Why 'The Fame Game' Season 1 Plays A Winning Netflix Hand

Netflix

Wow. “The Fame Game” is everything you need if you crave rich drama and a sophisticated tale of suspense. Created and helmed by “General Hospital: Night Shift” head writer Sri Rao, the talented scribe knows his way around a sudsy storyline, and it shows. “The Fame Game” is as sumptuous as TV gets, and here is why.

The Netflix series tells the twisting, churning story of Anamika Anand (Madhuri Dixit), one of India’s most enduringly popular actresses. “The Fame Game” oscillates between the past and present as Anamika’s personal life and her career collide in a way that will change the status quo forever. She has a make-or-break film in the works. And that is not all. 

Anamika’s former lover re-enters the picture, sizzling the scene, and she deals with the emergence of an obsessed fan and her two kids spiraling. It is fair to say that Anamika’s life is reaching a “Dateline”-level fever pitch, and - then she goes missing. That’s right. Anamika disappears off the face of the earth and so begins an exhaustive search for her.

In hopes of finding her, three questions must be answered. Who is Anamika, who has her, and why? “The Fame Game” plays that underlying mystery with finesse as it builds a dramatic spectacle around it that should fuel the series for years to come. It has all of the key ingredients that make for a dynamic soap opera, and it is quite the aria.

This is not a TV show that lives in black and white characterizations. It dives deep into the living color of flawed people doing their best (and sometimes worst) to navigate the hardships of life. “The Fame Game” lives and soars on the moments filled with hard questions and tougher answers. The multi-dimensional rendering of Anamika as a woman living so many roles in her life serves as its marvelous underpinnings.

A driving mystery akin to “Haseen Dillruba” and the aching drama of “Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein.” The cast is magnetically led by Madhuri Dixit, who effortlessly draws viewers into Anamika’s story and her plight. “The Fame Game” is a decadent drama equipped with a stunningly sleek and cinematic production. 

It also features magnificent performances from all involved and tight, socially conscious writing that breathes in all the right spots before leaving viewers breathless with another twist. The wait is on for Season 2. National Herald India reports that series creator, Sri Rao, has moved forward with scripting it. The same source reports that filming for Season 2 is set to begin in the second half of 2022 with an eye on an early 2023 premiere date. 

In other words, stay tuned. “The Fame Game” certainly makes a winning case for it to continue for multiple seasons. (Time will tell what Netflix decides.) Speaking of the streamer, this drama is yet another game-changing series that reaffirms Netflix’s spot as the top destination for international series. You will not find this number of gems anywhere else.