1. Intense parental love courtesy of the Pradeep parents
Sindhu Vee and Naveen Andrews delight as Sudha and Mahesh, the matriarch and patriarch of the Pradeep clan. Andrews has spoken about Mahesh’s relentlessly positive outlook, which contrasts delightfully with Vee’s Sudha and her need to win. True to their word, while Mahesh does his best to be a wholesome, comforting dad, Sudha wastes no time in doing everything she can to ensure her kids are protected and looked after in this very different land of America. Let the chaos ensue.
2. Multiple perspectives lead to much chaos
We frequently flicker back and forth between the perspectives of multiple characters during the show, leading to some hilarious alternative interpretations of the same event. Sometimes parents really don’t see eye to eye with their kids…
3. Certain tropes turned on their head
While the show faces up to the fact that some stereotypes do perhaps have a little grounding in the truth, it also explores the idea that sometimes, this might not be so. This comes notably by way of Jimbo (Ethan Suplee) and Stu (Nicholas Hamilton), who, despite their very all-American, Christian background, do their best to understand and embrace their new neighbours.
4. Vinod Pradeep and his masterful quips
The youngest Pradeep, played by Ashwin Sakthivel, often steals the show with fun one-liners and the innocence that only an unfiltered and hopeful child can have. Whilst chaos often reigns around him, he takes it all in his stride.
5. Reflections on cultural clashes and deportation
Beyond the hilarity, the show isn’t afraid to ask questions about the difficulties that immigrants face, as well as the ever-looming threat of deportation that is the reality that many have to face with. It’s something that actor Sindhu Vee has spoken about dealing with in her own life, and Andrews says that in this sense, The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh is like an ‘iron fist in a velvet glove’.
Definitely a show worth checking out.
The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh is out now on Prime Video.