Serious Men Review: Seriously Cheerful

Serious Men, an adaptation of Manu Joseph’s novel of the same name, is a fresh, satirical look on the class divide which still exists in modern-India. The Netflix film is the story of an “underprivileged” father that will do anything for furthering his son’s “genius”, to make him shine among the “privileged” ones.

Directed by Sudhir Mishra, Serious Men delivers a strong message about the prevailing class-divide in the country without being preachy. The hints are subtle and even when they are right in your face, they are delivered with utmost charm, keeping the mood light. In fact, one of the strengths of the film is its storytelling, it is natural and real, which makes it more believable. Everything in the film feels grounded and even the most manipulative writing gets a pass, due to the presentation of it.

The direction is sharp, making Serious Men one of the better films of the year.

But (and there's always one), the film is plagued with the classic “second-hour downslide”, as the film slows down. The plot twists and bridges which connect the story are contrived.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui is at his best, internalizing the anguish of his character well, and emoting his passion with unreal ease. He is the guiding light of the film, and his energy is a delight to watch.

Indira Tiwari provides able support to Nawaz, giving him a measured spot to shine. Aakshath Das is brilliant, Nassar is shrewd, Sanjay Narvekar-Shweta Basu Prasad's performances are noteworthy.

The film captures the Mumbai chawls well and successfully encapsulates the hope within, credit to Cinematographer Alexander Shukla. The film speaks volumes about the caste-class divide that still exists in the greatest of minds. The way characters discriminate or change behavior after getting to know a person’s lineage, feels incredibly real.

WATCH OR NOT:

Produced by Bhavesh Mandalia, Serious Men, is a feel-good drama, which majorly works for its satirical messaging and Nawazuddin’s brilliant performance. Streaming on Netflix, this is a film that deserves a watch.