The Fame Game: Madhuri Dixits Latest Netflix Venture Misses the Mark on Celebrity Culture

The Fame Game, the latest addition to Netflix featuring Madhuri Dixit Nene, aims to delve into the darker aspects of celebrity life. This intent is reflected in its title change from the more captivating Finding Anamika to the simpler The Fame Game, suggesting a focus on the phenomenon of stardom. Who better to anchor such a series than one of Bollywood’s iconic figures, Dixit Nene? However, despite having prominent insiders like Karan Johar involved in its production, The Fame Game ultimately offers little substantive insight into the complexities of fame. At times, it feels like a work of fan fiction, mirroring perspectives shaped by news narratives. It promises a deeper exploration but often resorts to clichés and superficial commentary.

Additionally, The Fame Game struggles on multiple fronts. The dialogue is often vacant, poor in quality, or lacks depth. Characters excessively praise one another to highlight their significance for the audience. Performances seem to come from a script, lacking the spontaneity expected in natural dialogue. This suggests a failure in direction, with artificially heightened scenarios. I found myself anticipating more profound and intelligent exchanges, but they never materialized. If the characters are merely engaging in dull conversations, I question the reason for my viewing. Scriptwriters invest considerable time in crafting their dialogues; thus, the interactions should resonate more than our everyday chats. Having watched six of the eight episodes — provided to critics by Netflix — it feels unlikely that The Fame Game will improve significantly.

Sri Rao, known for co-writing the critically panned 2016 sci-fi romance Baar Baar Dekho, takes on the roles of creator, writer, and showrunner for The Fame Game, which places the majority of the blame there. Episodes are directed by Bejoy Nambiar (Wazir, Shaitan) and Karishma Kohli (Mentalhood), where Nambiar was once celebrated as an innovator in cinema but has lately seen a decline. Hindi dialogue contributions come from Amita Vyas, Shreya Bhattacharya, and Akshat Ghildial (Badhaai Ho, Badhaai Do), with Vyas and Bhattacharya likely being regular contributors to Netflix since they have been involved in other Indian original projects.

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Beyond its thematic shortcomings, The Fame Game falters in its structure. Conceptually crafted as a missing-persons detective thriller — utilizing a dual timeline with present-day events paralleling flashbacks that commence six months prior to the central incident — it demands a carefully constructed atmosphere and a mood to draw viewers in. Unfortunately, the writers appear to lack an understanding of tonal consistency. Merely five minutes in, The Fame Game introduces a musical number featuring the former Bollywood queen with a charming smile, which disrupts the series’ intended tone. This artificial fan-service moment appears repeatedly.

In an early scene in The Fame Game’s premiere episode, a character expresses frustration about «the incompetent director who just inflates the budget» after providing everything from costumes to locations for a project they are producing. While this complaint pertains to a film, it resonates with my impressions of the Netflix series. Well, except for the part about acting workshops, which clearly did not take place.

The narrative centers on the Anand family. Dixit Nene portrays Anamika “Anu” Anand (née Vijju Joshi), a Bollywood star who is the family’s primary provider, clinging to her fame out of fear of losing her identity. Her husband, Nikhil More (Sanjay Kapoor), offers her little support, while her mother (Suhasini Muley) claims to selflessly serve the family, yet is critical and feels unappreciated. Both face financial troubles unbeknownst to Anamika. Their youngest daughter, Amara “Amu” Anand (Muskkaan Jaferi), aspires for the spotlight like her mother, and their son, Avinash “Avi” Anand (Lakshvir Singh Saran), struggles with depression, lashing out at those trying to help him.

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Muskkaan Jaferi as Amara Anand, Lakshvir Singh Saran as Avinash Anand in The Fame Game
Photo Credit: Siddharth Halbe/Netflix

When Anamika vanishes, it triggers an investigation touching everyone in her orbit. The ensemble includes a divorced bipolar actor, Manish Khanna (Manav Kaul), who shares a complicated history with Anamika, despite not having seen her in two decades. The cast also features an obsession-driven young man (Gagan Arora) who stalks Anamika at every opportunity. Leading the investigation is ACP Shobha Trivedi (Rajshri Deshpande), who initially dismisses the situation as “just another Bollywood issue.” Amidst a tumultuous period where Bollywood figures have been vilified to fit a national narrative, the intention behind Rao and co.’s approach appears questionable.

The Fame Game struggles not only as a mystery but also as an ensemble narrative. The initial investigation sequences lack the intrigue found in films like Knives Out, demonstrating a clear disparity in execution. However, The Fame Game doesn’t maintain this comparison for long, as Trivedi’s character fades into the background, overshadowed by the unfolding drama in Anamika’s life during the months leading to her disappearance. Unfortunately, this focus renders the storyline disjointed, even though the family dominates the plot, largely due to their uninteresting nature, be it the husband, the children, the mother, or their housekeeper (Shubhangi Latkar).

Perhaps the most significant flaw of The Fame Game lies in its belief that it is addressing deeper societal issues. The series attempts to tackle critical subjects such as mental health, body image, domestic violence, and the dynamics of fame and fandom. (It’s also ironic for Dharma to reference nepotism). Ultimately, however, these themes are superficial, serving merely as a backdrop to enhance the mystery of Anamika’s disappearance. The Fame Game fails to compare to shows like You’re the Worst, GLOW, or Big Little Lies. I’ve previously expressed my discontent with the latter, regarding its depiction of stardom, and The Fame Game often deliberately overlooks the industry’s inner workings to suit its storytelling. Rao’s lack of meaningful insight leads to shallow jokes surrounding the notion of a “comeback vehicle.”

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Manav Kaul as Manish Khanna, Madhuri Dixit Nene as Anamika Anand, Sanjay Kapoor as Nikhil More in The Fame Game
Photo Credit: Siddharth Halbe/Netflix

A courageous series might have playfully critiqued its star’s own attempts at a “comeback.” Dixit Nene, who retreated from Bollywood in the early 2000s post-marriage, has been attempting to reclaim her place intermittently since 2007. This includes less inspiring projects like Aaja Nachle, the notable Dedh Ishqiya in 2014, and the prominent yet disappointing Kalank from 2019 — also produced by Johar’s Dharma. Several forgettable performances have since dotted her resume, though they all belong to a film context.

The Fame Game marks Dixit Nene’s debut in a regular series role — previously, she made a short appearance in a 1985 Doordarshan show called Paying Guest — yet it lacks the audacity it should possess. For the legacy stars of Bollywood to find a foothold in what was supposed to be a new wave of streaming storytelling, there should be greater ambition. The production should strive for more than what it currently offers, as The Fame Game serves as another iteration of narratives Bollywood has churned out for years.

It’s uncertain whether she was consulted in this portrayal, but it seems Dixit Nene may lack the boldness to confront her own past openly. She appears overly cautious, perhaps too preoccupied with a carefully curated public image maintained over decades. If she believes this material carries relevance or is provocative, it suggests Bollywood luminaries indeed exist in a manufactured reality.

In conclusion, The Fame Game feels overly polished and artificial. Simply invoking nostalgia or dressing Dixit Nene in stunning outfits designed for her and other main stars doesn’t suffice as a creative effort.

The new Indian Netflix series aspires to appear edgy by probing into the murky depths of fame. In truth, however, The Fame Game demonstrates a timidity that prevents it from engaging with issues of this nature. Consequently, Dixit Nene seems overly cautious about disturbing any facet of her illustrious history.

The Fame Game premiered on February 25 at 1:30pm IST on Netflix worldwide.