Lafangey review: Emotionally enriching show about career, family and society

India Today

2 days ago

In the busy streets of Noida, three childhood friends navigate their ambition and passion amidst family pressure and societal stigma. Chaitanya aka Chatty (Anud Singh Dhaka), Kamlesh aka Kammo (Harsh Beniwal) and Rohan aka Ronnie (Gagan Arora) aim for the moon in a world of cut-throat competition.Despite facing family resistance and fighting over petty arguments, the trio remain close friends and always have each other's back, irrespective of their differences. From the beginning to the end, the audience is introduced to the financial and social dilemma of Indian middle-class households in the slice-of-life drama co-directed by Prem Mistry and Abhishek Yadav.advertisement'Lafangey' narrates the challenges faced by today's youth that somehow get lost in the glorification of success stories. Chatty, while speaking about his struggles, comments on the education and employment scenario in India. He defends his financial condition as, in spite of being a topper throughout his life, he fails at competitive exams by one mark each time.
Well-crafted characters, stellar performances"For every twenty job vacancies there are twenty-thousand applicants," he says. Dhaka brings a raw, captivating energy to the character, while showcasing the inner conflict of a man working hard to get rid of the financial burden on his family.From his questionable moral compass to compassion, guilt and rage, the actor brings a range of emotions as Chatty. His chemistry with co-actors Beniwal and Arora is spot-on.Beniwal gives his best shot as the goofy, impulsive, playful yet enlightened Kammo. While he disobeys his father, who wants him to focus on their shop instead of dreaming about a Bollywood career, there is also a caring side to him. His character's transformation is the best emotional arc in the show.advertisementMistry and Yadav did a commendable job with the character sketches of Chatty, Kammo and Ronnie in the first episode, which sets the premise for the other episodes. Arora, who portrays the professionally stable but emotionally disillusioned Ronnie, delves deep into the psyche of the character's feelings for his elder brother and partner.The sequence of Ronnie's elder brother, played by Gaurav Mishra arguing with him about his decision to move-in with his girlfriend, has been handled delicately without having any misogynistic undertones. The generational gap in Indian middle-class families and its final resolve has been well-woven by Yadav (Abhishek) and Ankit Yadav.Barkha Singh, as Ronnie's live-in partner, Ishita, has not been turned into a dark character for her professional commitments over personal priorities. Her relationship with Rohan has been delicately handled by the directors and writers. Singh does a decent job despite limited screen time.Ranhajan Raj as Sonu, Saloni Gaur as Chetna and the supporting cast have also convincingly played their characters with subtle nuance and emotional depth.Non-preachy, yet emotional storytelling'Lafangey' doesn't preach about an immediate action plan to end problems, but the human spirit to embrace difficulties as part of life.Despite having certain repetitive elements when it comes to family tensions and economic debts of the characters, the story keeps you engaged. Akash Bundhoo's editing is still on point and retains the pace of the show.advertisementThe dynamics of a father-son relationship, caring elder brother, a not-so-responsible yet sacrificing son and non-toxic exes brings a novelty to 'Lafangey'. While '3 Idiots', 'Chhichhore' and many other films spoke about pursuing your passion irrespective of societal judgments, 'Lafangey' brings a different perspective altogether.The series once again brings back the value of the family system and its importance in dealing with life's problems. It also emphasises the relevance of friends and relatives despite the embarrassments and awkwardness about one's failures and setbacks.'Lafangey' amicably blends struggles, heartbreaks, disappointments, self-realisation with humour and satire. No matter the toughest circumstances, Kammo is all up for his wise thoughts while the friends meet on his terrace over a bottle of beer.From the story of Lord Krishna's victory over his evil maternal uncle Kansa to attaining enlightenment, Kammo never hesitates from motivating his friends. Even though he can't differentiate between Rihanna and Nirvana, his jovial attitude acts as the stress-buster in emotionally strained moments.Watch 'Lafangey' trailer here: advertisementIf you still miss the era of Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Bhattacharya or Doordarshan's early progressive shows like 'Shanti' and 'Swabhimaan', then 'Lafangey's is the series meant for you. It transports you back to the simple times when family and integrity mattered more than money and fame.In times of gritty, high-octane thrillers and urban landscape stories, 'Lanfangey' is a slice-of-life show about real-life issues and human relations.'Lafangey' is available for streaming on MX Player.3.5 out of five stars for 'Lafangey'.