- Date of Release: 28 October 2022
- Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
- Language: Hindi
- Watch On: Amazon Prime Video
Flames Season 3
Introduction
Thank God It Is Friday and after a busy “week” of new releases, the “weekend” is going to be equally busy with no respite. And this is because the new releases have started pouring in. First up I finished watching the latest season of the much loved TVF show Flames on Amazon Prime. TVF have been churning out content faster than Akshay Kumar doing films. So if it was the third season of Tripling last weekend, it is the third season of Flames this weekend. But before that a rant!
There was a major goof up last night from Amazon Prime who did not bother to check whether all the episodes of Flames was uploaded or not. As a result, the third episode(which in hindsight was a very crucial episode) went missing. Now we all make mistakes and that should not be a problem but I had an issue with the turnaround time which should have been quicker. And I say that because not all reviewers may wait for that episode and so the review would effectively be of just 4 of the 5 episodes which is quite unfair on the show! As I write this, the third episode is now restored and only after having watched it, am I penning this review.
Coming back to the show, I had absolutely loved the first two seasons of Flames which was one of the shows wherein TVF/The Timeliners did get the age demographic of 15 to 21 years(perhaps a little lower) bang on. We have all been through that phase where we were attracted to that one person in our coaching classes and that meant for an eventful and nostalgic viewing. So when the third season was announced and I was really curious about it. And now that I have finished watching the third season of Flames, here are my two cents on it.
Story & Screenplay
The third season of Flames picks up from the same point where season 2 had ended where the relationship between Rajat and Ishita keeps going through its share of ups and downs. The strong point of the drama is its writing which will instantly make you relate to the setting and its characters although I did feel that the magic of the earlier seasons is missing. The screenplay standing at just 5 episodes of roughly 20 to 30 odd minutes each makes for a breezy watch.
The drama like the third season of Tripling does not waste time on the world building here which was good to witness. The focus is on the character dynamics between the protagonists that makes for a compelling watch here. The issues here are trivial but you need to keep in mind the demographics of a show. That basically means that the issue maybe trivial for a late 20 year old but in your teens this may seem like the biggest problem ever! These accounts for some heartfelt moments throughout the screenplay.
A unique feature of the show is the voiceover which equates the drama with certain concepts of Chemistry, something that has continued through the previous seasons too, and something that works quite well this time too. The drama here is engaging with the right doses of humour although a small drawback being that it does get slightly repetitive in parts. But to the credit of the writers, some of the subplots involving the coaching class, insecurity in a relationship and family talks – one that is more heartwarming and welcoming, and the other a forced decision for the kids only for self realisation to creep in, makes for a relatable drama and quite heartwarming(although nothing novel).
The resolutions in the show are simplistic and decently well penned. The drama at this point could have been a little more layered but that is probably the theme of the show – simple problems and simplistic solutions. The events leading to the final act are decent as well but the final act ends on an interesting note setting up things nicely for season 4. Overall, the writing is good here although nothing that you haven’t seen before.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are sweet and simple and that us what makes them impactful too. The music is decent here as is the BGM and cinematography. Director Divyanshu Malhotra does a splendid job here in weaving out moments in the screenplay which are heartfelt and relatable while making the drama engaging and enjoyable.
Performances
The performances are really good here. Deepesh Sumitra Jagdish as Kaushal Sir is fabulous to watch. Raj Sharma as Ishita’s father is such an endearing character and beautifully written too. Purnendu Bhattacharya and Neelu Dogra as Rajat’s parents have their moments to shine. Gaurav Manwani as Batri is first rate. Vikhyat Gulati as Nikhil is a welcome addition to the series and he does a good job.
If anyone from TVF is reading this – here is an idea which I would love to pitch. Nikhil’s character is shown to be studying in IIT and so if there is a way if he could enter the universe of Kota Factory in some manner(say by leaving IIT halfway and inspiring a few others to follow their dreams or simply by being added to the coaching staff after completing IIT), it would be like a small little multiverse which maybe interesting to watch. Who wouldn’t love all the TVF shows to start finding common ground!
Shivam Kakar as Pandu is brilliant and a lot of fun to watch. Sunakshi Grover as Anusha looks really cute here and definitely makes her presence felt. Tanya Maniktala as Ishita has a towering persona onscreen and she is really well restrained and quite outstanding to witness onscreen. Ritvik Sahore as Rajat is quietly charming and perfectly represents the vulnerabilities to his character in what was a brilliant performance. I really wish he keeps shining and wish to watch more of his work because the man is a serious talent with a terrific range of expressions in his acting armoury.
Conclusion
The third season of Flames is another sweet and cute outing by TVF which makes for a good watch. Available on Amazon Prime.