The Family Man’s JK finally gets a Shaadi.com match—but there’s a catch

Three seasons later, and after six years of Manoj Bajpayee playing Srikant Tiwari in The Family Man series, his right-hand man JK is still single. But this time, there’s finally a glimmer of hope. JK, referred to by Srikant as a "desperate guy", has created a profile on Shaadi.com.

The digital matchmaking platform lands JK his first date, and he genuinely believes a girl is interested in marrying him. He tries to break the ice with all the usual questions—hobbies, interests, likes—but she’s clearly not into any of it. And then the bubble bursts: she has zero intentions of getting married.

Naturally, JK is confused. “Shaadi nahi karni toh Shaadi.com par profile kyun banayi?” Turns out, our smart-yet-lost JK had browsed other profiles for “reference” and- without realising what it meant—added #FWB (Friends With Benefits) to his own. The girl, coincidentally, was looking for exactly that.

When she clarifies it, JK asks the question all of us are thinking: if she wanted a "friend-with-benefits" arrangement, why Shaadi.com and not the dozens of dating apps out there?

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That’s when the interesting twist drops. She says that while Shaadi.com is built for matchmaking, the men on the platform are reliable and the space feels safer. This is a subtle yet clever plug that almost suggests a shift in the platform's positioning. Is Anupam Mittal’s platform now nudging itself into dating territory? If so, will genuine marriage-seekers feel let down? Or is Shaadi.com simply expanding its universe?

Released on Amazon Prime on November 21, the series makes its comeback with Season 3, and the Shaadi.com placement isn’t the only brand moment. 

This time, we also meet a new antagonist – Jaideep Ahlawat, whose rugged persona is matched with his Mahindra Thar. The SUV gets noticeable screen time, especially during an off-trail chase sequence. 

There’s also a blink-and-you'll-spot shot of Foo Asian Tapas, the Pan-Asian restaurant known for its Foo Yellow Curry and Foo Blue Butter Japanese Fried Rice. Foo currently operates across Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Pune, and Ahmedabad.

Outside the story-world, The Family Man has teamed up with Hindustan Unilever’s Dove Men+Care, Bru Gold, and Maruti Suzuki’s Victoria.

For Dove Men+Care, Manoj Bajpayee appears as Srikant Tiwari in an interview-style film that challenges macho stereotypes with a gentle, conversational tone.

Bru Gold has released a limited-edition Family Man Season 3 coffee pack and accompanying ads that channel the show’s spy-thriller mood while pushing its “rich flavour” positioning.

Meanwhile, Maruti Suzuki uses the show as the frame for its Victoria campaign, drawing a parallel between the car’s “#GotItAll” claim and Srikant’s multitasking life as an intelligence officer, family man, and reluctant hero.

And while we’re looking at Bajpayee’s brand universe this season, we can’t ignore the playful “training” sessions he received post-trailer launch from Samay Raina, Apoorva Mukhija, and Tanmay Bhat. Bajpayee's deadpan, no-nonsense persona - classic Srikant energy - quickly shuts down their quirky attempts to prep him.

As for JK… After all this, he’s still single.