Category: Hindi Webseries Reviews

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Aspirants Season 2: A Relatable Tale Of Friendship, But Falls Short In Exploring Social Issues

Season 2 is about the lives of three friends outside Old Rajinder Nagar in Delhi as adults. But it doesn’t match its predecessor.

Not as gripping as Season 1!

2.5

Aspirants Season 2 (Hindi)

  • Cast: Sunny Hinduja, Naveen Kasturia, and Namita Dubey
  • Director: Apoorv Singh Karki
  • Producer: Vijay Koshy, Shreyansh Pandey
  • Music: Sangeet Haldipur, Siddharth Haldipur
  • No of episodes: 5
  • OTT platform: Prime Video

For those who haven’t seen Aspirants Season 1 (2021), the story revolves around the past and present of three friends — Abhilash Sharma (Naveen Kasturia), Gurupreet aka Guri (Shivankit Singh Parihar), and Shwetketu aka SK (Abhilash Thapiyal).

The past dealt with their aspirations of cracking UPSC and the various struggles that came their way.

The first season of Aspirants was a big success. An important reason for the show’s success was the realistic portrayal of the UPSC aspirants.

The distinct characterisations also made the show a big winner. For example, Abhilash is a serious person.

Guri, on the other hand, is more carefree. Finally, SK is an introvert who struggles on the account of low self-esteem and confidence.

Now the makers are back with Aspirants Season 2, which also moves between two timelines.

The setting of Season 1 is Old Rajinder Nagar, Delhi. The present portions are about their lives outside Rajinder Nagar as adults.

Synopsis

In Aspirants Season 2, Abhilash is posted as a DM in Rampur. Guri makes constant attempts to get government contracts. SK works as a teacher.

Aspirants Season 2 on Prime Video
‘Aspirants Season 2’ is streaming on Prime Video. (X)

The story in this series primarily focuses on how these three navigate the challenges of their respective professional careers along with friendship dynamics.

One of the things that Apoorv Singh Karki gets right is the problems that arise in maintaining friendships when priorities shift in life. This has been portrayed realistically and will definitely find an echo with many men and women.

The director also does a good job of showcasing Abhilash’s journey as a district magistrate. The day-to-day challenges of an administrative job have been portrayed with authenticity.

Abhilash finds himself at odds with Sandeep Bhaiya (Sunny Hinduja), his senior in the coaching institute. There was a time when Abhilash idolised Sandeep. But now, they are at a crossroads because of their different ideologies.

Sunny Hinduja plays an assistant Labour commissioner. This war of ideologies plays a major part in Aspirants Season 2 and gives the show some of its best moments.

A major area where Apoorv Singh Karki fails is his depiction of the political problems. One of the subplots involves protesting villagers. This has been dealt with in a very haphazard way, making them come across as semi-villains.

Characterisation and performances

Sunny Hinduja in Aspirants Season 2
Sunny Hinduja in ‘Aspirants Season 2’. (X)

A character from Northeast India is introduced in Aspirants Season 2, but it doesn’t have any particular significance to the story.

The depiction of women’s characters is another major problem.

Namit Dubey, as Guri’s wife, is impressive. But the character doesn’t go beyond a traditional housewife. Her compromises don’t make any sense.

The performances across the board are good, particularly Naveen Kasturia and Sunny Hinduja.

Naveen Kasturia is successful in carrying the intensity from the first season. His character arc is designed well, and the actor does complete justice to it.

Sunny Hinduja also does a wonderful job of showcasing the pain of Sandeep.

Apoorv Singh Karki is good at portraying the difficulties of sustaining friendship. But the series doesn’t completely match its predecessor.

Final take

The best way to enjoy Aspirants Season 2 is by watching it with low expectations.

