It's mere coincidence. Come to think of it, the third season of Inside Edge was written more than two years back. A key episode from the web series features the forced exit of an Indian cricket team captain, only to replace him with another blue-eyed boy. This has come to pass IRL (in real life) this past week as well. The reasons for what happened on and off the screen are definitely different. And yet, the Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani produced sports drama shows feels more prescient somehow in the aftermath.
If anything, this makes Inside Edge 3 edgier, cool and far more connected to real-life references.
If the first two seasons showed us what happens inside and outside the dressing room and the cricket ground, the third season goes deep into the functioning of the cricket board. Of course, there is a mix of fact and fiction coming at play here, and that’s what makes Inside Edge 3 seem layered.
What really helps the 10-episode series to emerge as bingeworthy is the fact that it starts with a bang and maintains a good pace right through. Of course, the core storyline is such that you need to be familiar with the first two seasons. However, once you make that effort, the series works as a true epic affair - one of the first major OTT shows (along with Mirzapur) which brought Indian audiences closer to the world of web series.
The key characters seem to be having a lot of fun as they continue across the seasons. Vivek Oberoi is the star of the show and his sinister acts have a surprise element that is not just accentuated by his screen presence but also goes well with the character graph that has shaped up over time. He brings in the right gravitas and facial expressions, as you enjoy his mean act.
Tanuj Virwani, one of the principle characters from the first season, is the central protagonist this time around and has the most screen time. Graduating from being a brash T20 player to now the captain of the test cricket team that takes on Pakistan in the home series, he not only graduates as a character but also brings in a lot more as an actor. The man is clearly growing in confidence with every passing web series (he has done six just in 2021) but also gets it right when it comes to holding himself in front of the camera.
Aamir Bashir was introduced in the second season and continues well in the third, though with a more emotional appeal. Somehow, I would liked him to stay ruthless right through as that would have explained his character graph better. However, as an actor he does bring on a matured act all over again. As for Richa Chadda, she has a relatively less screen time this time around but is as reliable as ever. The manner in which the third season ends, she promises to return with something bigger in the fourth season.
Other actors who impress are Sapna Pabbi, Amit Sial, Sayani Gupta, Ankur Vikal and Sunny Hinduja. They all have key roles to play in the series and the best part is that they all stick to the character and never try to out-edge them. They have all been given adequate screen time by director Kanishk Varna, who shot this web series before making his feature film debut with Vidyut Jammwal starrer Sanak. As a team, they all work together well with Kanishk channeling the narrative well enough to ensure a seamless play.
A large part of Inside Edge 3 is in English and that works for the show since it caters to the urban audience. Of course the cricket matches stay on to be the highlight as they have been captured just like a professional broadcaster does for international matches. As for the other drama that ensues, you can’t help but draw parallels with what you have seen in cricket, both on and off the field, over the years.
That’s what makes Inside Edge 3 a true entertainer that is every bit a bingeworthy affair and sets the stage well for the fourth season to kickoff soon.
A must watch.
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