Whenever a filmmaker comes with an idea about the lives of urban IT-Tech people, it always leaves me wondering: what is it that TVF is doing better in capturing the essence of urban IT people?
Bench Life is not about the lives of software engineers, or broadly IT people. It doesn’t talk anything about the lives of IT people. It just sticks to the three stories set in an office, around the idea of ‘Bench Life’- the idle stage in employment before the allocation of a project.
This Sony Liv’s Original five-part web series co-written by Mahesh Uppala along with writer-director Manasa Sharma. Both debuted with a four-part Zee5 series titled Oka Chinna Family Story. Ench LIfe is produced by Pink Elephant Productions by Niharika Konidela after her successful feature film, Committee Kurrollu.
Balakumar (Vaibhav), Ravi (Charan Peri), Meenakshi Sharma (Ritika Singh) are three completely unpassionate IT employees dying to be on bench just to do anything but not the job. And, Bench Life is about the story of these fellows about how one got into the bench for the sake of love and responsibility , got thrown out of the bench (read job) because of recklessness and resigned from the bench for the sake of dreams. Therefore, it is aptly titled as the Bench LIfe.
Insta-Effect
The social-media content creator who deserves the tag of an actor, Charan Peri plays Ravi- the lying husband to an innocent wife whose plans for a Goa trip always gets spoiled. Charan Peri’s comedic timing was proven by the successful MAD. However, it might be because of his presence the writing feels like it has been inspired heavily from the memes on Instagram about the lives of IT people.
The character played by Vaibhav Reddy as Balu also feels like an adaptation of Prasad Behara’s famous drunkard role he often plays in Youtube series and Instagram reels. And, Meenakshi’s (Ritika) character seems to be on the top of every writer who writes about the lives of IT people. Every IT story has a disinterested employee with the passion for the arts. Maybe, that is the zone the writers are coming from.
Targeting Urban Life
It is understandable why the OTT platforms target the urban lives of the tech world. They consist of a major chunk of people who subscribe to these OTT platforms. So, they ‘feel’ the urge to make the content curated for their users. And, I still wonder why the writers are interested in writing about the lives of IT people? Don’t get me wrong. I don’t hold a grudge against the IT sector. The only qualm is the half done research that goes into the writing of the dramatic lives of IT people beyond the relationship conflicts and aspiring candidates to leave one’s job for their dream. We got the same characters that does the same tactics and same gags either for fun or for love without letting us know anything better and deeping into lives beyond the bench.
Bench Life is a non-serious passable comedy-drama with a few gags and laughs added with sinking melodrama delivered by underutilised characters played by Thanikella Bharani and Rajendra Prasad.
Rating : 2.5/5
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