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Sultan Of Delhi: A Clichéd Gangster Saga With All Style And Little Substance

Milan Luthria’s OTT debut ‘Sultan of Delhi’ is an extension of his film ‘Once Upon A Time in Mumbai’, but not in a good way.

admin
No coherence!
Sultan of Delhi (Hindi)
  • Cast: Tahir Raj Bhasin, Anjumm Ssharma, Vinay Pathak, Nishant Dahiya, Anupriya Goenka, and Mouni Roy
  • Director: Milan Luthria and Suparn Verma
  • Producer: Namit Sharma
  • Music: Ammal Malik and Anu Malik
  • No. of episodes: 9
  • OTT platform: Disney+ Hotstar

There was a time when Milan Luthria was a hugely successful filmmaker.

Both The Dirty Picture (2011) and Once Upon A Time in Mumbai (2010) found acceptance by critics as well as audiences. A common feature between both these films was the dialogue-baazi that appealed to the masses.

However, in the last few years, Milan Luthria became all about style with little to no focus on the content.

The best examples of these are Baadshaho (2017) and Once Upon A Time in Mumbai Dobaara (2013).

Unfortunately, the director’s OTT debut — Sultan of Delhi — is another major misfire. It is also directed by Suparn S Varma.

Synopsis

The web series starts with the story of Arjun (Tahir Raj Bhasin).

Arjun is a descendant of a generation that migrated to the capital region after partition. His experiences at the refugee camp make him more courageous with an attitude of taking life head-on.

Arjun’s determination to overcome the scars of his past leads him to the criminal world. In the beginning, it is the arms trade.

Bangali (Anjumm Ssharma) is an accomplice-cum-friend. Soon enough, they fall under the tutelage of Jagan Seth (Vinay Pathak).

Arjun’s chief adversary is Rajendra (Nishant Dahiya), an entitled brat who constantly looks down upon Arjun. He doesn’t shy away from flaunting his privilege.

Like Arjun, Rajendra too has big dreams. Aiding Rajendra in his quest is his late father’s mistress Shankari  Devi (Anupriya Goenka).

The rest of the story moves along with different tangents. There is a bromance between Arjun and Bangali, their romantic relationships, and the equation with Jagan Seth, etc.

Bromance is the only saving grace

To give credit where it’s due, director duo Milan Luthria-Suparn Varam does a good job of establishing the bromance between Arjun and Bangali.

The scenes featuring Tahir and Anjum Sharma are easily the saving grace of this web series. The friendship feels organic and when things take a dark turn the viewers feel sorry for them.

The romantic angles fall flat though. This is a combination of poor writing coupled with uninspiring performances from most of the women characters.

The only female actress who makes an impression is Anupriya Goenka. She portrays the negative shades with absolute relish.

Mouni Roy suffers the most on account of weak characterisation.

Nishant Dahiya plays the brat with the right amount of snootiness.

Vinay Pathak also does well in his grey-shaded role.

Fails to evoke emotions

A big problem with the Sultan of Delhi is how it deals with the portions featuring the refugee camp. They are staged with indifference and feel more like a checklist that needs to be done away with.

In the web series Jubliee and also the first Gadar, there is a sense of heartbreak that the viewers feel. But here, the audience doesn’t develop the required empathy.

Sultan of Delhi also suffers on account of many outlandish sequences. For example, there is a sequence involving ammunition trade. For no rhyme or reason, you have unnecessary murders of policemen.

Milan Luthria and Suparn Varma do an equally pathetic job of showcasing the politics of that period. The best example of this is a segment involving a Bengali filmmaker by the name of Roy Babu.

There is no denying that these sequences have been stylishly mounted but there is a visible hollowness that irritates the viewers.

Final take

To sum it up, Sultan of Delhi is all about empty posturing. The genre of gangster drama seriously needs a reinvention as it has become all about style with no focus on coherence.

(Views expressed here are personal.)

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Mumbai Diaries Season 2: A Brilliant Story Of Human Triumph Against All Odds

Much like Season 1, director Nikhil Advani successfully delivers a web show that is high on both thrills and emotions.

For those who haven’t seen the first season of Mumbai Diaries (2021), the plot was about the events that took place amidst the terrorist attacks in Mumbai. At the centre of this story were the doctors in the fictional Bombay General Hospital.

In Mumbai Diaries Season 2, director and creator Nikhil Advani focuses his lens on unfortunate events that took place when Mumbai city was submerged under the floods. He skillfully recreates how the Mumbaikars survived nature’s wrath and their fighting spirit.

