Cast: Swara Bhasker, Varun Thakur, Ravi Patel, Girish Kulkarni, Mona Ambegaonkar, Dolly Singh

Creators: Neel Shah and Ravi Patel

Rating: **1/2

Platform: Netflix

Netflix's latest offering Bhaag Beanie Bhaag stars Swara Bhaskar in the lead role who has a bit unique but yet typical story to tell. Set in the backdrop of today's stand-up comedy trend, this rom-com series revolves around Beanie who is not so comic but dreams of making the stage her life. She wanted to be a stand-up comedian since her childhood but parents' expectations took over and she ended up doing an MBA and then a boring 9 to 5 job.

However, Beanie tries to sharpen her skill of a comedian every now and then by participating in gigs at comedy clubs. And guess what, she is engaged to a tall, dark handsome Punjabi boy Arun, played by comedian Varun Thakur. The initial episodes of the show set up Beanie's world well and introduce us to various characters like her parents played by a hilarious Girish Kulkarni and Mona Ambegaonkar, her friend Kapi played by Dolly Singh and her comedy club friend played by Ravi Patel.

The 6-episodes series takes a turn on the day of her Roka, when Beanie finally realises that she can't be living a life of a typical housewife, taking care of her children and doing kitties. And then what, as predictable, she runs away from her Roka ceremony and lands straight on the stage to perform a gig. But she gets nervous as she tries to begin. After that, she starts to polish her skills by concentrating totally on her career as a stand-up comedian and the series unfolds further by showing the challenges she faces and how she overcomes them to realize her dream.

This so-called funny series lacks a good sense of humour. How ironic is that? Swara Bhasker, who is supposed to be witty and funny at least at the main show, yet fails to make you laugh! Her chemistry with the comedian and her partner in the show, Arun (Varun Thakur) is also a bit awkward and it seems as if they are trying too hard to be convincing and of course funny. The moment you start watching the show, you can probably take a wild guess where the show is going. Bhaag Beanie Bhaag's predictable screenplay and Beanie's unenthusiastic dialogues are bit tiresome.

Talking about the actual performances of the actors, Swara Bhasker is quite refreshing as Beanie as this role is different from her earlier ones. She tries to add humour, which she might do to an extent but yet could have done better. Varun Thakur is cute and charming as Arun. Dolly Singh as Beanie's friend is quite impressive. Though it's her acting debut, yet she stuns everyone with her natural portrayal. Ravi Patel is effortlessly endearing as the NRI comic who doesn't understand a word of Hindi. Mona Ambegaonkar and Girish Kulkarni did a good job in their roles of paranoid parents wishing that their only daughter would behave!

Other than the humour bit, the series does manage to keep you entertained and engaged with its story and Beanie's journey to achieve her dreams. Overall, Bhaag Beanie Bhaag is an average attempt in showcasing the usual chase your dream. If you love breezy and quick dramas, Swara Bhasker's series will provide the perfect break. It's entertaining in bits and parts and if you have absolutely free time, you can give it a watch.