Raat Jawaan Hai review: Near-perfect depiction of perils of balancing parenthood and adult friendships

Exactly why don’t we have enough shows showing us the many challenges of maintaining adult friendships? A very real problem, faced by many is their 20s and well into their 30s, finds little-to-no representation in the visual medium—until SonyLiv’s Raat Jawaan Hai. Directed by Sumeet Vyas (think Permanent Roommates, English Vinglish) the show follows three friends — an outspoken, zesty Radhika (Anjali Anand), a calm and self-composed Suman (Priya Bapat) and a grumpy, mostly sulking but very entertaining stay-at-home dad Avinash (Barun Sobti).

Raat Jawaan Hai: Plot
The three friends run from pillar to post trying to find time for each other. They reminisce how, back in the day, they would plan a Goa trip at the drop of a hat and now most of their time is spent in matching each other’s schedule. They schedule playdates at the park, a creche and a daycare center but cannot as much go watch Avengers together. Halfway around the first episode, the tired, exhausted adult in me was rooting for this movie date to happen (and was then heartbroken when the camera panned to three empty chairs in the theater).

Suman’s husband Sattu (played by a gentle Vikram Singh Chauhan) is an endearing, young sardar who spends most of his time in office (and occasionally takes half day for his wife). The two struggle to find intimacy as their toddler often wakes up at night, much to the dismay of his sleep-deprived parents. Avinash (Sobti) is a stay-at-home dad who is mostly grumpy (and complaining) as his wife (Hasleen kaur) walks the corporate corridors, being the breadwinner of the family.

Raat Jawaan Hai: Performances
Meanwhile, Radhika is married to a physiotherapist (Priyansh Jora), who cannot spell the word (much to the dismay of ‘Much Better Kids’ teachers) but has his heart at the right place. As Radhika struggles to navigate responsibilities with her husband, she decides to step out of her comfort zone and get a job.
What I absolutely loved about Raat Jawaan Hai, is just how adorable and cute its characters are. The show is easy on the eyes, immensely bingeable and has plenty of light hearted moments to keep you amused as you root for this trio with dysfunctional lives to find light at the end of the dark tunnel that is parenthood. What works for the show is that Sobti, Anand and Bapat’s camaraderie is convincing. After all, you can’t not make a show centered around friendships unless the cast bonds really well.

Raat Jawaan Hai: Writing And Direction

The supporting cast—Priyansh Jora, Vikram Singh Chauhan and Hasleen Kaur, along with the house help and their parents do justice to their small yet significant roles, adding to the appeal of the show. At eight episodes, the series might just seem too long. How I wish the showrunners had gone for a feature length film as opposed to an eight episode run. However, each episode explores a significant theme—from lack of intimacy post-parenthood, to burnout and compassion fatigue, the show gets most of its beats right.

Raat Jawaan Hai: What Works, What Doesn’t

What impressed this critic the most was how the show portrays parental guilt. A parent often feels torn when they have to choose between fulfilling their responsibilities towards their kids and something else which needs their attention (self-care, rest, work). Parenting is a full-time job—one that not many are equipped to handle.

Raat Jawaan Hai, which literally translates to ‘the night is young’ (euphemism for—there’s plenty of time left to experience the night), is the story of three parents burning the midnight oil to raise their kids. The show has a TVF feel to it (think: dreamy, nostalgic, funny), presumably because it is a Sumeet Vyaas directorial. It’s a must-watch for parents, to-be-parents and those on the fence.

Star rating: 3.5 / 5 stars

Raat Jawaan Hai is streaming now on SonyLiv.