In the situational comedy series Decoupled, R Madhavan and Surveen Chawla as the lead couple steer the story well

Mona

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Actually you have fallen out of love with your husband, and yet you are going to stay in the same house, under the same roof for the sake of the child, but that’s called marriage… If this rib-tickling one-liner makes you smile, rest assured the rest of the series would. Marriage stays or is ‘decoupled’— this urban take on married life is just the kind of quirky tale that makes for delightful viewing.

A bestselling author; a commanding wife with her own start-up; a 12-year-old daughter—this comedy is as much of a family as about upper class life in Gurgaon and issues that beleaguer it. Arya Iyer is number two bestselling fiction writer in the country, exploring the insides of an urban marriage, second only to Chetan Bhagat—who duly makes an appearance. Arya, as good at heart he is—he has one quirk— his immense capacity to irk people around and another pretty strange phobia. His wife Shruti is juggling her work and parenting while wishing to break free from a ‘dead’ marriage. It’s their daughter Rohini and how to tell her about their impending divorce that takes much of this eight-episode web series.

R Madhavan and Surveen Chawla as the lead couple steer the story, which by and by becomes more about Arya aka Madhavan and his not-so-rosy view about life. Not a big fan of sentimental gestures, peeved at waiters to disturb right at the opportune moment, envious of more successful friends to plainly being short-tempered, Arya isn’t happy with life. What probably he despises more is that he’s only number two. If on one hand, the tiff is wife is keeping Arya busy, his skirmishes with Chetan Bhagat carry along too—the two bump into each other often.

This Manu Joseph (Serious Men to his credit) story touches upon different issues. Along with it comes the power of social media what can make you a ‘#antinational’ one day, an ‘activist’ on another. While the situational comedy makes one laugh, Arya’s character is rather superficial. But it’s the actor Madhavan who nonetheless makes it loveable, despite all his flaws. Surveen looks and acts the part she gets.

While our duo is able to take the plunge—and try their ‘happy’ decoupling aka divorce – that too with their friends and family in tow at a party in Goa, the ending hints at a season 2. While we have had a taste of Shruti’s parents and hilarious situations they land in, though there are references, Arya’s side of family is yet to be explored.

If a light-hearted comedy is on your mind — Decoupled — that’s been trending top 10 on Netflix could be your next watch!