Kota Factory 3 Review: Jitendra Kumar's IIT NEET Prep Series Is High on Emotions But Fails the Women

Kota Factory Season 3 Review: Kota Factory is back with its third season. The show marks the return of Jeetu Bhaiya aka Jitendra Kumar with other cast members including Mayur More, Ranjan Raj, Alam Khan, Ahsaas Channa, Revathi Pillai, and Urvi Singh. Kota Factory 3 is now streaming on Netflix.

Just like the previous season, Kota Factory 3 is very relatable. If you have stayed out of your house in a hostel or a PG for academic purposes, you’ll connect with it and find it nostalgic. It shows how children find families and friends outside the home when they are longing for love and care. The stories of three friends – Viabhav (Mayur More), Meena (Ranjan Raj) and Uday (Alam Khan) depicted in Kota Factory 3 are very different yet important and should be looked at from various perspectives.

Vaibhav is a child every parent desires. He is obedient, disciplined, and knows what he wants in life. Yes, there are times when he gets insecure and doubts his capabilities but that does not stop him from working hard. He knows how he can achieve his dreams. Even though destiny has other plans for him (Watch the show to know what).

Mayur has played this part well. He looks natural in his act. He flawlessly delivers different shades, including pride, fear, insecurity, love, friendship, and care. He makes you completely engrossed with his character. You smile when he smiles and when he fails, you are left heartbroken.

Meena, played by Ranjan Raj, is that one guy from your college, who is extremely innocent, sweet, and humble. He won’t call you by your name but will use ‘Ji’ with it. Even though he faces financial struggles at home, he works hard to pay his fees and knows how can he support his family. In a world where it is often said, ‘Bacche ko bahar jaake hawa lag gaye‘, Meena is an example of somebody who does not let his freedom overpower his motive of clearing IIT. Pat on Ranjan Raj’s back for playing this part with utmost ease and perfection.

On the other hand, Uday is the perfect example of somebody’s ‘jisko hawa lag gayi’. Alam Khan returns as Uday in Kota Factory season 3 and adds an element of humour to the show. He is carefree (can read it as careless also) and believes in living in the present rather than worrying about the future.

(SPOILER ALERT) Even when he fails to clear the IIT exam, he accepts it with a smile and adds that he isn’t shocked or disappointed. However, his character also has a hidden layer of care and love emotions. We get to see this when his girlfriend decides to go home for some time and when Meena is in a financial crisis. Overall, Uday is fun to watch. Alam adds energy to the scenes and improves the graph of the show.

However, there is a problem with Kota Factory 3. Why are there only men and boys all around? Vaibhav, Meena, and Uday’s girlfriends – Revathi Pillai, Urvi Singh, and Ahsaas Channa aren’t given much screenspace in the show. They have been used as supporting actors with no opportunity to show their talent and acting skills. Several reports have suggested that the city has many young girls and women coming down to prepare for the IIT entrance exams. However, the makers of Kota Factory ignore this aspect.

One should ask why has this been done by the makers. One may not agree but it shows how deeply rooted patriarchy is in our society. When it comes to engineering or taking admission to IIT, we all know how difficult it might get for girls since a large number of families, even today, believe the option isn’t best suited for them. This is why the makers should have used their show to present equality, to show that a career isn’t gender specific. Why is it that Ahsaas’s character, who is preparing for the NEET exam, has not been given any relevance? Time to think.

Not only this, but Tillotama Shome also joined Kota Factory 3 as a teacher in Jeetu Bhaiya’s coaching centre. Despite the brilliant actor that she is, she has also not been given much relevance. Her character arc had a lot of scope to grow but the makers have developed it properly. Even though it is a good move by the makers to show at least one female professor in the coaching centre, they fail to give her the screen time she deserves.

Jitendra Kumar returns as Jeetu Bhaiya but gets a little lost in season three of Kota Factory. It is primarily because a lot is going on in his life. As described in the previous season, Jeetu is not just a faculty member but somebody who solves all kinds of problems, ‘academic, non-academic, personal, financial or romantic’. However, this time we see him facing several battles because of the same.

Jeetu Bhaiya starts to take his students’ problems as his own and blames himself when something goes wrong. This ends up impacting his mental health and he begins to face anger issues. He then begins to wonder who is better – Jeetu Bhaiya or Jeetu Sir. The constant tussle in his head makes you sympathise for him but also makes you wonder if the Jeetu Bhaiya of the previous Kota Factory seasons is lost. His story ends in an unexpected way which further leaves you confused.

Kota Factory season 3 is a package of emotions. It engages you with the stories of its characters and keeps you engrossed till the end. However, the fifth and the last episode of the show is disappointing. It rushes everything to conclude the show and makes you question why the makers have ended the show in haste.

The black and white theme of Kota Factory should also be questioned now. In the previous two seasons, it depicted the sad, disconnected, and depressed lives of the students in Kota. But in season three, it does not make any sense. You just get used to watching it with its monochrome theme. It does not leave behind a meaningful and impactful message. Even when the results were out and students were celebrating, its monochrome theme did not fit well. Maybe it was time for the makers to change it.