- Date of Release: 22 December 2023
- Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
- Language: Hindi
- Watch On: Zee5 Premium
Humorously Yours (Season 3)
Introduction
Onto the next weekend release and I have finished watching the new Hindi show, the third season of Humorously Yours which is now streaming on Zee5. The show marks the fourth TVF show in just two weeks(with Sapne Vs Everyone being released on a weekly basis). I had watched the first sesson of Humorously Yours back in the day when the webshows itself was a fresh concept, and I had absolutely loved the meta-setting of the show. Clearly intended to be in line with the sitcom Seinfeld, the show takes you on a little tour in the life of a standup comic as he deals with bouts of insecurity with regard to his future, while sharing warm bonds with the people around him. And Vipul Goyal(playing himself) was simply incredible on the show with his consistent sense of comic timing which was for everyone to witness. The show had been consistent with its humour even in its second season. So come the third season, I was quite looking forward to more of the same with newer additions to the show in terms of the trademark TVF warmth. So then does the third season of Humorously Yours manage to tickle your funny bone, let’s find out.
Story & Screenplay
The third season of Humorously Yours continues with the story of popular standup comic Vipul Goyal as he looks was newer ways to expand his ‘brand of comedy’ while having to pay his home debts along the way. The story here is incredibly good with frequent bouts of humour that will keep you invested throughout. But like always, there are bouts of warmth to accompany the humour that truly rounds off a happy picture for the show. The screenplay standing at 5 episodes ranging from 30 odd to 40 odd minutes does make for an enjoyable watch that is fun and frothy right throughout the season.
The drama begins with the introduction of Vipul Goyal performing on stage that instantly sets the tone of the drama to follow. But what the writers do early on is to establish the vulnerability of the protagonist in terms of his finances contrary to the opinion that many would have for standup comics. So amidst this financial insecurity clout, he is begged to visit his college for an alumni meet, something that he finally succumbs to thereby taking him into a night filled with fun, laughter, awkwardness and his new found idea to have stage shows in US.
The writing is almost episodic and broken into different events in the routine life of the protagonist with a thin thread tying the episodes together. As a result, you do get to be a silent spectator in some of his most hilarious shows along the way, while also getting into his personal space(ofcourse all of it fictional) and the equations that he shares with his wife and his manager and friends. But what the writing consistently scores in is its meta references in terms of its brand of comedy and also with real life personalities playing themselves on the show. This was completely inline with the English sitcom Seinfeld or in a desi perspective, AK Vs AK with most actors being versions of their real life personalities. But even in this space, some characters impart certain life lessons along the way in the most warm manner possible while gently touching upon the different issues related to performers and celebrities(at times at the fag end of their careers too).
The events leading to the final act includes Vipul’s dream of performing in the US almost becoming a reality wherein he begins inculcating the new comedy format(and one of my favourites), ‘Crowd Work’ in that epic finale episode that was just so funny(much like the various other standups on the show). A little twist in the tale at the end sets up things really well for the next season while compounding the issues in the life of Vipul Goyal. So overall, the screenplay is light, frothy and hilarious while never getting weighed down by excessive drama.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are hilarious, comprising of witty one-liners and frequent comedic punches that had me either cracking up or laughing hysterically(or both). The BGM like in most TVF productions is understated and it aides the drama at various junctures in the narrative while consistently maintaining the tone of the drama. The cinematography offers frames which are at times tight closeups during an ongoing performance while allowing the viewers to be gentle bystanders on the show that makes for a solid impact. The editing is crisp and doesn’t allow the drama to lag at any given point of time. The costume department does a great job particularly with the character of Bhushi who wears T-Shirts with funny captions. Other characters are also given costumes related to their personalities. Director Anant Singh ‘Bhaatu’ in his second outing in as many weeks(after the third season of Immature) does a fine job here in extracting humour right throughout the course of the narrative. This, while he also maintains a thread of warmth and insecurity that ties the episodes together while never allowing the drama to get bogged down. The direction was pretty impressive here.
Performances
The performances are excellent here by the ensemble cast. Each episode comprises of the biggest names in the comic world with the likes of Anubhav Bassi, Amit Tandon, Harsh Gujral and veterans like Johny Lever and Rakesh Bedi, and all of them are stunning additions to the show wherein they contribute with their wit and humour. Sahil Veema as Lamba does essay the character of the manager of Vipul, and his comic timing is as natural and effortless as one can imagine. His unassuming presence will put a smile on your face. Abhishek Banerjee as Bhushi is clearly having a ball, and his dry sense of humour had me cracking up more often than not. Rasika Dugal as Kavya is wonderfully understated while sharing a gentle but playful vibe with her onscreen husband wherein she does such an outstanding job. And her camaraderie(or should I say banter directed towards Vipul) with Lamba forms one of the highlights of the season. Vipul Goyal essaying himself is incredibly good here(kyun na ho, he is playing himself na?😂). I have quite been a fan of his standups that are observational and inculcate a sense of humour that is very unique to him. And here too, some of his gigs are so funny that I literally fell off my chair laughing at several junctures. He is just brilliant here and such a treat to watch!
Conclusion
The third season of Humorously Yours is a hilarious meta-comedy following the life of a hilarious standup artist that comes with my highest recommendation. Available on Zee5 and Highly Recommended.