Sunflower: Season 1 (2021-present) TV Drinking Game & Review

Sunflower: Season 1 (2021-present) TV Drinking Game

Down a Shot of Tender Coconut Water: each time the DG looks unimpressed

Down a Shot of Tender Coconut Water: each time Sonu offers a detailed explanation of his duties as a sales manager.

Down a Shot of Tender Coconut Water: each time the cops examine CCTV footage

Down a Shot of Tender Coconut Water: each time a resident of the colony acts entitled or expects fellow residents to massage their ego.

By: Vidal d’Costa (Two Beers) –

The forecast is not so sunny for the residents of the ‘Sunflower’ housing colony after a long-running feud between two egotistical neighbours turns foul. And Sonu Singh, an otherwise spotlessly clean and meek sales manager whose only ‘crime’ is accidentally poisoning a co-worker with pineapple cake once finds himself becoming a pawn and prime suspect in the subsequent murder investigation that’s akin to a chess game where nobody plays fair… or even for the same team!

A Toast

The concept of Sunflower feels reminiscent to a desi version of similar works that mash the whodunit genre with comedic elements such as Only Murders in the Building, and much like the latter, it too is carried largely by the characters and their actions. As a result, the humorous but enlightening subplots such as the generational war waged against the senior members of the housing board by the Gen Z residents who are more in tune with the times, or sequences featuring Mr. Iyer, the pretentious self-appointed overlord attempting to maintain a squeaky clean image of an already worse for wear housing colony by engaging in fishy behaviour such as moral policing, tend to engage viewers more than the primary plot of the unfolding murder mystery itself.

Another highlight of the series is its exploration of the recurring theme of abuse of power and disrespect towards a fellow human (whether alive or dead) which is reflected in episodes that take jabs at the double standards of frigidly conservative individuals such as Mr. Iyer and his cronies who aren’t even keen on covering up their superiority complex and lack of self-awareness, with attitudes that are more bitter than bitter gourd itself, even smugly designating single women on a night out with the label of a prostitute merely by leering at their ‘skimpy’ and ‘non-traditional’ choice of clothing from their balconies.

It can indeed be unnerving to watch the self-professed gatekeepers in the housing colony preaching sermons on the role of the modern woman, divorcees, and homosexuality in ruining Indian culture/identity and in leaving a stain on the society, and relentless in their pursuit of putting an end to the death/decline of society despite the presence of an actual dead body in the building (quite literally in their own backyard!). Instances showcasing power-obsessed officers and residents alike sharing a mutual inclination towards utilising the scene of the crime as a location to indulge in sexcapades or to briefly relish in personal victories only further cement this troubling disregard for the deceased and an unhealthy tendency of fellow humans to go to any extent possible just for the sole purpose of achieving a power trip/power high. Furthermore, scenes such as a police interrogation morphing into a dramatic lover’s quarrel between the muscly watchman of the ‘Sunflower’ colony and the untrustworthy maid of the deceased, who are also prime suspects, are both hysterical yet endlessly awkward to witness.

The series thankfully offers a breather from such brash and narrow-minded characters in the form of more wholesome developments later on- ranging from a blossoming bromance of sorts between the short-tempered but secretly softie sub-inspector and recently divorced Tambe with the fellow loner Sonu, to heartwarming interactions among the new additions to the society such as Gurleen, a naive budding singer/runway bride who craves independence and who thus shacks up with her more outgoing friend, adn the ‘rebellious’ and kind-hearted Paddy Iyer, who instantly strikes a platonic, found family-esque bond with Sonu who takes charge as the spirited chairman of this makeshift club of misfits.

The performances do not disappoint either, as Sunil Grover’s comic timing and penchant for screwball comedy is definitely on par with seasoned comedians like Rhys Darby, and he excels at evoking sympathy from viewers in his role as the painfully socially awkward and detail-oriented Sonu, who is a breath of fresh air in a world full of social climbers, even when his well-meaning heroic hijinks and naivety contribute to him befriending individuals who easily take advantage of him or cringey circumstances that are beyond his control and which could put even Mr. Bean to shame! Introverts might particularly relate to Sonu desperately seeking to ignite friendly banter with telemarketers and the rat residing behind his fridge, feeling extremely out of his depth/rejected even in an elevator full of ‘outcasts’ like himself and even more so during carpools with his colleagues who are forever addicted to their respective WhatsApp groups and to their after-work commitments.

The series also boasts of a strong supporting cast with both Ranvir Shorey and Girish Kulkarni leaving lasting impressions as the stoic, stone-faced DG and the boisterous sub inspector Tambe. Mukul Chadda exudes vanity as Mr. Ahuja who never fails to play the victim card and hides a shockingly calculating attitude under his simplistic demeanour of a family man and a chemistry professor living off a meagre salary, while Radha Bhatt also shines as Mrs. Ahuja, the domesticated housewife who comes into her own in the penultimate episode. Other actors who are equally worthy of mention include Ashish Vidyarthi as the oddly defensive Mr. Iyer, who is a walking, talking red flag (this character could even keep dictators up all night) and Ria Nalavade who balances him out with a sincere performance as his upbeat daughter Paddy, a sheer gem of a character and an absolute green flag!

Beer Two

The series lacks coherence, particularly in tying many of its subplots together, and the uneven pacing is yet another aspect that might turn viewers off.

Verdict

Sunflower is a decent watch over a lazy weekend, especially if you enjoy an arresting and chaotic comedy of errors laced with a lethal injection of social commentary, as well as characters who are as distinct as chalk and cheese but whose lives are nonetheless as messy as they come. The cliffhanger also piques one’s curiosity over what lies ahead for Sonu and the direction of the incomplete investigation.