The Family Man 2 Review: Manoj Bajpayee and Samantha are fire and ice in Amazon Prime series

 The Family Man 2 Review: 

Manoj Bajpayee and Samantha are fire and ice in Amazon Prime series

Manoj Bajpayee and Samantha Akkineni-starrer The Family Man 2 is finally here.

Cast: Manoj Bajpayee, Samantha Akkineni, Sharib Hashmi, Priyamani, Sharad Kelkar, Sunny Hinduja and ensemble.

Creator: Raj Nidimoru & Krishna DK

Director: Raj Nidimoru, Krishna DK & Suparn Varma

Streaming On: Amazon Prime Video

Overall Rating: 4.5/5

A lot has changed since the first season of The Family Man, which released without much fanfare and hype just a week before the highly advertised Bard of Blood. But as the saying goes, its success made so much noise that the anticipation surrounding the second season was at an all-time high. It's a tricky situation, but then you have excellent creators like Raj and DK, and a Manoj Bajpayee who doesn't look like the secret agents we're used to, but just like we need.

The canvas is big and the action is slick. Villains mean business and heroes block their path. In between, the audience gets what they've always wanted - sharp jokes, non-stop entertainment and a heavy dose of patriotism.

Shrikant Tiwari (Manoj Bajpayee) returns from his corporate job to lead a dangerous mission in Chennai. His domestic affairs with wife Suchi (Priyamani) and children are in jeopardy anyway, and on top of this, his opponents decide to give a personal touch to their enmity. This time, he faces a group of Sri Lankan Tamil rebels led by a super lethal Raji (Samantha Akkineni). Apart from ideologies, it is also a battle of intelligence and patience.

It's all in the writing that makes The Family Man 2 a fast-paced and quirky yet highly emotional drama. There are sharp satires on the education system, the mental health landscape and the language divide. For example, Tiwari gets really shocked when a teenage student showers him with words like feminazi and liberal. It is only an actor of Bajpayee's caliber who can bring humor in odd situations. Then there's an ex-intelligence officer who likes to be intelligent. His tendency to run away without a trace after a brief conversation is hilarious.

And let's not forget the jokes of Tiwari and JK (Sharib Hashmi). This is a great pairing that works overall. They can create laughter of their own accord.

Now, the important inclusion in the new season- Samantha's Raazi. The makers subtly portray their longing for affection and recognition without pressing cliché information down our necks like most Bollywood projects featuring extremists. He has handled his part very carefully. With such a measured performance, Samantha is likely to win many more fans in Hindi showbiz.

Its comic sequences are spot on before getting serious around the fifth episode. Similarly, the action part takes center-stage in later episodes and contributes to giving it a fitting finale.

The characters we met in the first season are trying to get a foothold in the risky world of Tiwari. They are also maturing and seeing a natural progression in accepting the truth about their lives.

Talking about Manoj Bajpayee, this is his show. An outstanding actor who keeps pushing the envelope. This is the character of a lifetime for him. It is hard to imagine that any other contemporary actor has gone through so many mood swings in such a short period of time.

Family Man 2 on Amazon Prime Video is detailed, fun, exciting and seamless. You won't have to watch the time, watching nine episodes. Plus, watch every episode till the end for an excellent background music selection.

Watch the trailer here: