Bada Naam Karenge series review: Sooraj Barjatya impressively cracks a show that will bring family together on OTT

Director: Palash Vaswani

Showrunner: Sooraj Barjatya

Star cast: Kanwaljit Singh, Jameel Khan, Ritik Ghanshani, Ayesha Kaduskar, Rajesh Tailang

Where to watch: Sony Liv

Rating: 3.5 stars

Rishabh Raathi (Ritik Ghanshani), the blue-eyed boy of Ratlam's influential Raathi family is advised to meet the girl they have selected for him to get married. However, when Rishabh travels with his family to meet the girl, he is surprised to see Surbhi Gupta (Ayesha Kaduskar), a girl with whom he has a past. What happens next? Will they reconcile? What was their past, and what will be their future? All these questions are answered in 9 episodes which are thought-provoking, moving, entertaining, and at last take you to the good old days of feeling true love all over again. 

The domain of over-the-top platforms is dominated heavily by explicit content, movies or shows that one might watch in his/her personal space. However, filmmaker Sooraj Barjatya did it again. The man who's known for bringing families to cinema halls has successfully cracked a show that will be enjoyed by the family. This show caters to each age group and subtly touches upon the topics of women being suppressed by the men of the family. Dreams and passion get crumbled under the baggage of family name and legacy. Patriarchy ruling and ruining the relationships.  

Directed by Palash Vaswani (Gullak) does it again, packing a show that taps upon a Gen-Z love story, but stays rooted to the values. The series is set between 2020-2025, an accidental meet-up that grew into a love story in 42 days of Covid lockdown, and how the duo strive to tackle the challenges thrown by their family members. 

What makes BNK more relatable is because of the characters. Rishabh's family is governed by the Anand Raathi (Kanwaljit Singh), the head of the family. A man who unknowingly traps his family members with his principles. The women in Raathi aren't allowed to express themselves or even voice their views that are against their men. On the other side, the Guptas are led by Lalit Gupta (Jameel Khan), a middle-class teacher who allows his family to live without these bondages and allows them to live their lives on their own terms. The different characters will find a high relatability with the audience, as they will relate with one or more characters throughout the show. 

Watch the promo of Bada Naam Karenge

Speaking about the performances, Ritik as Rishabh does a fine job. He's a mixture of Prem from Vivah with Prem from Maine Pyar Kiya. Rishabh does the heavy lifting of emotional scenes from the fifth episode, and he does it well. Ayesha as Surbhi will win you over. While watching the show, I could find Nisha (Madhuri Dixit) from Hum Aapke Hain Koun in her. Maybe the Maharastrain factor made me think so, but she holds a good command over her emotions. Jameel Khan, as expected lights up the screen every time he appears. His character looks like an extension of Gullak, and he carries the narrative with finesse. Kanwaljit Singh has successfully replaced Alok Nath, and he does a commendable job as the head of the family. Rajesh Tailang is a big surprise to show. His character will receive a lot of hate, and that's a big win for him. Anjana Sukhani, who plays Rajesh's wife will also astonish you. It's good to see her back, showcasing her impressive acting chops. Other supporting cast members also justify the role, because of the strong writing. 

The show does have shortcomings. The first three episodes look a little longer. The COVID lockdown love story doesn't find its footing until the fourth episode. Even the chemistry of the duo was lacking in the first four episodes. The drama picks up with Rajesh Tailing's entry and the veterans take the show to a new level. We know it's a Rajshri show, but the multiple references, songs of Maine Pyar Kiya and even Dosti playing in the background bothered me after a while. However, all these red marks are easily forgettable as Sooraj Barjatya has brought a fresh change to OTT. Bada Naam Karenge will entertain family audiences effortlessly.