Amazon Prime series The Family Man starring Manoj Bajpayee in the title role and helmed by Go Goa Gone makers Raj & DK starts off on a rather leisurely note. Srikant Tiwari (Manoj Bajpayee) the TASC (Threat Analysis and Surveillance Cell) undercover agent adores his family as much as he is dedicated to his nation.
The action is very sparse in Episode 1, something that is expected in a spy thriller from the word go–barring the opening scene and a thrilling chase sequence.
By Episode 2, terror plot Mission Zulfiqar begins to come into light after a scooter blast as Srikant takes things into his own hands and investigates in his trademark style mixing some storytelling with tact. A college student Kareem (Abrar Qazi) is the suspect, but there is his side of story too, his provocations and his reasons to why he is doing what he is doing.
Episode 3, Anti-National, which is again inspired by real life events, is relatable in many ways, especially in current socio-political scenario. Two Muslim truck drivers get killed in a mob lynching instigated by gau bhakts as they were suspected of carrying beef. How the incident affects the psyche of young Muslims of the country is pertinent to note.
More than half of the episode is made from news clippings we read every day in the papers and a Google search could easily bring out the real incidents the series is largely inspired from. In another instance, an officer arrests a bunch of Muslim youths as suspects of a terror activity simply because they burst crackers whenever Pakistan won a cricket match.
Srikant Tiwari and his team meanwhile break into Victoria hostel and install cameras in the room of the suspect, while in another portion of the series Srikant finds time to socialize at a party. He somehow catches a glimpse of his wife Suchi’s (Priyamani) phone and is appalled at seeing messages from her male colleague Arvind (Sharad Kelkar) late in the night. He discusses his concerns with his colleague who instead taunts him for not spending enough time with his wife. This comes as a second shock for Srikant who earlier in the episode finds that his school-going daughter has a boyfriend.
Is Srikant beginning to lose a grip on his family life due to increasing complexities of his work life?
Episode 3 ends with Srikant and his team trying in vain to follow Kareem and his accomplices as they speed off in a van from the hostel.
Stay tuned for The Family Man Episode 4 review
Also read | The Family Man Episode 1 review: Manoj Bajpayee’s most endearing role so far