Raj and DK recall a US filmmaker once advised them not to make The Family Man; he said, 'This show is not going to work'

Ahead of the Season 3 premiere, Raj revealed that an international filmmaker had warned them the show was destined to fail because a spy thriller infused with comedy “would never work.”

The Family Man may now be one of India’s most celebrated streaming franchises, but its creators Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK were once advised to abandon the project altogether.

Ahead of the Season 3 premiere, Raj revealed that an international filmmaker had warned them the show was destined to fail because a spy thriller infused with comedy “would never work.”

Speaking to Hindustan Times, Raj recalled the early days, before Amazon Prime Video came on board, when they circulated the show bible for feedback. “One of the guys from the US, a creator there… said, ‘This show is not going to work. Don’t do it!’” Raj said.

According to the filmmaker, the feedback suggested that espionage dramas simply could not merge with humour. “He felt you cannot club two genres like this. There hasn’t been a spy show in the world with this mix. When there is comedy, it becomes a spoof,” Raj said.

But Raj & DK were convinced that the blend of geopolitics, culture, and an “in-built humour” was exactly what would set The Family Man apart.

Interestingly, maintaining that tonal balance remains challenging even today. Raj revealed that several scenes that turned out “too funny” were removed in the edit to ensure the series never drifts into spoof territory. “Sometimes what they did was too funny… it didn’t make sense in the situation,” he explained.

While Season 1 travelled to Kashmir and Season 2 explored stories linked to Chennai and the Tamil Eelam movement, Season 3 relocates the espionage drama to India’s Northeast. Raj said the shift was part of a conscious progression. “These were the places that needed a light to be shone on… because we have so many stories set in every other part of the country, and these were the less-seen ones.”

Also read: Family Man creators Raj and DK on pausing two films for the show: "Glad we took that detour"

Manoj Bajpayee returns as Srikant Tiwari alongside Sharib Hashmi, Priyamani, Shreya Dhanwanthary, Gul Panag, Ashlesha Thakur and Vedant Sinha. The new season introduces Jaideep Ahlawat as the antagonist, with Nimrat Kaur joining the cast.

The Family Man Season 3 premieres on Amazon Prime Video on November 21.