Once again, you have the doctors and their staff, who are struggling to save the ailing patients. This time, the challenges are related to infrastructure in the hospital and of course, their personal demons.

For example, Dr Kaushik Oberoi (Mohit Raina) is under severe media trial due to the grieving wife of an ATS chief Mrs Kelkar (Sonali Kulkarni). She blames him for the death of her husband as he couldn’t save him.

Additionally, Oberoi chooses to treat a dreaded terrorist on that fateful night.

On the other hand, there is Chitra Das (Konkana Sen Sharma) who has a traumatic past that is related to her ex-husband Dr Saurav (Parambrata Chattopadhyay).

Dr Saurav visits the hospital on the same night with a delegation comprising of London-based doctors.

Initially, the viewers are made to believe that Dr Saurav’s presence in the hospital is only a coincidence. However, as the story progresses, there is much more to this tale than what meets the eye.

In a nutshell, the story is about how these groups of doctors battle both the unfavourable weather and their personal demons.

A big plus for Mumbai Diaries Season 2 is how the screenwriters have built a sense of urgency through the writing.

The viewers feel an emotional connection towards these doctors and want them to emerge victorious both professionally and personally.

Performances

The performances across the board are brilliant with the standouts being Mohit Raina and Konkana Sen Sharma.

Mohit Raina does a brilliant job of conveying both the inner turmoil and the fighting spirit of Dr Kaushik Oberoi.

Konkana Sen Sharma is wonderful in displaying both the vulnerability and steeliness of Chitra Das. Her subplot with the junior doctor Ahaan (Satyajeet Dubey) has some wonderful moments.

Satyajeet Dubey’s character is attracted towards Chitra Das.

Amidst an intense scene with his fellow junior doctors, Ahaan bursts out about how he brought tickets to watch Love Aaj Kal (2009) with Chitra Das. This brings a smile to the viewer’s face.

A refreshing change from the first season is the character arc of Mansi (Shreya Dhanwantary). Her part was a weak link in the first part, But, this time around, Mansi has been etched out much better.

Coming to the negatives, the show could have done with crisper editing. A couple of narratives have been stretched needlessly. These include a queer character that slows down the proceedings.

Ashutosh Pathak’s background score is another major winner. His work is particularly praiseworthy in intense scenes.

The background score helps in further elevating the performances.

Another noteworthy aspect of this web series is the production design of Priya Suhass. There is an authenticity to how the flood scenes have been recreated.

Final take

To sum it up, Mumbai Diaries Season 2 makes the viewers wish that Nikhil Advani comes up with a Season 3.

(Views expressed here are personal.)

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Charlie Chopra & The Mystery Of Solang Valley: A Pulpy Thriller That Keeps You Hooked

Vishal Bhardwaj shows his mastery at creating a dramatic murder mystery, with each suspect coming with his/her secrets.

Vishal Bhardwaj’s fascination with literature is something that needs no introduction.

The acclaimed director has adapted three works of Shakespeare into movies — Maqbool (2003) from “Macbeth“, Omkara (2006) from “Othello“, and Haider (2014) from “Hamlet“.

All these three movies won a lot of critical acclaim along with box office success.

The director has also tried his hand at adapting Ruskin Bond stories— The Blue Umbrella (2005) and Saat Khoon Maaf (2011).

Now, he is back with Charlie Chopra & The Mystery of Solang Valley based on The Sittaford Mystery, one of the crime novels written by Agatha Christie.

The mystery thriller is set in Solang Valley and Manali in Himachal Pradesh.

Synopsis

Right from the first scene, Vishal Bhardwaj shows his mastery at creating a dramatic murder mystery, with each suspect coming with his secrets. Wamiqa Gabbi is the determined Punjabi detective Charlie Chopra.

Brigadier Meherbaan Rawat (Gulshan Grover) is an esteemed member of the Rockford Estate community. Towards the end of the first episode, his shocking death is revealed. It sends huge shockwaves through the community.

