Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Sep 12: Ambition, freshness and a relatable premise — Do You Wanna Partner arrives with all the right ingredients. Yet, much like a craft beer with flashy packaging but little flavour, the series fizzes briefly before losing steam.
The story follows best friends Shikha Roy Chowdhury (Tamannaah Bhatia) and Anahita Makujina (Diana Penty), who team up to launch Jugaaro, a women-led craft beer brand. Their entrepreneurial journey pits them against licensing hurdles, funding woes, systemic sexism, and a male-dominated industry. To counter prejudice, they even invent a fictional male owner, hiring Dylan Thomas (Jaaved Jaaferi) to play the role.
On paper, the plot promises quirk and empowerment. In execution, it leans on clichés and implausibility. Challenges are resolved with magical ease, while character motivations feel undercooked. Shikha’s link to her late father’s dream lacks emotional heft, and Anahita’s struggles are barely explored.
Performance-wise, the cast offers sparks. Tamannaah brings sincerity to Shikha’s idealism, and Diana Penty’s comic timing shines in spurts, particularly in a recurring gag on workplace bias. Jaaved Jaaferi steals the show with a nuanced turn as the bumbling actor-turned-business face. Nakuul Mehta adds warmth as the brewmaster, while Shweta Tiwari and Neeraj Kabi make their presence felt in brief roles.
Visually, the series is polished, capturing Delhi and Kolkata with flair, and the music — especially tracks like Udd Jaavan and Kahaani — adds zest. But glossy production cannot hide the cracks in writing. Themes of gender bias and workplace inequality are reduced to passing jokes or hurried montages, leaving character arcs stagnant and relationships underdeveloped.
Despite flaws, the series remains light and watchable, never heavy-handed. Its breezy tone ensures easy viewing in small doses. Yet, in the end, Do You Wanna Partner remains a missed opportunity — frothy, fun in flashes, but lacking the boldness and depth needed to linger in memory.