(Warning: Spoilers for the Season 3 of Industry.)
Wall Street taught us that “money is a b—h that never sleeps.” Roman Roy (Kieran Culkin) sound like a kindergarten school teacher in comparison, and it is highly entertaining to hear other characters sum up the unfiltered missives, which Rishi reasons are him “talking straight.” Eric plays it down as “a bit unadulterated” and “a little blue.” In a staff meeting the following day, Robert calls his phrasing “backward,” adding, “You make people uncomfortable.” Again, this is putting it mildly—especially if you pay attention to Rishi’s dialogue in the background of any trading floor scene.
Until now, Rishi cites his ability to make money as a reason he can get away with illimitable HR violations. But this safety net is quickly disintegrating.
In Season 2, Harper (Myha’la) observed that Rishi is the kind of guy who never takes a moment to think about who he is, which rings true in an episode where he hits rock bottom and scores big time. Sagar captures Rishi’s mania of winning at work and the casino, followed by the dregs of nothingness as he gets beaten up for hitting on a random guy’s girlfriend, then losing the stack of cash in the blink of a roulette table eye. The Emmy-worthy showcase paints a picture of a husk of a man still searching for that next bet, even with his swollen face and blood-stained shirt.
The money Rishi uses as his initial casino funds is from his co-workers, who are part of a horse racing syndicate and unknowing lenders. We see Rishi’s mix of negging and salesman skills when he collects from Robert (Harry Lawtey), Anraj (Irfan Shamji), and Eric, who all have misgivings about the £2,000 stake. Anraj mentions he needs to pay rent, Eric doesn’t trust Rishi, and Robert doesn’t understand how the buy-in has ballooned since the initial £100. “I don’t know what the fuck you just said,” Robert responds before giving his cash. This line sums up how I feel about a lot of the financial jargon. Like Robert, I am all in.
Sagar Radia
HBO
Later, nothing comes of the HR discussion other than Venetia (Indy Lewis) quitting her job, and her parting gift is telling Rishi she heard he is a terrible lay—“a five pump chump.” Despite this truth-telling, Rishi ends on a high, further contributing to his invincibility streak when his gamble pays off. “You’re not even a good trader. You’re just lucky,” says Anrah. In typically cocksure fashion, Rishi asks what’s the difference.
At home, where Rishi is drowning in debt, he gets his mojo back in a straight-talking conversation with his wife, who agrees to bail him out. The following morning, a revved-up Rishi is back on the hyper-machismo streak, smashing up the cricket pavilion and getting his dog Rajha back. If Rishi stopped here, he would be ahead. Instead, he rings Vin, telling him he has the £200,000, but he wants to put £50,000 on the previous tip. “I’ve got a feeling, a great feeling like fate is shaving her c–t just for me,” Rishi says. How soon before fate shuts her legs, leaving Rishi scrambling? Now, that bet seems like a sure thing.
