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The Family Man 2 Review: Raj and DK simplify a complex tale of espionage with Manoj Bajpayee, Samantha and co.
Read Pinkvilla's review of Raj and DK's espionage, The Family Man 2, featuring Manoj Bajpayee and Samantha in the lead. Is it worth your time? Find out
Directors: Raj and DK, Supan S. Varma
Cast: Manoj Bajpayee, Samantha, Sharib Hashmi, Priyamani, Ashlesha Thakur
Platform: Amazon Prime
Rating: 3.5/5
While Srikant Tiwari (Manoj Bajpayee) and his team at Threat Analysis and Surveillance Cell (TASC) safeguarded the lives of millions in Delhi from the toxic gas leakage, it wasn’t really a 100% success mission, as some did succumb to death. The mastermind of the mission, Sajid, too escaped. The “so called” failure breaks the pillar of TASC, with Srikant opting for a retirement to take a job in an IT company, whereas Milind (Sunny Hinduja) taking a sabbatical tackling his own mental issues infused by the guilt of not following his instinct. Zoya (Shreya Dhanwanthary) on the hand is wheelchair bound post the incident.
One mission changed the lives of everyone in TASC except, JK (Sharib Hashmi), who continues to get the adrenaline rush from his job. But as they say, a soldier is never off duty. As there looms a security threat and potential assassination of the Indian Prime Minister, from a group of Sri Lankan Tamil rebels, Srikant gets back in action to find himself in a battle royal with a fearless rebel, Raji (Samantha). Why do the Sri Lankan Tamil Rebels want to assassinate the Indian Prime Minister? Does TASC manage to succeed in their mission? What role does Srikant’s family have to play this time? You would find these answers in Family Man 2. 
The second season of this espionage is split into nine episodes with a run-time of 413 minutes (6 hours and 53 minutes). The creators of the show, Raj and DK with co-director, Supan S. Varma, manage to treat each episode as a platform to unwind a new sub-plot and aesthetically blend their narrative with thrill, drama, humour and action. It’s a big win on their part to inculcate the nail-biting moments in almost every episode without divulging from the core premise. While episode one and two establish the intent of terror outlets, the makers do take some time to build the platform for adrenaline rush. The buildup and characters start coming together only in the fifth episode, post which the screenplay proceeds at the speed of a light.
The creators of the show, Raj and DK with co-director, Supan S. Varma, manage to treat each episode as a platform to unwind a new sub-plot and aesthetically blend their narrative with thrill, drama, humour and action.
Pinkvilla
The sixth episode takes the cake for being one of the best ever for an Indian show, whereas the cliff hangers for every episode that follows would make the viewers binge the series without blinking an eye for a moment. The factor that separates the world of The Family Man from rest of the shows on the digital world are the witty one-liners, and staying true to that, Raj and DK manage to infuse the right amount of humour all through the narrative. The camaraderie of Srikant and JK is sure to evoke laughter even in the most tense situations. The laughs in the second season are not just dialogue driven, as ample of it derives from the screenplay too. The camera work is swift, whereas the cinematographer manages to capture the flavour and mood of Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi and London. There is a distinct touch brought in the colour palette to showcase the grandeur for all the locations.
A factor that takes the cake here are the well-choreographed action sequences. Be it the entire chase sequence featuring Raji and Srikant with his team in the narrow streets, or the shoot outs, and hand to hand combats – the action scenes are real and leave a mark. What elevates the impact of these scenes is the camera work, as directors switch from Drones to Steady Cam to create a real time experience for the viewers. The heavy-duty climax should not just be watched for the action scenes, but also the camera work, as the makers manage to transport the viewers directly to the location of fights. The dialogues are relevant, subtle, and don’t tend to get over the top. Surprisingly, in the midst of all the thrill and quirk, the second season also has a strong undercurrent of emotions running in it’s backdrop all through the narrative.
A factor that takes the cake here are the well-choreographed action sequences...What elevates the impact of these scenes is the camera work, as directors switch from Drones to Steady Cam to create a real time experience for the viewers
Pinkvilla
Talking of performances, Manoj Bajpayee scores as Srikant Tiwari yet again. Watch out for his emotional out-break over a call with his wife, Suchitra (Priyamani), which will go down as the best written and performed scene of the franchise. It literally comes across as a metaphor to showcase the breakdown of a machine. He delivers the one-liners with utmost conviction and by the end of the show, you are totally immersed in Srikant’s world. Srikant would be incomplete without JK, and the humour would not be as effective if not for Sharib Hashmi’s impeccable comic timing. There’s something real about him and the off-screen bond that he shares with Manoj, that reflects on the screen. Samantha leaves a mark as a ruthless, emotionless rebel, Raji. She breaks the stereotype of being the “happy-go-lucky” girl, and her appearance on screen is menacing to say the least. She is fierce, elevates the action scenes and her subtle expressions are enough to convey the director’s idea of the hidden humane side in this emotionless Sri Lankan Tamil rebel. You can sense that she has a conscience, which stands dead now. Her monologue in the interrogation scene with Srikant stands out. Priyamani underplays her character, but proves yet again why she is among the finest actors in the country with her acting chops in an emotional scene towards the end. Ashlesha Thakur as Driti, leaves a mark, so do Ravindra Vijay, Devadarshini, Mime Gopi, Dalip Tahil, Sharad Kelkar and Abhay Verma.
To sum up, Family Man 2 is a worthy successor and is among the rare sequels that doesn’t destroy the legacy of the first part. The ability of writers and directors to simplify a rather complex subject with some political subtext rooted in the Indian and Sri Lankan history is a big win. The cons include a relatively slow pace till the third and fourth episode. But all said and done, this Raj and DK created espionage does leave a mark, by transporting the audience into this fascinating world of “espionage”, striking the balance with key elements of entertainment like “thrill”, “comedy”, “drama”, “action” and of course, “emotions”. It’s a complete show, delivering much more than just entertainment. Raj and DK, Manoj Bajpayee, Samantha and co. have a winner in hands.
Rating - 3.5 stars (An Entertainer)
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