Save The Tigers web series review: A solid entertainer with good treatment and performances

Director Teja Kakumanu’s tale of frustrated husbands has similarities with Anil Ravipudi’s 'F2', but this web series stands on its ground.

ByPrabhatha Rigobertha

Published:Aug 10, 2023

Teja Kakumanu Save The Tigers Telugu web series
A binge-worthy watch!
3.5

Save The Tigers (Telugu)

  • Cast: Priyadarshi Pulikonda, Abhinav Gomatam, Krishna Chaitanya, and Harsha Vardhan
  • Director: Teja Kakumanu
  • Music: Ajay Arsada
  • No. of episodes: 6
  • OTT platform: Disney+ Hotstar

Films about marital discord and frustrated husbands have a universal (should I say, male) appeal because of the way marital relationships have changed over the years.

Several films have humorously portrayed this and they have been hugely successful, too.

Director Teja Kakumanu’s Save the Tigers also follows the same route.

The husbands here come from three vastly different backgrounds but share one commonality – issues with wives. More than the story, what makes this show work is how the director used the background of his respective protagonists.

Synopsis

Priyadarshi Save The Tigers Telugu web series

Priyadarshi in ‘Save The Tigers’ web series. (Twitter)

Ghanta Ravi (Priyadarshi) is a dairy farm owner, Rahul (Abhinav Gomatam) is an aspiring writer, and Vikram (Krishna Chaitanya) is a creative ad writer.

They meet at a school where their respective children are studying. Soon, they become friends and start bonding big time.

As mentioned above, they are frustrated married men. One day. they get arrested in a drunk-and-drive case.

Meanwhile, a noted actress gets kidnapped. The rest of the story deals with several aspects. Do the trio have any connection with her disappearance? What made these three men drink so much, and finally why do they call themselves “tigers”?

Related: Exclusive interview with director Teja Kakamanu on Save The Tigers Telugu web series

Highly entertaining

Chaitanya Krishna Save The Tigers Telugu web series

Chaitanya Krishna ‘Save The Tigers’ web series. (Twitter)

The title Save The Tigers here refers to how married men should also be saved from extinction as much as tigers.

The web series hits the ground running from the first frame. There are a lot of scenes that tickle our funny bones.

The case in point is the servant character played by Jabardasth-fame Rohini. Her interactions with Abhinav are an absolute laugh riot. What makes this track even more refreshing is the absence of body-shaming jokes.

Director Teja Kakumanu is also successful in creating conflicts that have certain credibility, more so if you are a male.

For example, Vikram’s wife is an activist-cum-lawyer who has issues with his mother. Like many children, Vikram’s daughter is the emotional anchor between them.

Also Read: Actor Priyarshi opens up about the success of his latest film Balagam

Save The Tigers also touches upon issues like workplace harassment, but without being preachy.

This comes out through the track of Sunaina who is a harassed employee working in the same office as Vikram. Harsha Vardhan plays the toxic boss.

Abhinav Gomatam Save The Tigers Telugu web series

Abhinav Gomatam ‘Save The Tigers’ web series. (Twitter)`

These scenes are both poignant and entertaining.

There is also a passing comment on how literary standards are falling in recent times.

By the very nature of its story, Save the Tigers isn’t very high on logic.

Sometimes illogicality does come as a deterrent. The case in point is how the husbands bump into each other and realise that all their children study in the same school. The same thing happens to the wives, too.

Also, the kidnapping subplot needed to be etched far better.

Characterisation and performances

Priyadarshi’s Ganta Ravi has the trait of over-talking but this trait is never milked for stereotypical comedy.

On many occasions, his character repeatedly uses the word “paalu” which is similar to the pressure cooker obsession from the film Jathi Ratnalu (Jewels of The Nation, 2021).

Sujatha Save The Tigers Telugu web series

Jordar Sujatha in ‘Save The Tigers’ web series. (Twitter)

The wife characters have also been written with some care.

A particular mention must be made of “Jordar” Sujatha who plays Priyadarshi’s wife. Her aspiration of wanting to live in a gated community has been well-written.

Out of the three men, Priyadarshi and Abhinav Gomatam are the best.

Priyadarshi gets the body language of a dairy farm owner spot on. The actor makes a huge impression starting from his body language to the way he delivers his dialogues in a particular accent.

Abhinav Gomatam is equally good with his satirical humour. The scenes where he is struggling to get over his writer’s block are hilarious, to say the least.

Also Read: Priyadarshi wants to be part of every format of story-telling

Krishna Chaitanya does not have many comic punch lines but the actor is still mighty impressive in whatever he does.

He is particularly good in the scenes when Vikram expresses his frustration on being sandwiched between his boss, mother and life.

Final take

Overall, Save the Tigers is an absolute binge-worthy watch. It is just six episodes and the duration of each episode is short. Have a fun weekend!

(Views expressed are personal.)