Charlie Chopra takes up this case as her fiancé Jimmy (Vivaan Shah) becomes the major suspect. As Charlie Chopra digs deeper and deeper into the case, many secrets tumble out.

The rest of the story is about who the actual culprit is and whether there is something more to the mysterious death of Meherbaan Rawat.

Technical brilliance

For any suspense thriller, it is necessary that the viewers are intrigued throughout. Vishal and his two co-writers successfully manage to keep them hooked till the end.

The setting of the Solang Valley also ends up being a major character in itself, thanks to the cinematographer Tassaduq Hussain. He does a brilliant job in not just showcasing the picturesque setting but is also equally good at imbuing it with an air of enigma.

Vishal Bhardwaj also dwells on social commentary through the supporting cast. He talks about refugees, unrequited love, oppression, and killed aspirations. This gives the story a certain emotional heft.

Vishal Bhardwaj’s music blends perfectly into the atmospherics. Special mention must be made of the two Ghazals sung by Rekha Bhardwaj.

Performances

The ensemble cast is also mostly on point with a particular mention to Wamiqa Gabbi. After this year’s Jubilee (2023), the actress once again shows her versatility with her portrayal of Charlie Chopra.

A scene which particularly stands out is when she breaks down during an imaginary phone call to a character. There are also scenes where Wamiqa breaks the fourth wall with aplomb.

Priyanshu Painyuli also makes a huge impression in his role as a small-time news reporter. Their partnership is quite reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson. Priyanshu brings in some much-needed comic relief.

Among the suspects, Lara Dutta and Ratna Pathak Shah have better etched-out roles.

Lara Dutta plays Wilayat Hussain, a Ghazal singer from Lucknow. As the series progresses, it is revealed that she was once Colonel Rawat’s love interest.

Now, Wilayat and her daughter Waseema are leading a life of indignity. Wassema suffers from schizophrenia. Lara Dutta effortlessly portrays both the protective mother and the Ghazal singer.

Ratna Pathak Shah’s character, on the other hand, is someone who fakes disability in order to claim insurance money. The veteran actress pulls off the grey shades with the finesse that you expect from her.

Final take

To sum it up, Vishal Bhardwaj delivers another winner. Here’s hoping that the director continues to take inspiration from literature.

(Views expressed here are personal.)

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Kaala: An Overstuffed Thriller That Is Low On Both Drama And Thrills

The biggest problem with ‘Kaala’ is the many back and forths dealing with multiple characters that float in and out.

A black mark in Bejoy Nambiar’s filmography!
Kaala (Hindi)
  • Cast: Rohan Mehra, Taher Shabbir, Avinash Tiwary, and Nivetha Pethuraj
  • Director: Bejoy Nambiar
  • Producers: Bejoy Nambiar, Bhushan Kumar, and Krishan Kumar
  • Music: Gaurav Godkhindi
  • No. of episodes: 8
  • OTT platform: Disney+ Hotstar

The story of Kaala has certain elements inspired by the recent blockbusters Pathaan and Jawan, but the experience here is far from rousing.

Bejoy Nambiar’s Kaala moves along two parallel storylines.

On one hand, you have an IB officer named Ritwik Mukherjee (Avinash Tiwary). This is set in 2018. Ritwik Mukherjee is given the task of investigating a huge case of “reverse hawala” (a transaction where the money is transferred back to the original sender).

This reverse hawala is being run by Naman Arya (Taher Shabbir) in West Bengal. Naman Arya is a business tycoon who uses waste recycling as a front for the money laundering that he does.

As Ritwik gets deeper into the case, he finds a certain link that connects to his past.

Parallel storyline

Running parallel to this plot is the storyline set in 1988. This portion begins with a military truck being blown up on the Indo-Bangladesh border.

Subhendu Mukherjee (Rohan Vinod Mehra) is a solo survivor who somehow manages to escape by jumping into the water.

He is accused of cheating his own battalion by helping the rebel forces use the wartime tunnels as a route for smuggling.

As Kaala progresses, a complicated chain of events happens leading to Ritwik being labeled as a rogue and criminal, much like Subhendu Mukherjee.

