What Is the Story About?
Balu, who has the hots for his colleague Isha, doesn’t take his job too seriously. Benched for a long time at work, Ravi makes silly excuses to escape his clingy wife Gayathri and have a jolly time with his mates. Meenakshi, under pressure to marry soon, half-heartedly switches between her job and pursuing a film career. Meanwhile, an elderly man Prasad Vasishta takes up a new role to heal the wounds of his past.
Performances?
After a long time, Vaibhav finally gets his due in a Telugu project in a meaty role that fully exploits his strengths in comedy, thanks to his lightweight screen presence. He infuses life into several not-so-great sequences with great flair and the show serves as a perfect endorsement of his under-explored capabilities. Ritika Singh does justice to the solid character of a woman who uncompromisingly chases her dreams.
Amidst several heavyweights, the real surprise of Bench Life is Charan Peri, who sinks teeth into his portrayal of Ravi, a man struggling in his transition from bachelorhood to marriage. Aakanksha Singh is an ideal casting choice for Isha, though the character establishment could’ve been better. Nayan Sarika is another promising find and she slips into the shoes of a homemaker effortlessly.
The experienced hands – Rajendra Prasad, Tanikella Bharani and Tulasi – bring much-needed credibility to the proceedings. Venkatesh Kakumanu is entertaining in a brief role while Venkat makes a mark in a cameo as well.
Analysis
There’s so much talk around the toxicity and the drama within corporate workplaces in our daily lives, though not many filmmakers have sincerely explored it as a backdrop to tell compelling stories. Even if they’ve done so, the portrayal has been rather uni-dimensional without the effort to address a character’s concerns from an insider’s lens (with shows like Hello World, Arthamainda Arun Kumar being rare exceptions.)
Manasa Sharma, the writer behind Oka Chinna Family Story, Mad House, makes a commendable directorial debut with Bench Life, a workplace drama set in a software company. She creates a light-hearted, happy-go-lucky and relatable exterior, using humour to explore various conflicts in the lives of the show’s pivotal characters – Balu, Ravi, Meenakshi and Isha.
Bench Life adopts an alternative outlook towards the ‘bench period’ in the corporate sector. Balu, Ravi and Meenakshi view it as a luxury – to escape their harsh realities, chase their ‘dreams’ and still get paid. Balu, ill-equipped to handle a software job, doesn’t take life too seriously. Ravi’s transition from bachelorhood to marriage hasn’t been smooth. Meenakshi wants the cushion of a job and still be a filmmaker.
There’s also Isha, an immensely guarded woman, who’s second to none at work but has built too many walls around her while trying to move on from a conflicted past. Although she appears more sorted than others, it has been a while since she’s broken free and been her true self. Bench Life also looks at various characters that complete the lives of the leads – precisely, their families.
The show is all about the characters realising their true worth, decoding what they’ve failed to view/understand all along and bringing together the missing blocks in their lives. The writing is refreshingly fluid and the characters are explored from a place of empathy, where they aren’t judged for their choices and given enough space to understand their follies and sort their priorities.
Though the male characters – Balu, Ravi and Prasad Vasishta – may be the show’s selling points, Bench Life, at heart, is a deserving ode to womanhood, speaking on behalf of many modern-day women who need to rise above several stumbling blocks to earn validation in life. The eventful screenplay doesn’t let this become a preachy exercise, comprising well-written situations tapping into the characters’ personas.
Meenakshi represents many 20s-something women sandwiched between their marriage and their dreams. The underdog victory is sweeter, given she’s in the company of a prospective bridegroom who’s a classic embodiment of mansplaining and tries to decide what’s right for her. Though less effective, Isha’s issue with her father taps into another key dimension in the life of a career woman.
The Ravi-Gayatri equation is the most impactful among all the interpersonal relationships in the show. The director makes it a point to underline the importance of personal space in a marriage and how it tends to affect a man more. From an alternate perspective, the man also understands the extent to which a woman alters her life to suit his needs. The realisation in their marriage is mutual and not one-sided.
Manasa doesn’t go too far in exploring the mundanities of the corporate sector – it is only used as a platform to dive into the characters’ philosophies. A few cinematic liberties feel out of place though – particularly the way Balu gives up a role as a team leader to be on the bench and the ambiguous idea to rope in Prasad Vasishta as a ‘domain expert’ out of the blue.
The biggest success of the show is the seamless blend of entertainment and the messaging. Most of the characters are developed well and although you can foresee their destines from a distance, the show keeps you invested in the proceedings. The casting is pitch-perfect and the performances retain the soul of the story. Bench Life is comfort food with a progressive twist. Make time for it.
Music and Other Departments?
PK Dandi’s music, offering a throwback to yesteryear composing styles, also contributes to the liveliness of the atmosphere and gives it a colourful, vibrant appeal. Cinematographer Danush Bhaskar uses his backdrops, props and drama effectively to drive the story forward. The runtime, just under four hours, is apt and the un-gimmicky screenplay makes the job easier for the viewer.
Highlights?
Impressive performances
Layered, progressive writing
Enjoyable humour
Drawbacks?
A few cinematic liberties
Convenient resolution of conflicts
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes
Will You Recommend It?
If you’re in the mood for a light-hearted workplace drama
Bench Life Series Review by Binged Bureau
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