Amazon Prime and Netflix have opened another venue for content developers to showcase their talent. Like it happened with television where the likes of Amitabh Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Salman Khan and Govinda to name a few big hindi film actors who took to television, webspace is witnessing something similar. Popular actors like Saif Ali Khan, Nawazuddin Sheikh and Netflix \’favourite\’ Radhika Aapte have been part of these shows. With his maiden show, The Family Man on Amazon Prime, Manoj Bajpayee is the latest to join the gang.

Directed by movie director duo Raj and DK, the show claims to be inspired by daily headlines in its credits. It\’s story of intelligence officer Shrikant Tiwari who is Aam Aadmi like any other Indian but is actually a high ranking intelligence officer. Its his daily struggles as a common man and the pressure of his job that the makers have tried to capture.

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What works and what doesn\’t

The 10-part series begins on a promising note. The buildup is huge till the time story remains in Mumbai or rather Bajpayee remains in Mumbai. The writers shift Shrikant to Srinagar but after this happens in episode 6 the series falls apart which is surprising as half of the story and rather important half of the story is moved to Kashmir, Pakistan, Balochistan and yet there is a feeling of something missing.

The entire story is riding on Manoj Bajpayee\’s shoulder and to give him due credit, he pulls it off like only he can. But its the writing that lets him down. By the time you reach ninth episode you feel like writers have completely lost the plot. The rather abrupt ending shows a new season may be in the works. But it leaves so many questions unanswered that you want to have atleast one session with the writers with your list of questions.

The writers also keep Bajpayee\’s wife\’s track, played by Priyamani, going with a hint of something brewing between her and Sharad Kelkar. There is also a track involving Bajpayee\’s daughter and it all comes in the end as that dish which sounded very promising while being prepared but tastes a little undercooked. Families of other officers working with Shrikant is completely missing but even for just a couple of scenes the writers did bring in his mother, brother and father-in-law.

On second thoughts, it was good it ended. Because the writers had no clue where to go. If you want to know what I am saying do watch The Fall season 1 and 2 on Netflix. The writing is top notch. Amazon series Jack Ryan is also worth a watch. It deals with the similar subject minus the aam aadmi angle. Or the House of Cards. The writing is taut and you know where it is going.

There are abuses, couple of lovemaking scenes (including one involving a married gay man), lots of smoking and drinking – which seems to have become a norm these days for web series.

Somewhere the makers inspired by so many similar stories around, could not think clearly as to how to take this family man basic concept forward. While the idea is exciting but its the execution in later episodes that once again shows the problem with writing. I dread what that makers would have in the next installment. 

 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XatRGut65VI&w=560&h=315]