If you are someone who’s been quite active on social media, we are sure you have come across memes that say ‘women in male-dominated fields.’ Netflix’s Single Papa has the same narrative with a gender swap. This also somehow made us recall the revolutionary wave Sushmita Sen brought in, with her choice to adopt as a single mother at the peak of her career, challenging the societal norms. Something similar we see in Single Papa, led by Kunal Kemmu. Enveloped in six episodes, the series is a witty yet warm take on gender equality and how, when it comes to parenting, men are often looked at with raised eyebrows.
Gaurav Gehlot (Kunal Kemmu) is a divorced man yearning for the comfort and purpose that fatherhood offers. He embodies the archetype of the Indian man-child—the so-called Raja Beta syndrome. Coddled by his mother and shielded from real responsibility, Gaurav, now 32, has yet to experience true adulthood. He relies on his father and the family business for financial support, leading a life of dependency. His wife leaves him, frustrated by his inability to understand what it truly means to be responsible. Yet, he wants to become a father. Fate smiles in 2007’s ‘Heyy Babyy’ way—someone abandons a child in an Amul carton in his car. While you might almost predict in the beginning that it could take a turn of Heyy Babyy, it doesn’t. Now, Gaurav Gehlot gets attached to the baby, whom he names ‘Amul,’ and wants to adopt him.
Desires may be fleeting, but Gaurav soon finds himself ensnared by bureaucratic hurdles. He encounters the head of the adoption authority, Romila Nehru (Neha Dhupia), who firmly believes women make better parents—setting up a direct challenge for Gaurav. The battle soon extends into his own household, as his conservative Jaat family opposes the adoption and removes him from consideration for the family business. But Gaurav fights for his right to become a single father—works hard to get a job—gets one—and evolves into an ‘independent man’ who did not know how to make tea before, but now can, and has everything on schedule for Amul. The narrative builds on the crux of gender equality with a male nanny, Parbat Singh (Daya Shetty), who also gets under Nehru’s fire as well. Nehru argues with Gaurav that Amul needs a female nanny—but Gaurav again fights for his and Parbat’s rights. We thoroughly enjoyed Neha Dhupia in the series. She is strict, posing as a satirical imagery of what the ‘UNO reverse’ of sexism could look like.
The series consistently delivers sharp punchlines and sarcasm. When Amul first arrives in the Gehlot family, the domestic worker recommends ‘baby formula,’ while Gaurav’s sister Nammo (Prajakta Kohli) quips that the house should be stocked with it for all the ‘overgrown babies’ living there—a joke that feels instantly relatable as their playful battles over adoption unfold. Beyond the humor, the narrative thoughtfully explores the challenges of inter-caste marriages and the tensions arising from differing family backgrounds and financial circumstances.
However, at times it can be a bit difficult to keep track of the series, as it stretches incoherently. But it’s for the cause that the series should be on your ‘must-watch’ list.
IWMBuzz rates it 4/5 stars.
Netflix’s Single Papa will make you question the gender norms and stereotyping that come with parenting. Read More
