Bench Life is a contemporary tale that focuses on the dramatic lives of three young IT sector professionals. They are employed by a Software Company based in South India.
It is worth noting that in the IT (Information Technology) industry, the “Bench” term denotes a small fraction of a company’s workforce that is not currently engaged in any projects, yet remains employed and continues to receive a salary. This Indian series “Bench Life” explores the lives of a couple of software engineers on the bench.
“Bench Life” Is A Breath Of Fresh Air, As It Delves Into The Chaotic Lives Of Young Software Professionals From India
Spoiler Free Review of the Bench Life (Season 1/2024) India Series
The trailers
The synopsis
Balu (Vaibhav Reddy), Ravi (Charan Peri), and Meenakshi (Ritika Singh), three professionals at an IT company named Apoch Tech, are anxious to be ‘benched’, each for their specific reasons. However, when they are faced with their respective flaws, will they be able to confront their difficulties and achieve personal growth?
Manasa Sharma & Mahesh Uppala have done well with the script and series
Both the writers Manasa and Mahesh have come up with an interesting and fascinating tale set in contemporary India. As the title of the series suggests, the story delves into the personal and professional lives of youngsters belonging to the IT crowd in India. The series director Manasa has done very well to add a sense of realism and naturalism to the tales of the three youngsters named in the synopsis above. We could identify with their stories.
Set in a modern IT city located in Southern India, this show is deeply rooted in the social facts and cultural realities of India. In addition, one gets to watch many issues (sub-plot subjects) related to young (Indian) folks engrained in the show, So, the writers – Manasa and Mahesh have done well to get the tone and nitty-gritty of the series, almost right.
We liked the acts of Vaibhav Reddy, Charan Peri, Ritika Singh & ensemble cast
In this Indian show, Vaibhav Reddy (Balu) is the proverbial Anna (an elder brother) to two junior office colleagues Ritika Singh (Meenakshi) and Charan Peri (Ravi). All three of them want to lead the so-called “bench life”, for their own reasons. And this is what makes this series a breath of fresh air. As we have not seen this bench issue on screen, before.
We liked the performances of Vaibhav Reddy, Charan Peri, Ritika Singh, Aakanksha Singh, Nayan Sarika, Rajendra Prasad and the rest of the ensemble cast.
Key details
| Genre | Drama |
| Original Langauge | Telugu (India) |
| Dubbed Languages | Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi, & Bengali |
| Subtitles Langauge | English |
| Season | Season (1) One |
| Episodes | Five (5) Episodes |
| Writers | Mahesh Uppala & Manasa Sharma |
| Director | Manasa Sharma |
| Cast | Vaibhav Reddy (Balu), Ritika Singh (Meenakshi), Charan Peri (Ravi), Aakanksha Singh (Isha), Nayan Sarika (Gayatri), Rajendra Prasad (Prasad Vasisht, IPS), Venkatesh Kakumanu (Kishore Kumar), etc. |
| Network | Sony LIV |
Spoilers Alert: Summary of the Five (5) Episodes of the Season (1) One
Episodes Summary
Code Error (S1, E1)
Balu, Meenakshi and Ravi have grand plans on how to utilize their time on the bench. But fate has something else in store.
Code Error, also referred to as an Error Code, is a numerical indication displayed on a computer screen, signifying that a specific mistake has been made or that an issue has occurred within a program.
Firewall (S1, E2)
Prasad, an ex-IPS officer, joins the company. Does he have an ulterior motive?
Firewall is a security mechanism for networks that is specifically created to observe, filter, and manage the flow of incoming and outgoing traffic based on predefined security guidelines.
Debugging (S1, E3)
Balu needs Prasad’s help to get the bench. Meanwhile, Meenakshi struggles to make a demo film, while Ravi plans for the Goa trip. Will they succeed?
Debugging is defined as the methodical practice of discovering and correcting errors or bugs in the source code of software.
Testing (S1, E4)
Life hits rock bottom for the trio as their loved ones question their motives and actions.
Testing is defined as the method of discovering and resolving errors or bugs that exist in the source code of software programs.
The Real Bench (S1, E5)
On the verge of losing their jobs, the trio realize that their personal lives are benched too. Will they survive?
The poster
The rating
| FM Rating | 3.75/5 |
The conclusion
We admired the Bench Life series in its Season One, as it was a breezy marathon watch for us. Now, we look forward to Season Two, as we wish to follow the stories of these IT people.
Featured Image: Meenakshi (Ritika Singh), Balu (Vaibhav Reddy), and Ravi (Charan Peri) – from Left to Right.
Posters and Featured Image of Bench Life (Season 1/2024/India) Series | All the images are courtesy of the Sony LIV.