Gullak 3 review: The new instalment of the Mishra family’s adventures takes you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions

4/5

Story:

The light-hearted comedy-drama series revolves around the Mishra family and talks about issues they face every day as a middle-class household.

Review:

TVF's family entertainer is back with a few selective tales of the Mishra family, where Santosh, Shanti (Jameel Khan, Geetanjali Kulkarni, respectively) and their two sons Annu and Aman (Vaibhav Raj Gupta and Harsh Mayar, respectively) take us on a roller coaster ride of emotions.

The second season ended with a surprising (more like shocking) note when Aman, the youngest, became the third topper of his school after achieving 87.4% marks in his 10th board exam. In the new season, the Mishras have to now deal with their sons’ higher education, which for a lot of middle-class families comes with a heavy cost on their bank balance, mostly due to the giant fee structure. 

Harsh captures the essence of a small-town teenage boy so profoundly that it completely convinces you to look at him as a 16 to 17-year-old. Meanwhile, Geetanjali and Jameel's light-hearted husband-wife exchanges get as original as they can.

However, like most Indian students, the youngest Mishra doesn't get to make a decision about his own education and is ultimately made to take the science stream. On the other hand, Annu, who has been trying to crack competitive exams and get a government job in the last two instalments, finally seems settled and satisfied with his new private job.

The most important quality of the show that has been carried in the latest part as well is the rawness in the way it shows this household’s problems. Another notable thing that I loved in the show is the UP accent that has been picked by each of these main characters with absolute ease.

Apart from the four main leads, Sunita Rajwar is also back with a good-hearted but cunning neighbour character called Bittu ki Mummy, which will remind you of at least one person living next door.

The series has introduced a new character named Furtili, who is the sole child of Santosh Mishra's childhood friend from the village which gives a perspective of how Shanti could have been if she also had a daughter. This gives the audience a chance to discover a new side to Geetanjali's character which brings so much newness to the story.

Another plus point of the series, which goes with the concept of a small-town middle-class family is the minimal makeup and simple clothes of the characters. This reminds me of another TVF show Yeh Meri Family, which aptly presents all the cast of its show, which is about a family during the mid-90s.

Spoiler alert! Towards the end, the story takes us on an emotional roller coaster ride where it showcases a near-death encounter of a family member and how every member, alone and together, deals with this crisis. For a few minutes, it will surely move you to tears, although Gullak 3 picks up the funny angle of the story again and makes us all laugh.

Verdict:

The latest season might seem a tad bit less hilarious than the last two parts, but still, it's another fun and entertaining treat for a Gullak fan. For me, it has been an extraordinary tale of a middle-class family that takes you on a rollercoaster ride of gloom, love and joy. Gullak 3 ought to be streamed.