When we think of corporate life, we think of the hectic work, the never-ending conference calls outside working hours, and the stress amidst the fancy lifestyle. However, Bench Life, the new Telugu web series directed by Manasa Sharma, taps into a specific element of the corporate set-up — the bench life, where an employee gets paid well but is delegated smaller responsibilities than others. Such a work profile understandably comes with its share of perks as well as downsides.
Writer duo Manasa Sharma and Mahesh Uppala manage to establish this universe in a clean fashion, even though the nuances of this world might be familiar to the audience. Bench Life has a unique premise, but familiar characters, conflicts and resolutions — there is nothing too complicated or intricate here. At its core, it remains a simple story, charting the redemption of its principal characters with an easygoing narrative and oodles of humour.
The show primarily chronicles the lives of its three protagonists - Balu (Vaibhav Reddy), Ravi (Charan Peri), and Meenakshi (Ritika Singh). They differ in their professional ambitions but are united in their desire for a place on the Bench Team. While their professional (and often personal, too) etiquette remains questionable at best, director Manasa Sharma does a good job of playing light-footed with these moments of non-heroic behaviour. Bench Life is clear in its comic intent, which is established right during the opening stretch where we have our protagonist Balu (Vaibhav Reddy) desperately field his position amidst a sea of colleagues who all want the bench life for their own reasons. There are also the usual tropes associated with young corporate lives — the never-ending hankering for a Goa trip, for example.
As we learn more about the characters, there are plenty of situations that naturally lend themselves to humour, like Vaibhav being compelled to act like a team leader for a brief period. The actors sell most of these farcical moments effortlessly. Manasa Sharma utilises her cast very well, right down to a veteran like Tulasi in a small but impactful role. While the writer duo take some liberties with the details around the workplace—How Balu gets away with his lax attitude doesn’t always come across as believable. However, in what’s one of the few shortcomings of the series, the show, in its attempt to always maintain a light-hearted tone, underperforms when it comes to making us root for some of its characters, Balu in particular.
Balu is laidback, largely unambitious, and someone hard to emotionally invest in. Vaibhav Reddy delivers a strong performance, but his character never quite strikes a chord with the audience. Somewhere in episode 1, we are made clear about Balu’s reasons for wanting a place on the Bench Team, which are also linked with his romantic feelings for a colleague. However, amidst all his comedy-driven moments, we never truly empathise with Balu or stay invested in his desperate attempts to remain on the bench team. The entire arc of Balu’s feelings for Isha (Aakanksha Singh) could have been etched out better, too.
In contrast, Meenakshi and Ravi are more well-rounded characters (even though Ravi remains unlikeable well until the final episode). Meenakshi, especially, is undoubtedly the most rootable protagonist here—not just because she is a hustler, and her absence from work comes at an admirable cost, but also because her struggle begins at home, with a nagging mother who wants her to get married as soon as possible and curb her ‘crazy’ ambitions. If anything, Meenakshi’s narrative needed more humour, considering the material is all here—I mean, where else have we seen a character who steals little props and artefacts from her workplace and surroundings, only to use them for her filmmaking projects?
In fact, the show has an array of well-written female characters, who have arcs and struggles of their own. Meenakshi, of course, has filmmaking aspirations, but even Isha’s equation with her estranged father plays a huge part in how the narrative unfolds. Similarly, Nayan Sarika’s character
Gayatri is established in a comical tone, where she could be easily written off as a dim-witted, clingy wife. But eventually, it’s Gayatri you empathise with, more than her selfish husband Ravi, who is too self-oriented to be considerate about her feelings. Bench Life, however, struggles to maintain a smooth balance between its humour and sentiment in the latter episodes. There is a clear shift in mood once the lead characters begin to realise their folly and begin their short and quick journey towards redemption. The series comes close to becoming preachy in these portions, and the imbalance becomes evident.
If the show remains watchable through all its rough patches, it’s because of the strong performances from its lead cast, who are equipped with good comedic timing and consistently deliver laughs. Vaibhav Reddy and Rajendra Prasad are fabulous. Playing a retired IPS officer who wants to reconcile with his daughter, and quietly empowers another ambitious colleague, Rajendra Prasad brings great warmth to the series. His presence in a show that is largely about the anxieties and desperation of the current generation feels like a breath of fresh air. The scenes with his characters Prasad and Balu are particularly rib-tickling.
Bench Life is a breezy entertainer that explores the lives of a generation that is constantly struggling to make peace with the demands of corporate life, albeit with a light-hearted treatment. Despite its share of flaws, the series remains an easy watch.
Bench Life
Cast: Vaibhav Reddy, Ritika Singh, Rajendra Prasad, Charan Peri, Nayan Sarika, Tulasi
Director: Manasa Sharma