Bench Life is a new series that has been promoted on a very low note. Not many even know that Niharika Konidela has produced this series in the first place. Directed by Manasa Sharma, this series has Vaibhav Reddy, Ritika Singh, Aakanksha Singh, and Rajendra Prasad in key roles. Read our detailed review here on Filmyfocus.
Story: Bench Life follows three software professionals Balu (Vaibhav Reddy), Meenakshi (Ritika Singh), and Ravi (Charan Peri) who seem content with their jobs but secretly long for more. Balu is focused on proposing to his longtime crush, Esha (Akanksha Singh), and starting a life with her. Meenakshi dreams of becoming a director while working as an assistant director on the side. Ravi has a simpler ambition: to remain on the bench and take a trip to Goa. The idea of being on the bench ties them together, but what does it mean? How far will they go to achieve this goal, and at what cost to their careers?
Performances: Vaibhav Reddy’s return to Telugu screens as Poshina Balu is a joy, though the role feels too small for his talent. He shines in emotional scenes but lacks a strong character arc. Ritika Singh is good, but the dubbing could have been better. Charan Peri as Ravi is the highlight, a relatable character for anyone dreaming of a Goa trip. Nayan Sarika impresses as a middle-class housewife, capturing innocence through her expressions. Akanksha Singh is decent, but her emotional depth falls short. Veterans Rajendra Prasad and Tanikella Bharani deliver solid performances.
Technical Aspects: Director Manasa Sharma has crafted the story of Bench Life in a way that resonates well, especially with the youth and software employees. Her effort to give each character a well-defined arc is commendable. Overall, she shines as both a director and storyteller. The technical aspects—cinematography, background music, art direction, and production design—are all on point and suit the series perfectly.
Analysis: Bench Life is a show that avoids the trend of unnecessarily dragging out the story, which is common in many recent web series. Though there are a few dull moments, they are not too off-putting. The conclusion given to the characters played by Charan Peri and Nayan Sarika is well-crafted and satisfying. The comedy scenes related to Vaibhav have been executed in a solid manner.
However, the endings for Ritika Singh and Akanksha Singh’s characters feel overly cinematic and lack a natural flow. It’s somewhat disappointing to see one character get a solid resolution while others, who are just as important, are left with an unsatisfactory closure. This imbalance detracts from the overall cohesion of the story. But in all this director Manasa does not try add forced comedy or emotions that look over the top and this is the best part of the series.
Despite this, the series shows good maturity in its scene design and storytelling. The Rajendra Prasad-Vaibhav Reddy comedy track is particularly successful, bringing humor and lightness to the narrative. There is no preaching in the series and things are shown as it is though they are predictable. In a way, you can make Bench Life an enjoyable series to watch with friends over the weekend, with many relatable moments and scenes that mirror real life.
Verdict: Overall, Bench Life is a fun series that has a relatable premise. Though there is nothing new that has been showcased, the comedy, breezy runtime, and simple narrative make for a time-pass watch this weekend. Give it a shot if you have nothing else to do.
Bottom Line: A timepass watch
Rating: 2.5/5
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