Serious Men is a 2020 Indian drama film directed by Sudhir Mishra and based on the novel of the same name by Manu Joseph. The film stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Ayyan Mani, a Dalit man who works as an assistant to a brilliant but arrogant scientist named Arvind Acharya (Nassar). Ayyan's son, Adi (Aakshath Das), is a boy-genius with a high IQ, and Ayyan begins to capitalize on his son's newfound fame in order to transcend his underprivileged societal status.
Ayyan concocts a complex scheme involving Adi's impressive intelligence, which involves him fabricating a story about Adi's abilities being the result of a certain genetic mutation that makes him a child prodigy. Ayyan’s intricate plan involves him spinning a web of lies and misinformation that becomes increasingly convoluted and dangerous as the story progresses.
As Ayyan's plan to make Adi a star begins to come to fruition, he realizes that the pursuit of fame and fortune comes at a high cost, and the secret he harbours will eventually destroy everything he loves the most. The film deals with themes of social and class divisions in contemporary India, as well as the lengths individuals will go to in order to escape from their perceived oppression.
In addition to Siddiqui and Das, the cast of Serious Men features Indira Tiwari, Shweta Basu Prasad, and M. Nasser in important roles. The film was critically acclaimed for its performances, direction, and storytelling, and was lauded for its unflinching portrayal of the complex issues that plague modern Indian society.
