The Family Man Season 2 review: Manoj Bajpayee and Samantha Akkineni save the sinking ship

The wait is finally over, and the much-anticipated second season of The Family Man has been released on Amazon Prime on June 04. Amid all the pre-release hype and expectations, The Family Man season 2 has ended up as an average fare for the audiences, and it lacked that extra thrill and emotional attachment offered by the first season. However, this second season featuring Manoj Bajpayee, Samantha Akkineni, and Priyamani in the lead roles is rich in grandeur, and creators Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK tried to showcase global and domestic conflicts using a humanist lens. 

The Family Man season 2 could have been much crispier

The second season began in a very interesting manner, where we can see a group of Tamil freedom fighters/terrorists escape to India via sea. One of them named Subbu (Srikrishna Dayal) reaches Tamil Nadu, while his brother escapes to London. The episode soon shifts to the life of Srikant Tiwari (Manoj Bajpayee) who is fed up with his seemingly meticulous team leader. Even though he is leading an ordinary life, his mind is still with Threat Analysis and Surveillance Cell (TASC), and he can be seen recollecting the happenings in the first season out of trauma with a cigarette in his lips. 

His relationship with Suchithra Iyer Tiwari (Priyamani) is not that healthy, and both of them can be seen visiting a counselor. However, the counselor asks them questions about their physical relationship and it irks Srikanth. However, an adamant Suchithra who wanted her husband to be an ''okay man'' promises the counselor that she will bring him again to the session. 

Things take an unexpected turn when a Tamil Nadu minister visits Subbu and leaks his whereabouts to TASC members in Tamil Nadu. Upon instruction from the central government, TASC members in association with JK Talpade (Sharib Hashmi) tries to nab Subbu. But Subbu resists and he keeps a couple as hostages in a smalltime hotel. At this moment, Srikant's timely intervention helps TASC to arrest Subbu. In the meantime, we can see Raji (Samantha Akkineni) who is working in a thread mill in Tamil Nadu. In the initial moments, Samantha is portrayed as a weak woman who does not have the courage to reach against the sexual harassment she faces in her daily life. However, things take an unexpected (expected) turn when the audience comes to know that Raji is a freedom fighter/terrorist. From then, the series begins in full swing, where audiences can see locations shifting from India to London, and London to India continuously. 

The un-necessities in The Family Man Season 2

The Family Man Season 2 could have been an impeccable series if the editor has paid a little more attention to his work. All the characters in this series have unnecessary backstories, and it will test the patience of the audience for sure. Whenever the series gains momentum, the creators spoil it by adding melodramatic backstories. Even the boyfriend had an unnecessary backstory, and it was totally unnecessary for a thriller drama. 

Samantha Akkineni's stellar performance

The saving grace of The Family Man 2 is the stellar performance from Samantha Akkineni. As a cold-blooded assassin/freedom fighter, Samantha excelled, and the actress reinvented herself as a powerful performer. For Manoj Bajpayee, the character of Srikant Tiwari was just a cakewalk. The supporting star cast includes Priyamani, Sharib Hashmi, and Darshan Kumar all did justice to their respective roles. 

Final Verdict: The Family Man Season 2 is not as elegant and classy as the first season. However, the second season can be watched to witness the stellar performance of Samantha Akkineni and Manoj Bajpayee.