Parenthood has never been easy, but it is more confusing than ever for millennials, who are entering the club for the first time. The social fabric, lifestyle dynamics and living standards are in total contrast to his childhood. They are more self-aware and sometimes even overly cautious about parenting and childhood trauma, thanks to endless exposure to self-proclaimed parenting mentors on social media.
Raat Jawaan Hai Review: The Plot SonyLIV's latest release, Raat Jawaan Hai, is a related story of three millennial childhood best friends juggling individuality, personal goals, and adult friendships while trying to raise their children. children in the best possible way. The trio includes Avinash (Varun Sobti): a loving father and homemaker, Suman (Priya Bapat): a new mother with social anxiety, and Radhika (Anjali Anand): the confident and cheerful leader of the group and daunting mother of a three year old boy.
The close-knit trio is your typical group of friends who always support each other. They sought out each other's gossip, shopping recommendations, heart-to-heart conversations, and, of course, last-minute babysitting requests. Their WhatsApp group “Raat Jawaan Hai” is their ultimate savior and is active throughout the day.
Raat Jawaan Hai Review: Characters We are introduced to our protagonists in a park where their kids have a play date and are busy ranting about their busy schedules. Their usual banter is interrupted by Avinash, who brings up the idea of watching Avengers: Endgame, releasing later that week, and relentlessly convinces the other two to join him. As expected, a circus of nannies on the hunt, relatives buttering each other, and frantic attempts to clear schedules ensues. There are nostalgic sighs remembering the luxury of spontaneity they used to have and anecdotes of their old trips to Goa.
The story continues in the same cheerful tone, full of bad words, dirty jokes, funny pranks and more. We see them excited about their first selfie together in a government office, screaming quietly in traffic (of course, they can't activate the sleeping child in the back seat), and their little ones blurting out the “f” words they learned earlier.
Although the initial episodes seem light-hearted, the tone remains superficial and too desperate to make viewers laugh. Many cheap jokes, which have already been exploited hundreds of times ad nauseam, fail. Some are blunt, irritating and embarrassing. Come on! We don't need more jokes about coffee made with breast milk or parents texting “Good morning” to their entire friends list.
However, the series takes a refreshing turn from the fourth episode onwards. While until now the show was simply a compilation of privileged adults complaining about their children and canceling plans, the story becomes more mature and engaging now. We explore the dynamics of their decades-long friendship and gain an intimate view of their dilemmas, marital discord, ambitions, and often overlooked aspects of parenthood. The refreshing touch of director Sumeet Vyas' previously loved shows like TVF Tripling, known for their relatability, genuine humor and heartwarming performances, is keenly felt. The contrast between the two halves of the show is brilliant; making a comparison between the face we often present for social validation and our real struggles.
There's a particularly well-written scene where Suman nervously tells her friends about her fifth standard birthday party when she felt hurt when her friends chose her much cooler elder sister over her. The narration is quickly followed by a self-conscious monologue about how she is less calm and less worthy of his friendship. “I always invested more in our friendship because I knew that you two are much cooler than me, and if I didn't make an extra effort, you would drift away.” The entire sequence has been brilliantly written and well acted and shows how the impact of seemingly small childhood events can continue until much later in life.
Suman's arc of self-doubt and codependency also appears later in the show, resonating wonderfully beyond the screen each time.
Another arc where the show stands out is that of Avinash, who has developed quite a beautiful bond with his newborn and doesn't mind leaving his job to take care of him. He is wise and thoughtful, and is a very best representation of what the modern self should be. Although he lives in an elegant society, surrounded by modern and well-educated people, he is often the subject of ridicule and critical glances. The show has done an impressive exploration of modern paternal tissue. In one scene, we see a teary-eyed Avinash torn between continuing to spend his days as a father and homemaker or accepting his dream job with an attractive package. “Promise me that you won't take your first steps or say your first words on a weekday. “Save them for the weekends,” he tells his lovely son. Although the topic has been covered before in films and television, Sobti's interpretation is moving. The show lays bare society's hypocritical standards without taking on a preachy tone.
We also see a satirical mockery of the current education system in one of the episodes when we see Radhika deciding on a daycare for her daughter. “We offer robotics and coding courses to our students. It is necessary for them to be ahead in the race,” they tell him in one of the future schools. One was asked about alphabet and counting lessons; YouTube and Web are accredited for those jobs.
Raat Jawaan Hai Review: Verdict Overall, Raat Jawaan is a heartwarming series that explores the dynamics of adult friendships and parenthood. It strikes a beautiful balance between the two, carefully preventing one theme from taking over the other. The story flows effortlessly throughout the episodes and ranks high in relatability. While it could have avoided the profanity and unnecessary dirty jokes, it raises important questions about modern relationships and parental guilt. The show offers a realistic picture of modern parenting peppered with clueless adults trying to avoid the mistakes their parents made; ready to make your own. If you are a parent, don't avoid this one.
Rating: 7/10
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