Golpe de Classe

Nawazuddin Siddiqui is one of the best actors working in the Hindi film industry. He's done so many interesting films and Serious Men is no different.

Serious Men follows Ayyan Mani, an underprivileged man who decides to make his son a genius. However, he'll soon find out that his method is slowly destroying his son.

Serious Men is a film that may linger on people's minds for some time. It's a film that a lot of people can relate to. Adapted from the novel by Manu Joseph, Serious Men explores the desperation and want to have a better life and how caste and class plays a factor into your societal status. A great aspect is the writing. The characters interact in a natural way and its commentary on society doesn't come across as preachy. Having four writers on a film can be scary as there may be a clash of ideas but Abhijeet Khuman, Bhavesh Mandalia, Nikhil Nair and Niren Bhatt all collaborated really well with each other and made a script that was thought-provoking and engaging. There are parts of the story which I did question because it seemed a tad unbelievable but otherwise I didn't have much of a problem with it. The cinematography is handled really well and Sudhir Mishra's direction was well done.

The performances really shine in this film. Nawazuddin Siddiqui once again does a great job here. Ayyan is a very intriguing character that has many layers to him and Siddiqui plays him to a tee. Nassar, as the intelligent but arrogant Dr. Arvind Acharya, plays his character well. Indira Tiwari also does a good job playing Siddiqui's wife. I've always been sceptical about child performances but Aakshath Das was truly great. He conveyed the smart and confused nature of Adi well and I hope to see more of him in the future.

Serious Men is definitely one of the better Hindi films I've seen this year. It has a fascinating premise and an interesting take on society that is sure to make you think.

Ayyan Mani (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) is an ordinary man, leading an ordinary life. Professionally, he is the PA to Dr. Acharya (Nasser) the lead scientist at NIFR and is absolutely convinced that his boss is fooling the world with his wacky research on alien microbes but puzzled about how convincing and confident the latter is, in getting away with lies. With the birth of Mani's son Adi, he hatches a grand plot of exhibiting his slow learner kid to the world as a prodigy and a genius in the making, thus achieving the extraordinary aspiration of societal recognition and adulation.

Adi grows confident due to Mani's incessant guidance, illegitimate mechanisms for catapulting him to fame and popularity, using which the latter gains the recognition that he otherwise would never have achieved. It's a grand secret between the father and the son, but like all good things, it must come to an end. The repressed childhood of Adi, and his inability to act without assistance slowly starts getting to the child, something that can potentially destroy him mentally. Mani has to find an exit strategy to ensure the safety and wellbeing of Adi, and is ready to pay the price for it.

Serious Men, directed by Sudhir Mishra is a tale of a twisted mind that refuses to succumb to the ordinary and will go to any length to realize his dreams, by hook or by crook. Nawazuddin Siddiqui is par excellence as the master manipulator, who is least concerned about the lack of maturity of the young mind, piling on agony on the child with psychological overload. But Serious Men belongs to the child artist Akshath Das, who absolutely captivates with his charm, innocence and complex psychological emotional demonstration, especially when he is unable to handle the burden any longer. Serious Men is a diabolical essay that waltzes on the screen in the garb of a socio-comic drama that gradually returns the young mind to sanity and normalcy, but not without collateral damages. It does leave some important messages for parents who overload their children to rise to the competitive world, without being preachy.

Serious Men - Not at all a usual movie watching experience, it's very much different from other movies. It touches various social issues throughout the film especially the caste system. Cinematography is done brilliantly, every frame speaks itself. There is so much humour throughout the film and it's very good.

Now, there is Nawazuddin Siddiqui in the lead role, so it's obvious that there will be no complain about acting. But the show stealer is of course the child actor Aakshath Das. Nassar & Indira Tiwari also support the film very well. Hope to see Indira Tiwari in future again. Finally Sudhir Mishra is back again in his old form.

The kid (Aakshath Das) shines in Serious Men, a social drama that reminded me of Malayalam comedy Salt Mango Tree (2015), and which is more about the stress that children feel at the hands of their ambitious and competitive guardians and less about class divide despite the montages that show otherwise. Here, the kid's father (Nawazuddin SIddiqui), hailing from a backward caste and having an antagonistic view of the world, uses the caste card and his child to aim for the stars, garnering applause and hollow fame on the way. But for what? Serious Men goes on to throw social commentary at you on how the rich and the influential act as parasites on the downtrodden with ample amounts of quirky humour and useless fillers. But, notably, it also gives you a peek into the ill effects of over ambition, giving a spine-tingling climax to an otherwise humdrum proceedings. Siddiqui, Indira Tiwari, and Nasser are all well-directed by Sudhir Mishra, who has finally had a good comeback since Yeh Saali Zindagi (2011). If you are not ready to accept what Serious Men tells, and not preaches, you, this will be a fine afternoon affair. A better watch to parents with young kids. TN

NETFLIX'S SERIOUS MEN is outrageously splendid. One of the best commentaries on the corrupt notion across religion, caste, politics, and science. That's what cinema should be doing. Bring out thought-provoking real stories to reel. This is Nawaz's award-winning act where his body language, dialogue delivery are able to bring out the pain, agony, suffering, frustration, happiness, ambitions, and above all- love for his son.

His son played by Aakshath Das is another gem to watch as he shines like a diamond. He is able to bring out all the emotions that a small kid would feel.

The climax is gonna make your heart skip a beat in a subtle way where we have Nawaz explaining his action and also, course correction. I was overwhelmed. Nowadays, I hardly see a movie with an ending that offers a complete closure. 'Serious Men' has that ending.

This is one of the finest movies that Bollywood has to offer and would like to recommend it to everyone. A true celebration of movie making that can't be missed. And that I'm saying on a serious note!