Mishras are back. Annu is now a working person, which means a new source of income has arrived. But with this, the expenditure has also skyrocketed.
Aman, who tops his board, is now confused as to what to do next, while his family pushes him to take up science, and with that comes hefty fees.
They go through a nightmare and come out with a feeling of love, and happiness and leave giving us immense hope.
Gullak Season 3: What works
In our opinion, the Gullak is now beyond reviews and verification. Moving out of TVF-Sony Liv Mill, it is now in the ground where the line between REEL and REAL is blurred, a place where the middle class finds redemption, a region that feels as though we have passed through broken glass to the Mishra Niwas.
From a crackling window. These are no longer characters played by veteran actors, but real three-dimensional people who breathe the same air as you and I do.
But who will pay my bills if I don't write a review? It could very well become a love letter to the creators. you have been warned!
Written by Durgesh Singh, one of the most observant writers, Gullak Season 3 kicks off days after Kick Point Season 2 ends.
Remember that family portrait imprisoned as Papa placed a hand on Annu's shoulder and we all got teary-eyed? It has been framed and now sits on the living room wall.
(Observation: Annu also wears the same/similar t-shirt in the season 3 climax). Annu is coming of age, Aman is approaching the age of the lunatics, Papa is still searching for life and Maa still has to shout to be heard by the majority household.
Literally in the original syntax
Nothing has changed and it's a win for the team where they started and feeling like we just saw the last episode of season 2 yesterday.
With Season 3 the camera widens its horizons a bit. The world is confined to the walls, with the paint locked in, now capturing the essence of the landscape in which it is set.
Durgesh Singh and Palash Vaswani together make their audience acknowledge and respect their love as they make Season 2 in moments rather than big scenes.
The best part is that these moments simply pass and are never zoomed in or highlighted.
For example, the above picture is never captured in a still frame, it just exists. Or in a crucial scene when Annu finally 'grows up' and puts on Papa's chappal, you are never spoon-fed.
And of course, emotions and tears are by-products of the Gullak and it goes without saying. Further adding to this already full bucket is DOP Shiv Prakash, who invokes a sense of nostalgia as you now know these people and the setup inside and out.
He captures Mishra's world through doors, windows and even pillars without trying to frame him. It makes you realize how small their world is but how satisfied they are with it.
Anurag Saika has given a title track to this show which is one of the best 5 for me in the Indian OTT arena. He keeps on evolving with the story as well as personally.
Gullak season 3: Star performance
As a team, Geetanjali Kulkarni, Jameel Khan, Vaibhav Raj Gupta and Harsh Maiar have become his characters.
There isn't an inch of his real form in the frame, but the characters he creates feel so authentic and heartfelt that you want to believe it's real. Their dialogue exchange is so organic that it doesn't feel like it was shot for a camera.
Vaibhav as Annu deserves all the special mentions that will come his way this season. He has the spotlight and makes sure he doesn't take it lightly.
His character goes through a maximum transformation and this is reflected not only in his dialogues and acting but also in his body language, and his attitude and Vaibhav makes sure his eyes do the same.
He has to sacrifice his dream for his younger brother and the pain of not having enough to achieve both is a scene where he hits a target.
Harsh Meier is also going through a transition phase and you can see him trying his best to excel in his part. Geetanjali Kulkarni and Jameel Khan are actors who are beyond recognition and my experience is a drop in the vast ocean.
Kulkarni brings Shanti alive and you can see her mother in her. Jameel represents every loving father so faithfully.
Gullak Season 3: What Doesn't Work
Although I'm a huge fan of the show, I won't overlook the fact that Season 3 takes the plunge into Episode 3. The glue for attending events and making them look the same is missing a lot and should have been there.
Titled Agua, the episode is a good story on its own but doesn't fit into the scheme of things in the show. It takes you largely out of the experience, saved only by the trajectory that takes you in full force.
Gullak Season 3 Review: The Last Word
Gullak 3 brings back the feel-good factor with a pinch of nostalgia and a big spoon full of emotions. This is one broth that you should enjoy without asking too many questions because the smile it leaves you with will answer them all.