The Family Man season 2: The story of ‘not a Minimum Guy’

Srikant Tiwari (Manoj Bajpayee) is back yet again as a covert agent of TASC to cease another national security turbulence. But this time, the threat hits both his country and his family. No wonder he embarks on an unpredictable mission to rescue both. 

The most awaited season 2 of The Family Man is back on Amazon Prime Video. Since the trailer launch, it has created a buzz all around India for its sensitive political depictions.  Director Raj Nidimoru, Krishna DK, and Suparn Verma have explored a wide arena of Indian geopolitical issues in season 2. Furthermore, the unique culture of Tamil Nadu is eloquently presented as well.

Watch the trailer of The Family Man season 2 here 

The guilt of failing to save a few lives from 'Delhi gas leak (Mission Zulfiqar)', resulted in Srikant leaving his job at TASC and joining a 9 to 5 desk job at an IT farm. He prioritises his family and tries honestly to save his nearly wrecked marriage with Suchi (Priyamani). 

Meanwhile, TASC is assigned to round up Subbu, one of the key persons of the Lankan Government in Exile, also the younger brother of Prime Minister Bhaskaran. What seemed like a simple operation turned out to be an out-of-hand situation. 

Not surprisingly, Srikant returns to his old job. The rest is a high-speed exploration to deter a rebel plan. An act of revenge for a blood-shedding history of Tamil rebels threatens India's national security. So TASC takes a ride to Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu.

This time, the crew finds out information about a militant operation in Chennai. A group of Sri Lankan Tamil rebels plans to assassinate the Indian Prime Minister through an aircraft missile launch. Tension flows from Chennai to Delhi and Delhi to London. In no time, viewers find themselves enthralled with the relentless plot twist and turn of events.  

One man's freedom fighter is another man's terrorist. 'The Family Man' since premier has subtly upheld this fine line. 

The main antagonist of this season, Raji (Samantha Akkineni) is one such textbook villain character who will draw your attention with her back and forth martial art stances. Her grievance, 'cold as ice' appearance, and sheer dedication to a cause make her an akin rival to Srikant. 

A tragic backstory of losing her family and masses to brutal Lankan attacks defines the depth of her character. Raji's addition is the best creative turn of this season. Samantha Akkineni has not only come out of her commercial aura but also delivered a praiseworthy performance. From being introduced as a calm and innocent factory laborer to a cold-minded brutal agent, she carried a major portion of the show on her shoulder. 

This latest season gives us a prolific understanding of Indo-Lankan political situations and a better perception of Tamil Nadu's culture. Unlike most Bollywood attempts to showcase a culture without ample studies, the creators of this series have dived deep into Tamil Nadu's homogenous culture. 

Manoj Bajpayee's appearance as a cop figure Srikant Tiwari is no doubt a big reason behind The Family Man's huge popularity among viewers. The veteran actor has exercised nearly every acting bone in his body to portray an outclassed character of Srikant Tiwari, AKA Sri.

This agent figure is not an archetype of Ethan Hunt or James Bond. He also goes through emotional pushbacks, regression, and insecurities. His marriage with Suchi undergoes an uneven path all through the season. After failing to keep it on the right track, both of them lose their grip. Their exhausting state imposes a vast effect on children.  Dhriti especially begins living on her own regardless of the family. 

In social media, both Suchi and Dhriti have become huge mockery and meme material. Whereas, Sri and JK's bromance is one of the most loved and appreciated charms of the show. 

Sharib Hashmi's antic yet intelligent presence in each frame gives audiences a sigh of comic relief. 
 
There are a few moments of refreshing laughter. For instance, the stormy appearances of Srikant's espionage informer Chellam Sir. Srikant's interactions with Atharv or JK paying the restaurant bills each time are the playful intervals among speedy momenta. 

Raj and DK's fascination with long scenes and single-take shots during an action scene remains as usual. The jail-breaking sequence and the climax (Spoiler alert) have been shot in a single take. 

The last season was set in Northern state Kashmir and this time it is in southern Tamil Nadu. It won't be a big spoiler to utter that the making of the third season is already on the table.

All in all, The Family Man has all the spices that make a perfect binge recipe.