Netflix’s Tribhuvan Mishra CA Topper, headlined by Manav Kaul and Tillotama Shome, is one of the few hatke shows that deserves more attention. It revolves around Tribhuvan Mishra, essayed by Manav, who’s a CA Topper (of course), an honest and loyal government employee, has a loving wife and kids, and leads a simple life trying to make ends meet. When faced with a financial crisis, Tribhuvan takes up moonlighting as a male escort. Things take an unexpected turn when one of his clients – Bindi essayed by Tillotama, ends up falling in love with him.
Bindi is a romantic at heart who adores Bollywood songs and hopes that her husband Teeka Ram Jain (played by a brilliant Shubhrajyoti Barat) will dance for her like the heroes in cinema. Teeka Ram on the other hand is only interested in five-star reviews from his customers, albeit not for the sweets in his shop, but for his side-business where he does contract kidnappings/killings. Fed up of being treated like a piece of furniture by her husband, Bindi seeks solace in the arms of Tribhuvan.
All hell breaks loose when Teeka Ram finds out about Bindi and Tribhuvan’s shenanigans. The rest of the series revolves around what transpires next and how our CA Topper navigates the dangerous consequences of his decisions. There’s also a parallel track involving Tribhuvan’s brother-in-law Shambhu (Sumit Gulati) and his wife Shobha (Shweta Basu Prasad) that adds both mirth and mayhem to the plot. You’d also find Panchayat fame Ashok Pathak as Teeka Ram’s trusted aide Dhaincha, and Faisal Malik as a cop (named Haider Ali) struggling with his weight in terrific form.
Helmed by Puneet Krishna and Amrit Raj Gupta, the strength of the series lies in its solid writing and the peculiarities imparted to each of its characters. Though the show tackles subjects like women’s desires, homosexuality, and various human frailties, it never loses sight of the fun and entertainment quotient, partly because of its quirky characters as well. It is peppered with over-the-top situational comedy under life-threatening circumstances which leaves you both amused and in anticipation.
The nine-episode long series, with each clocking in about an hour, does get tedious at times but the superlative performances by Manav and Tillotama keep you hooked to the screens. Both shine bright in their respective characters and put up a feisty act that uplifts the screenplay. They’re also ably supported by an absolutely delightful supporting cast who never miss a single beat. However, the show is replete with expletives and explicit scenes so you may not want to watch it with elders and younger ones in your family. Other than that, Tribhuvan Mishra CA Topper deserves your time and attention.
(This Feature was first published on The Movie Mail’s Instagram page)
