Cast: Vaibhav Reddy, Ritika Singh, Charan, Akanksha Singh, Nayan Sarika, Rajendra Prasad, Tanikella Bharani, Venkatesh Kakumanu, and others.
Writer and Director: Manasa Sharma
Cinematography: Dhanush Bhaskar
Music: P.K. Dandi
Producer: Niharika Konidela
Production Company: Pink Elephant Pictures
OTT Platform: SonyLIV
Release Date: September 12, 2024
After the recent release and success of ‘Committee Kurrollu,’ which featured new actors and a fresh storyline, Niharika Konidela received commendations. This set high expectations for her newly produced web series ‘Bench Life,’ centered around the struggles of software employees, directed by Manasa Sharma against an IT backdrop. The series stars Vaibhav Reddy, Charan Peri, Ritika Singh, and Akanksha Singh in leading roles and began streaming on SonyLIV from September 12. Let’s delve into this review to see if ‘Bench Life’ is another hit in Niharika’s account.
What’s the Story?
Balu (Vaibhav Reddy), Ravi (Charan Peri), and Meenakshi (Ritika Singh) are employees at a prominent software company and also good friends. Balu has been in love with Esha (Akanksha Singh), a colleague, for nine years but has never confessed his feelings. Meanwhile, Meenakshi dreams of becoming a director and circulates her scripts among producers. In the meantime, Ravi plans a trip to Goa with his wife (Nayan Sarika) and two friends, prompting the three friends to go on the bench. What happens after they go on the bench? What role does Prasad Vashisht (Rajendra Prasad) play in the company? What causes discord between Ravi and his wife? Did Ravi confess his love to Esha? What happened to Esha’s dream of becoming a director? To find out, one must watch the series.
How Did They Perform?
Vaibhav, as Balu, delivers a commendable performance, generating plenty of laughs with his comedic timing. Akanksha Singh, as his love interest, played her part well, captivating as a reserved young woman unable to express her inner feelings. The highlight of the series might be said to be the duo Charan Peri and Nayan Sarika, whose performances along with their scenes together are highly entertaining. Ritika fits perfectly into the role of Meenakshi, a young woman struggling to break free from an unsatisfying job to pursue her dreams of directing. Tulasi justly fulfills her role, while Rajendra Prasad once again charms with his comedic timing and emotional delivery. Tanikella Bharani, though in a brief role, makes a significant impact at a crucial moment in the story. Niharika Konidela, Sangith Shoban, and Venkat make memorable appearances in guest roles.
How Was the Direction?
Director Manasa Sharma has crafted the series in a way that connects well with the youth, particularly software employees, developing each character with a purposeful arc. The finale provided for the characters of Charan Peri and Nayan Sarika is particularly well-done. However, the endings given to Ritika Singh and Akanksha Singh’s characters feel overly cinematic and lack naturalness. The comedy track between Rajendra Prasad and Vaibhav Reddy is a significant plus, as are the sentimental scenes involving Rajendra Prasad and Nayan Sarika. Overall, director Manasa Sharma has earned commendable marks, though the coarse language used by Vaibhav and the series’ appeal primarily to IT professionals could be seen as drawbacks.
Technically…
On the technical front, the cinematographer has done an excellent job presenting the software office environment effectively. The background music is also praiseworthy. Other departments like art work and production design have shown solid performance, reflecting high production values.
Plus Points
– Performances of the main cast
– Directional skills
– Comedy elements
Minus Points
– Occasionally bold dialogues
– Appeal mainly limited to IT professionals
