What Is the Story About?
ZEE5 and The Viral Fever’s ‘The Aam Aadmi Family’ Season 4 is back with the trials and travails of the Sharma family, comprising patriarch Satyendra Sharma aka Sattu (Brijendra Kala), his wife Madhu (Lubna Salim) and grown-up children, Sonu (Saadhika Sayal) and Bobby (Chandan Anand). The 8-episode series tackles a different issue in the family in each episode.
The Aam Aadmi Family Season 4 is created by Arunabh Kumar and Apurva Singh Karki, written by Saket Sharma and Swarnadeep Biswasar, directed by Himali Shah, and produced by The Viral Fever.
Performances?
Brijendra Kala and Lubna Salim shine in their roles of the hard-working parents, who only want the good of their children. Brijendra Kala is especially good as the somewhat strict but softie-at-heart patriarch of the family. Chandan Anand is equally good as Bobby, the son of the family with a chip on the shoulder. Saadhika Syal is passable as the married daughter, Sonu.
Analysis
The Aam Aadmi Family makes a comeback to our screens after a long gap of four years. However, nothing much has changed in the shenanigans of the family, except the actor playing Sonu. Gunjan Malhotra played her in previous seasons of the show. Other than that, the Sharma family is as crazy and lovable as always – bickering, bantering, but in the end, standing up for each other where it counts.
The Aam Aadmi Family Season 4 picks up from where Season 3 had ended – with the death of Sattu’s mother and the kids’ beloved Daadi (Kamlesh Gill). Episode 1 of the new seasons shows the family performing the customary Hindu 13-day after-death rituals for Daadi. As expected, the episode is a tear-jerker, pulling at just the right chords of the heart.
From thereon, the series touches upon different issues in the life of the quintessential Indian middle-class family. On the surface, they might be everyday mundane topics. But through them, the writers and director address deeper underlying issues in most families of middle-class India.
Most significant is how the series touches upon the common fear of being labeled ‘mad’ or ‘mental’, which compels most Indians to stay away from seeking psychiatric help for anxiety and depression. It is a major win for this new season of the slice-of-life series. With mental health issues on the rise among the middle-class, it is a timely and pertinent topic to touch upon.
Also affecting is the episode dealing with Bobby’s entrepreneurial aspirations. The episode addresses the deep-rooted malaise in Indian society, of fathers expecting the their sons to reach the stars, but never offering the right kind of support for them to spread their wings to fly higher and stronger.
Other than these, the rest of the series is humdrum, with nothing to make it stand apart from the other similarly-themed shows from The Viral Fever’s stables. What’s more, the new season of the show lacks that spark and chutzpah that makes a show worth a watch and memorable.
Overall, The Aam Aadmi Family Season 4 is cut from the same cloth as TVF’s other more successful show Gullak, but unlike that show, is quite commonplace and average. Watch it if you’re a die-hard TVF fan; if not, you might consider skipping it for content that’s more up your alley.
Music and Other Departments?
Tusshar Mallek’s background score for the series is good. The song in the first episode is especially touching. Georgy John’s cinematography is decent. Tushar Manocha’s editing does its job well.
Highlights?
Shines a spotlight on a couple of pertinent issues
Drawbacks?
Humdrum and commonplace concept
Did I Enjoy It?
Partly
Will You Recommend It?
Only for die-hard fans of TVF’s slice-of-life family dramas.
The Aam Aadmi Family S4 Series Review by Binged Bureau