The Family Man: Web Series Review (Amazon Prime)

Synopsis

Is it possible for a working family man to give adequate time to his family daily or does his work interferes excessively in his family life? The series '#TheFamilyMan' tells us the complex tale of Srikant Tiwari (#ManojBajpayee), head of a special anti-terrorism task force, who is completely stuck between his personal and professional lives.

The story of '#TheFamilyMan' comprises the planning of a terrorist attack on India aimed to have a greater impact than 26/11. A highly lethal mission by the name "Zulfiqar" is planned by the ISI with the help of radical terrorist organisations to launch a fatal attack on India. The entire series is based on the build-up to Zulfiqar, its planning, and its execution. How do Srikant and his team come to know about Zulfiqar? What actions do they take to combat it? Are they successful in averting the mayhem? The answers to all these questions form the crux of the webseries in Season 1.

Direction

The web series '#TheFamilyMan' has been directed by Raj and DK. Their efforts are certainly commendable, and their treatment of the subject has been excellent. The makers tried to portray the various aspects of terrorism and terrorists. The series tried to decode the process behind the genesis of terrorism in a subtle way. The parallel story of Srikant's family, including his wife Suchitra (#Priyamani), daughter Dhriti (#MehakThakur), and son Atharva (#VedantSinha) is a treat to watch.

The subplots are also very engaging. You are glued to the viewing panel as the episodes keep on rolling one by one. An interesting subplot is the story of a Muslim guy, Kareem (#AbrarQazi), who is killed in an encounter on the grounds of his terrorist-like activities. This encounter throws light on how preconceived notions, perceptions, and assumptions can force the most intelligent people to cause irreparable damages. The directors have been successful at demonstrating the various shades of human nature in this series.

The series does have some loose strings, especially the ending, wherein you are given a free hand to imagine the consequences as per your convenience. This factor works well because Season 2 and Season 3 of this web series are going to follow soon. The length of a few episodes could have been trimmed a little. Apart from that, the makers have ticked all the boxes correctly.

Technical Department

The cinematography of the web series has been top-notch. Several continuous shots have been taken throughout the series. The chasing sequences are amazing thanks to the brilliant camera work. The action sequences are also choreographed quite well. The dialogues are one of the most powerful assets of the web series. The essence of humour in the dialogues, even during serious scenes, brings a chuckle on your face.

Music and Background Score

The background score is interesting and keeps you hooked, especially during the chase sequences. The web series is devoid of songs but you don't miss the songs at all in the 10-part series.

Performances

The character of the protagonist Srikant Tiwari is so relatable. Srikant Tiwari has not been shown as a larger-than-life officer who does not commit any mistakes (unlike secret agents in other movies or web series). He has his frustrations and anxieties that keep driving him crazy at several points in the series. He loves his family a lot but he loves his job as well which keeps on complicating things.

Srikant's family is unaware of his real job and feel that Srikant is a government employee who just likes lazying around with his work. #ManojBajpayee has portrayed all the layers of his character perfectly, and no one could have done it better than him. #SundeepKishan as Major Vikram and #GulPanag as Saloni were impressive. #NeerajMadhav as Moosa and #ShahabAli as Sajid looked convincing in their roles. The bonding between Srikant and JK Talpade (#SharibHashmi) is one of the high-points of this series. #SharadKelkar (Arvind) is Suchitra's colleague and does a decent job.

The performances of other members in the series were also impressive.

WMR Verdict

'#TheFamilyMan' is a web series that should be watched by all. The audience will certainly enjoy how the story unfolds. The spy thriller has extensive detailing, and it can keep the audience engaged throughout the 10 episodes of this series. The performance of Manoj Bajpayee is one of the key reasons to watch '#TheFamilyMan'.

This web series is certainly a must-watch!!

WMR Rating: 4/5

Directed by: Raj Nidimoru and Krishna D.K.

Written by: Raj Nidimoru, Krishna D.K., Suman Kumar, Sumit Arora (Dialogue)

Starring: Manoj Bajpayee, Priyamani, Sharib Hashmi, Neeraj Madhav, Pawan Chopra, Kishore Kumar, Gul Panag, Shahab Ali, Mehek Thakur

Music by: Sachin-Jigar

Composer(s): Jaan Nissar Lone, Ketan Sodha

No. of Episodes: 10

Genre: Action │ Drama

Review Credits: Soumik Datta