The Family Man (Season 3) – My Flash Review!

The previous two seasons of The Family Man were quite engaging, so I was eager to watch Season 3, which dropped on Amazon Prime over the weekend. After covering the Pak–ISIS terrorism angle in Season 1 and the LTTE/Sri Lankan strife in Season 2, show creators Raj and DK turn their focus to the North East in this season. Back in 2021, at the end of Season 2, we were indeed given a glimpse of the theme for Season 3, but since the gap has been so long (4 years), one doesn’t remember this thread when we sit to watch now. Not just this thread, but it has been too long since Season 1 in 2019 and Season 2 in 2021, which makes connecting some characters and references from earlier seasons somewhat difficult.

The 1st episode begins with a stunning long-shot scene, beautifully shot, that sets the tone for the rest of the season. The background is established, highlighting the Indian government’s effort to bring peace to the North East by uniting some rebel groups on a peaceful path. This effort clearly conflicts with external forces that have their own reasons to keep the North East unrest ongoing. Srikant Tiwari, the secret forces agent played masterfully by Manoj Bajpayee, becomes involved in this conflict. However, it becomes personal when his mentor and superior, played excellently by Dalip Tahil, is killed. While Srikant aims to avenge his boss, the country’s security agencies want to make sure the peace process remains on track. How these objectives align and are achieved forms the rest of the story.

In terms of the screenplay, there are several similarities and consistencies with the previous two seasons. For example, the frayed, frosty relationship between Srikant and his wife, Suchi; the excellent chemistry between Srikant and his team member JK (Talpade); the ongoing conflict between family and work in Srikant’s life; the mysterious but timely appearance of the “Chellam Sir” character; and so on. However, the deviations in this season make it interesting. Srikant himself becomes a suspect and is on the run. His children have grown up now and have learned what Srikant actually does for a living. The family gets drawn into the conflict. Even the protagonist, played by Jaideep Ahlawat, is shown to experience a work–family conflict.

The series is quite engaging overall and keeps us hooked. However, the lack of closure at the end, which leaves a hook for the next season, was a big disappointment. Out of three or four storylines, the creators only manage to close a couple. One of the strengths of Raj and DK, and the writing team, has been their ability to draw on real-life events and keep the story realistic in previous seasons. This is one reason why this web series endeared itself to all of us. However, in this season, the effort to keep it realistic seems to be missing. Especially, the way the security establishment and the PMO are portrayed makes key decisions often seem humorous and rather simplistic.

The making of the series is of the highest standard. Some of the shots from real locations in the North East are excellent. The camera captures the beauty of the North East nicely. There are only a few real action scenes in this series, but they are brilliantly conceived, choreographed, and presented. Jaideep Ahlawat and Nimrat Kaur join the cast this time, and both perform very well, though their characters have flaws. Manoj Bajpayee as Srikant Tiwari, the main protagonist, delivers a good performance, but it feels repetitive. The duplication of his Srikant Tiwari character in other movies and series hasn’t helped. Jaideep, as the main antagonist, brings a lot of raw energy and brilliance to his performance, making him the best in this season. Vijay Sethupathi makes a guest appearance, steals the show, and dominates the screen in those few minutes.

The writing of Family Man as a series has been sharp and usually laced with dark humour. That trend continues here. Both Manoj and Jaideep excel at dark humour, delivering it with deadpan delivery. However, in this series, more questions emerge about how the screenplay and plot points have been developed. Srikant’s brilliance as an OG agent doesn’t get many chances to showcase his skills.

Watching Season 3 of The Family Man left me disappointed by how the plot threads were left hanging, even after seven long episodes. Yet, for the making and the storyline, this season is also quite engaging and is a good watch.