Hansal Mehta ‘devastated’ by Netflix’s Adolescence, calls it an ‘absolute banger’ that deserves every award

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In the series, Stephen Graham leads the way as Eddie Miller, a father caught between protecting his child and dealing with his own mess of guilt and grief. Critics are already calling this show one of Graham’s finest performances, and it’s hard to disagree. He brings a rawness that makes Eddie’s spiral feel painfully real.

For Mehta, the show worked on different levels. As a filmmaker, he was in awe. “It made me look up in awe at the creators of this show,” he said, giving a nod not just to the writers and director but also to “the actors, grips, gaffers, sparks, and so many others who made this absolute banger even possible.” He went on to admit that Adolescence left him feeling “envious, nervous, and energised.”

As a parent, Mehta confessed the series left him “terrified, concerned, and introspective — all at once and for a long time to come.” He added, “I wanted to hug my kids. To tell them it’s alright. To tell myself I can do better.” He wrapped up his post by calling Adolescence “truly an achievement,” adding, “Just give it every award this season already.”

Also read | Hansal Mehta recalls his clothes being torn, office vandalised by protestors: ‘I was in debt, took to drinking’

 

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About Adolescence

The four-part limited series Adolescence is Netflix’s latest addition to its psychological crime drama lineup. What makes this one stand out is how every layer of the story peels back in real-time, right alongside the characters. It follows the life of a family whose world is flipped upside down when their 13-year-old son, Jamie Miller (played by Owen Cooper), is arrested for the murder of a teenage girl from his school.

While it’s not directly based on one true story, parts of Adolescence were inspired by real-life incidents Stephen Graham had seen in the news. “There was an incident where a young boy [allegedly] stabbed a girl,” Graham told Netflix’s Tudum. “It shocked me. I was thinking, ‘What’s going on? What’s happening in society where a boy stabs a girl to death?” He continued, “And then it happened again. And again. And again. I just wanted to shine a light on it and ask, ‘Why is this happening today? What’s going on? How did we get here?’”

Adolescence premiered on Netflix on March 13.