'The Family Man 3': Manoj Bajpayee says Srikant is 'not in his top form': 'He is trying to get his strength and mojo back'

Srikant Tiwari is finally returning in the third season of the series 'The Family Man', but Manoj Bajpayee wants fans to know they are not meeting the same man they left four years ago. As he puts it, “Srikant is not in his top form right now. He’s a little wobbly.”

Srikant is not the same man anymore

Bajpayee, who has turned Srikant into arguably India’s most loved on-screen spy, explains that the new chapter finds the character at a fragile point both at work and at home. He says the opening episode will show that Srikant is on shaky ground with his family, and that emotional turbulence directly affects how he operates in the field. “Any common person derives their strength from the family. Even if there is a quarrel in the family, the day is messed up. So, he is not the Srikant Tiwari with his swag and sharpness. His job is gone; he is trying to get his strength and mojo back.”

The Prime Video favorite has always stood out for the way creators Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK balance espionage with everyday domestic chaos. Bajpayee believes that contrast will feel even sharper this season, as the hero tries to rebuild his confidence while still being pulled into high-stakes operations.

A fierce new rival and a tense new setting

Adding to Srikant’s troubles is a formidable new antagonist played by Jaideep Ahlawat. For Bajpayee, reuniting with Ahlawat after 'Chittagong' and 'Gangs of Wasseypur' was a creative high. He recalls how they instantly picked up their old rhythm on set. “We would keep meeting on and off,” he says, before breaking into praise. “Jaideep badhiya actor hai! When you work with brilliant actors, you feel great as an artiste. You feed off each other.”

This time, Raj and DK move the story to Northeast India, with the narrative primarily rooted in Nagaland. Viewers may wonder how much of the region’s real-life tensions find their way into the fictional world. Bajpayee shares that “a lot of it does, but the show is primarily set in Nagaland. Not all the states in the Northeast are going through [conflict]. Entertainment is always our primary motive, but that hint of what we want to say shows in the story.”

With a shaken Srikant, a powerful new rival, and a politically charged backdrop, 'The Family Man 3' looks set to deepen the emotional and political layers that made the series a standout thriller in the first place.



Get an chance to win ₹5000 Amazon Voucher by taking part in India's Biggest Habit Index! Take the survey here