Kota Factory Season 1 Episode 4 Recap: Shutdown
Vaibhav’s studious life changes when a love interest walks in.
This episode begins with Jeetu asking his students to relax for the next 13 days so they don’t have a burnout. He tells them these 13 days are given for their school practicals, and they should focus only on that.
At the practical lab, Uday tries to convince Vaibhav to utilise these days by exploring Kota and having fun. Uday tells him that this trip will help him get close to his girlfriend, Shivangi. He further informs Vaibhav that Shivangi’s friend, Vartika Ratawal will also go with them. Vaibhav initially refuses, telling Uday he needs to study, but when he sees Vartika in their practical lab he has a change of heart and agrees to go with them.
Meena at the same time is talking to Meenal, the class topper. Meena looks bewitched by her and gets giddy when she talks to him. They both take Jeetu’s advice to heart and refuse to study for a few days and plan only to relax.
Along with Uday, Shivangi and Vaibhav, Meenal and Meena also get ready for the trip. Vartika, at the last moment cancels her plan to join them as she wants to finish a test paper from Maheshwari classes. Vaibhav agrees to stay back and help her with the test.
As Vaibhav talks to Vartika he becomes increasingly incoherent. He evidently has developed a crush on her very quickly. He even forgets his name while talking to her. While studying he starts answering all her questions with great excitement. Later, not wanting their study session to end, Vaibhav tells Vartika that he would love to help her revise the entire syllabus.
On the trip, Meena starts picking on all the qualities he and Meenal share. He convinces himself that she is the perfect girl for him and also develops a crush on her
The next day, Uday, Shivangi, Meenal and Meena go to clubs and enjoy while Vaibhav and Vartika, again stay back. When Vaibhav informs Vartika that he too was going to appear for the entrance test of Maheshwari classes, she reminds him that today is the last date to fill the forms. He is shocked. Vartika helps him with the forms and they bond with each other more.
The next few days pass by in a similar pattern. Later, when Vaibhav tells Uday about his growing feelings for Vartika, Uday tells him to confess his feelings to her because he won’t meet Vartika once the exams for Maheshwari classes are over.
The next day, while Vaibhav and Vartika go to their exam together, Meena and Meenal are seen talking to each other about their future. Meenal tells him that she isn’t actually interested in IIT. She is going to give the SAT so that she can study in the USA and leave India. Meena is utterly heartbroken to hear this.
Vaibhav tries to gather courage and tell Vartika about his feelings but in the end gets cold feet. Later, when Vartika proposes that they should continue their study sessions, he is elated.
The episode ends with Vaibhav feeling over the moon and Meena looking forlorn.
This episode was good but Vaibhav’s over the top reactions and the stereotypical dialogues did not resonate with me. The situations created for the love triangle felt extremely fictional. Vartika felt like just another factory produced good-girl. Personally, I’m not curious about how their relationship is going to evolve. The scenes with Shivangi were fun. She is the type of person you would like to hang out with. The saving grace of the episode is the comic commentary that happens frequently between Uday and Shivangi.
Episode rating 3/5