After a four-year hiatus, Prime Video’s hit Indian spy thriller “The Family Man” is finally returning with its third season, and the cast and creators say the extended development time was necessary to maintain the show’s high quality standards.
“It does take a long time. We’re not that quick to churn out a season, and we didn’t want to rush into it if it’s not good,” says co-creator Raj at a roundtable with Variety in Mumbai following the trailer launch. The creative duo behind the series acknowledged that while they were working on other projects, the lengthy development cycle was primarily about ensuring Season 3 met fan expectations.
Manoj Bajpayee reprises his role as Srikant Tiwari, the middle-class family man who secretly works as an intelligence officer. However, the actor revealed that returning to the character after such a gap presented unique challenges.
“It is taken for granted that since one has played Srikant Tiwari in two seasons, so it is going to be a cakewalk. But it’s not that,” Bajpayee says. “It’s a different time altogether. Srikant Tiwari is in a different age, facing a different nemesis altogether. The circumstances are completely different.”
In Season 3, Srikant finds himself in an unprecedented vulnerable position, racing against time to protect himself, his family and the nation from an imminent threat, with the hunter now becoming the hunted. “He’s trying to come to terms with everything that he has lost in these four years. He’s trying to build something new,” Bajpayee says. “In this one, he’s not on top of the game. The story is not giving you that chance, the circumstances are such that he’s not getting any opportunity to be what he used to be.”
The new season introduces two formidable antagonists: Rukma, played by Jaideep Ahlawat, and Meera, portrayed by Nimrat Kaur. Both actors spoke about the challenge of joining such an established franchise.
“I knew that the world that I’m getting into is going to be everything else other than what I come in prepared with,” Kaur says. She compared the experience to working on “Homeland,” noting the unpredictability kept her “on your toes” and created a healthy creative environment. “The culture and that almost… let’s make something amazing happen. That ball was always up in the air.”
The series is set between Mumbai and Nagaland, in India’s northeast. Ahlawat, who previously was the lead in Season 2 of “Paatal Lok,” set in Nagaland, expressed his excitement about returning to the region in a different capacity. “When I was in Kohima [Nagaland’s capital], playing a very different character, this time it felt different. When you go into that get up and then suddenly see yourself like, same spot, different mindset. But that was fun,” he says, referring to his role as the menacing Rukma.
The creative team explained that the extended timeline was partly due to the complexity of developing the new antagonists. “It took us a long time to crack Rukma and Meera’s track. The nemesis, the antagonist. So that was a big deal,” Raj says.
Co-creator DK added that even after deciding to proceed with the season, the production timeline required substantial investment. “It does take almost a year to develop, and then maybe another year to make it. So there’s a two-year timeline to make anyway,” he says.
Nikhil Madhok, director and head of originals at Prime Video India, also spoke about the extended development period. “When you create a great series, people watch it over a Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and then Monday, they ask you, when’s the next season? And it actually takes a good three to four years to put a great series together, because it’s almost like making two and a half three movies,” he says.
Madhok emphasized the importance of maintaining quality over speed. “What you don’t want to do is create a substandard season, because there’s such a strong legacy. So it’s better to do it only when you’re right, versus try to do it fast and get it wrong,” he says.
Returning cast members Sharib Hashmi, who plays JK Talpade, and Priyamani, who portrays Suchitra Tiwari, both spoke about the ease of returning to their characters. “Playing JK is really, I enjoy going on the sets of ‘The Family Man,’” Hashmi says.
Priyamani described herself as “quite a spot-on actress,” noting that once on set with Bajpayee and the directors, “we just go with the flow.” She added that the well-written scripts made preparation easier: “You know what the scene is all about, what’s going to happen. So once you’re on set, you’re sort of 50% mentally prepared,” she says.
Seema Biswas, who plays a political figure in the series, spoke about the challenges of her role. “Doing a politician’s role is, I feel like very tough, so technical,” she says. “They try to make it a political figure, but it’s a human. She is a human. The human emotion is also there. So try to make it like that way.”
Veteran actor Dalip Tahil, who plays the recurring character Kulkarni, reflected on being part of the series from its inception in 2018 when streaming was just beginning in India. “’The Family Man’ for me is very significant and important as it is for the vast audience of this country, because for the first time in the OTT [streaming] platform in this country, we saw the success of a show that was so strongly based and supported by its writing, its terrific direction,” he says.
Vipin Sharma, another recurring cast member, spoke about how he became part of the show. “I saw Raj and DK’s ‘Shor’ and I loved that. I have a habit when I see something that really touches me, I try and find the people who’ve done it and I get in touch with them,” he says. “Suddenly, one day, I got a call from DK saying, ‘we need you in three days.’ And I was like, ‘wow,’ that’s how I became part of it. It also proves that like-mindedness really creates beauty in this world.”
Bajpayee credited Raj and DK for creating a collaborative atmosphere on set. “One of the main elements of ‘The Family Man’ [that is] really touching, apart from the wonderful script writing, is the vibe on the set,” he says. “Raj and DK have this immense ability to create atmosphere where everyone can collaborate. There is no hierarchy. Everyone is contributing.”
The actor recalled that from the first season, rehearsals took place in his van, with the cast having lunch together and workshopping scenes. “It was, it started like that, and I was so glad that it’s still going like that,” Bajpayee says. “In these now, how many years? Seven, eight years, and the vibe is same, the culture of work is same.”
Writer-director Suman Kumar explained the creative team’s approach to keeping the series fresh across seasons. “I don’t think you study audience statistics and see what is working. I don’t think that’s the way. I think stories choose you,” he says. “One of the greatest qualities that I have learned from Raj and DK is you don’t compromise on keeping it fresh.”
Kumar revealed that after Season 1 focused on Islamic terror and Season 2 shifted to a Tamil Tigers story, the team deliberately chose to explore India’s northeast region for Season 3. “India is one country, many worlds. So let’s explore the world,” he says.
Dialogue writer Sumit Arora emphasized the importance of staying connected to contemporary language and emotions. “The only thing that I try to take care of is that I am connected to the ground, that I have my ear on the ground,” he says. “As the world is going, Srikant and his world is going, the family is going, the kids are growing up. So you also keep an eye or ear open to the language, to the kind of things that people are using in today’s time.”
Younger cast member Ashlesha Thakur, who plays Dhriti Tiwari, spoke about her character’s evolution as she transitions to college in Season 3. She recalled the emotional challenges of Season 2, when her character was kidnapped. “I spoke to Suman. I spoke to Raj sir also, and I just broke down on set. Because they say, right, you should keep your character on set. You should never take it back,” she says.
When asked about a potential Season 4, Madhok confirmed the studio’s interest but maintained the same quality-first approach. “Are we keen on ‘The Family Man’ four? Absolutely keen. But we’ll continue to maintain the bar. First, ‘The Family Man’ three should be loved by everybody. And second, four should have a compelling story,” he says.
Co-creator Raj adds cryptically, “Once you see Season 3, the question will be answered.”
“The Family Man” Season 3 will premiere on Prime Video on Nov. 21 worldwide. The series also stars Vedant Sinha, Shreya Dhanwanthary, Gul Panag, Seema Biswas, Jugal Hansraj and Aditya Srivastava.
