crash reported was of JL50 and flight AO26 has been hijacked at a different location.

But the catch is, JL50 had taken off from Kolkata 35 years ago. So where was the plane hidden for 35 long years? All passengers on board JL50 die except a pilot, Bihu Ghosh, and a passenger identified as B C Mitra.

As the plot unfolds, Shantanu is of the opinion that the plane crash of JL50 was staged and strives to find out the reason behind the staging of the events. However, all the evidence prove that the plane took off 35 years ago, in 1984. The investigation gets interesting when Shantanu finds a passenger, quantum physics Professor Das, who had bought a ticket to JL50 years ago but did not board the flight.

Shantanu further finds out how philosophers in King Ashoka's time had proven time travel was possible. Professor Das reveals secrets about researches he worked on and believed that JL50 was the case of time travel. With increasing political tension, Shantanu must find out if the plane crash was staged after much research or was it actually a case of time travel. If it was staged, then what was the motive behind it and if it was time travel, then who could prove it and who knew the formulae?

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What works for the series?

The concept and the cast of the series are its strong points. The series is not very intense which leave one heavy headed and has light moments. The impressive thing about the series is that it does not attempt to show the lead character as an unstoppable hero. Which for most Bollywood makers is hard to resist. Even the action sequences do not show Shantanu jumping off a building or chasing a suspect on foot amid fast-moving traffic. The cinematography has beautifully captured the essence of Kolkata.

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What does not work for the series?

The background score is a bit confusing as it changes the mood of the narration but the actors do not comply with that change. The story has many subplots and will often deviate the story from the central theme. The concept of the show is a bold one but somehow misses meeting the expectations brewed by the trailer and promo.

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Final Thoughts

JL50 presents a great story with a blend of mythology and concept of time travel. The series is a bold attempt to showcase a complicated concept as time travel with so much ease. The cast has put up a good performance and is able to express a lot even with their silence. The show must be watched once, keeping an open mind, for the performances and cinematography.

Rating 3/5

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Image credits: Screengrab JL50 trailer