Serious Men (film)

Serious Men is an Indian Hindi-language satirical comedy-drama film directed by Sudhir Mishra. It is based on the book of the same name by Manu Joseph and features Nawazuddin Siddiqui in the lead role. The film is produced by Bombay Fables and Cineraas Entertainment. It was released on Netflix on 2 October 2020. Exploring the themes of class, caste, and prejudice, the film is a reminder of the challenges that Dalit people face in India.

At the 2021 Filmfare OTT Awards, Serious Men received three nominations, including Best Supporting Actor in a Web Original Film for Aakshath Das, and won two awards: Best Web Original Film and Best Actor in a Web Original Film (Siddiqui).

Synopsis
The film follows Ayyan Mani, a middle-aged man working as an assistant to an astronomer at the National Institute of Fundamental Research in Mumbai. He lives in a slum with his wife and son. Furious at his situation in life, Ayyan develops an outrageous story that his ten-year-old son, Adi, is a science genius.

Adi, though a bright boy, is no genius. Ayyan coaches him on what to say and do in public, and he uses a Bluetooth hearing aid to provide the boy with answers. Ayyan's scheme works, and Adi soon becomes a local celebrity. He is invited to give talks at schools and universities and is even featured on national television.

Ayyan's success attracts the attention of a local politician, who sees Adi as a potential asset for his party. He offers Ayyan a large sum of money if he can convince Adi to endorse the politician's party in the upcoming elections. Ayyan agrees but soon realizes that he has made a mistake.

In the end, Ayyan's deception is revealed. The family moves to a seaside village to live a simpler life.

Cast

 * Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Ayyan Mani
 * Indira Tiwari as Oja Mani
 * Aakshath Das as Adi Mani
 * Nassar as Dr. Arvind Acharya
 * Sanjay Narvekar as Keshav Dhavre
 * Shweta Basu Prasad as Anuja Dhavre
 * Vidhi Chitalia as Oparna
 * Pathy Aiyar as Udayan
 * Sameer Khakhar as Ganesh Tawde
 * Uday Mahesh as Dr. Namboodri
 * Manu Joseph as Journalist at press conference

Production
The film is based on the book Serious Men by Manu Joseph. The makers of the film decided to cast Nawazuddin Siddiqui as the lead in June 2019. Principal photography commenced in September 2019.

Release
The film was released on Netflix on 2 October 2020.