Family Man S3 Review: Manoj Bajpayee–Sharib Hashmi's witty one-liners elevate weak script; cliffhanger ending disappoints fans

And the wait is finally over. The Family Man Season 3, starring Manoj Bajpayee, Jaideep Ahlawat, Nimrat Kaur, Priyamani, and Sharib Hashmi, started streaming on Amazon Prime Video on Friday, and many viewers have already binge-watched it.

This time, the spotlight shifts to a new villain, Rukma, played by Jaideep Ahlawat, with the story unfolding against the backdrop of ChinaApps being banned in India and tensions around it. Manoj Bajpayee returns as Srikant Tiwari, while Sharib Hashmi once again shines as JK Talpade.

The season offers a gripping glimpse into the North-East. With scenes showing the female PM visiting the north-east region amid tensions and also holding a press conference. Spy Srikant, always on national duty, now has personal vengeance.

In a nutshell, Srikant and his team decode Project Sahakar and counter Project Gyan Yu.

In this season, Srikant finally opens up to his family about being a spy. Ever since Season 1, viewers have known how deeply Srikant respects his mentor, Kulkarni Sir. The major twist in Season 3 occurs when Kulkarni is killed by Rukma, an incident Srikant witnesses,  but this tragedy makes the mission painfully personal. Not only is Kulkarni murdered, but Srikant is also severely injured. After he recovers, he learns that he is a wanted criminal, suspected of killing Kulkarni himself.

His kids and wife are also bullied and harassed, with his children being expelled from their college and school, while his wife loses her job. To execute Srikant's plan, his family even surrenders their phones.

Yatish (Harman Singha) appears to lead the investigation against Srikant, but his true intentions are far from what they seem. Viewers must watch the full season to uncover who he really is.

 Ending Explained: The gripping face-off between Srikant and Rukma

The season concludes with an intense one-on-one fight between Srikant and Rukma. Srikant is left severely injured, while Rukma manages to escape. In the final moments, Srikant, desperate and wounded, attempts to flee Myanmar in a jeep and return to India. But after the crash, a badly injured Srikant stumbles out of the car, collapses, and falls unconscious. The ending leaves fans wondering, Did Srikant survive, or is he dead?

About the Performances

Srikant undoubtedly steals the show, balancing his duties as a family man and spy. He remains witty, though not as much as he was in the earlier seasons. Sharib Hashmi as JK continues to shine with his impeccable comic timing and single-life jokes. His humour elevates the narrativeDhriti (Ashlesha Thakur) and Atharv (Vedant Sinha) also enjoy expanded screen time, adding emotional depth to the family dynamics. Jaideep is a perfect pick as an antagonist. 

However, the surprise element is the Farzi X Family Man crossover; the Raj and DK universe comes together.

Vijay Sethupathi also makes an appearance in a memorable cameo. Though brief, his banter with Srikant makes it stand out.

Overall, The Family Man Season 3 keeps you hooked. It's a perfect weekend binge-watch filled with humour, twists, action, and emotional surprises. 

Netizens have shared mixed reviews about the story and execution. Many called it one of the weakest scripts and shows by Raj and DK, and some called out the ending, which was confusing and ended abruptly. 

A user wrote, "The #FamilyMan Season 3 felt like the weakest work from #RajAndDK. The story was okay, but the execution was very slow. Cameos worked well. Performances by #ManojBajpayee & #JaideepAhlawat were the biggest positives. #SharibHashmi's character felt irritating. Abrupt ending—waiting for Season 4. Didn't like it overall, but you can try it if interested."

A user tweeted, "#TheFamilyMan3 is such a colossal mess! Srikant Tiwari doesn't do much and has less ss as compared to Jaideep Ahlawat's ch! You don't see Srikant on his own...and that excitement is clearly gone....'family' dynamic is missing! 1&2 were much better! ."

The third one wrote,"Quite disappointing season, with the long wait for S3 I've expected so much... Asalu story kuda pedhem jaragale saraina purpose chupinchale very short season with just 7 episodes and the ending for season could've been much more better.."