 "WATCH! EXCLUSIVE | Manoj Bajpayee on ‘The Family Man, Season 3’ and on how things have changed for the James Bond of Chembur")
A lot of things have changed for the James Bond of Chembur aka Shrikant Tiwari played by one of the finest craftsmen of the Indian entertainment industry, Manoj Bajpayee.
For four long years, fans of Prime Video’s The Family Man have been waiting, urging, e-mailing, and commenting (on literally every social media post of the service) for any update on the third season of the much-loved show. The time has now come.
WATCH the video of the full interview here with the cast and director of Prime Video’s The Family Man Season 3
Here in the edited excerpts from the ‘most loved man’ who now become the ‘most wanted man’, Manoj Bajpayee:
How much has the James Bond of Mumbai has evolved?
Chembur to be more precise (laughs).
Srikant Tiwari is a man who we relate to so much. He’s someone close to the real world. Has this been a challenge over a period of time to keep the people still engaged?
There are two seasons on the platform. One can always go back and get the fundamentals right and refresh their memories about it. But with Season 3, with four years of gap, there are many things that have happened. So that becomes your backstory. What has happened is actually showing the impact of it in the relationship.
The family dynamics have changed. The children have grown up. The relationship with them has taken a different form altogether.
What was the most difficult job?
Shrikant Tiwari is now the ‘most wanted man’ now in the nation, from being a ‘star spy’ to a ‘most wanted man’. So, I would say that to get his mojo back or to get his edge back to the character was very difficult. It was something that DK and I at times kept discussing and debating on many things.
For him, it was difficult to convince me. For me, it was difficult to convince him. There were many moments where we were actually debating and discussing to get some elements of Srikant Tiwari back which people loved. You will get to see that Srikant Tiwari will be put in some situations which are very unusual.
Lachmi Deb Roy is the Entertainment Editor of Firstpost, Network18. She reviews films and series with a gender lens. She is a 'Rotten Tomatoes' certified critic. Her interviews are called 'Not Just Bollywood' because she takes a huge interest in world cinema. She has been the winner of the prestigious Laadli Media and Advertising Award for Gender Sensitivity for two consecutive years, 2020 and 2021. OTT over theatrical releases is her preference unless and until it's a King Khan film. She takes interest in fashion, food and art reviews too.