But it goes without saying that they both have been falsely implicated. To nobody’s surprise, Subhendu turns out to be Ritwik’s father.

What follows is a familiar tale of a son avenging his father’s insult by gradually coming to know about his father’s courage.

Positives

One of the few positive aspects of Kaala is the portions involving Rohan Vinod Mehra. His scenes have an emotional resonance. As viewers, you feel for the plight of Subhendu Mukherjee.

Taher Shabbir also does well as a cool businessman.

Also, to the credit of Bejoy Nambiar, he doesn’t waste any time in setting up the world of money laundering.

Flaws 

The biggest problem with Kaala is the many back and forths dealing with multiple characters that float in and out. Bejoy Nambiar does a lot of globetrotting, much like the other SRK-starrer Pathaan (2023). But here, the globetrotting doesn’t have any value to the plot.

The series starts with the issue of money laundering in the name of reverse hawala. But soon, that is relegated to the background. It becomes more about Ritwik’s fight for his father, but not in a positive way.

There is also a subplot dealing with homosexuality — involving one of the villains (Jitin Gulati). It is not just poorly placed but has been written with zero nuances.

This is sad because you have had web shows that have portrayed homosexuality in a much more nuanced manner.

A case in point is this year’s Taali, a web show on the transgender activist Gauri Sawant.

There is no denying that Kaala has been stylishly mounted. But the slickness cannot compensate for the overall dullness.

Final take

To sum it up, Kaala is a big black mark in the filmography of Bejoy Nambiar who is capable of doing much better stuff as we have seen in Shaitan (2011) and Wazir (2016).

(Views expressed here are personal.)

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The Freelancer: Another Espionage Drama That Explores Global Politics

Bhav Dhulia might have directed it but it is an extension of Neeraj Pandey’s ‘Baby’ and ‘Special Ops’; war-torn Syria is the USP here.

Keeps you hooked to your seats!
The Freelancer (Hindi)
  • Cast: Mohit Raina, Kashmira Pardeshi, Sushant Singh, and Anupam Kher
  • Director: Bhav Dhulia
  • Producers: Gaurav Banerjee, Varun Malik, and Mahesh Menon
  • Music: Sanjoy Chowdhury
  • No. of episodes: 4
  • OTT platform: Disney+ Hotstar

After the hugely controversial and successful The Kerala Story (2023), we have another story that looks at the ISIS terror groups who want to conquer the world and the extent they would go for it.

For those who are not aware this web show is based on the book “A Ticket to Syria” by writer Shirish Thorat.

In simple terms, The Freelancer focuses on the plight of a newly married girl named Aliya (Kashmira Pardeshi). Her husband Mohsin takes her to Istanbul on the pretext of honeymoon, but his actual intention is something else.

Aliya has no idea that her husband and in-laws have been completely brainwashed by ISIS and want her to be a tool in their plans, too. She is not allowed to communicate with her parents and becomes a virtual prisoner.

Mohit Raina plays Avinash Kamat, an ex-cop turned mercenary.

The title — The Freelancer — refers to this kind of mercenary who fights as a soldier for any group or country that would pay him or her.

Avinash’s physical prowess is established very early on.

Avinash and Aliya’s father Inayat (Sushant Singh) are good friends. After learning about her plight, Inayat tries to contact her, but he doesn’t succeed. In desperation and guilt, he commits suicide.

Aliya’s mother requests Avinash to somehow bring her back.

The first season primarily focuses on how Aliya gets trapped in Syria and how she manages to get in contact with Avinash.

Performances

The Freelancer works best when it focuses on the plight of Aliya, and also ravaged terrain of Syria.

Brainwashing done in the name of religion is something that we have seen earlier as well. But it becomes uncomfortable when the stories emanate only from groups like ISIS.

The character of Aliya is the backbone of The Freelancer. She goes through varied emotions.

The young actress delivers a commendable performance. Her conversations with her mother (Ayesha Raza) are particularly impactful.

As viewers, we feel anxious about Aliya’s safety and want her to come out safe.

Sushant Singh effectively conveys the desperation of a father in the screen time he has.

Mohit Raina makes for a formidable mercenary and also a concerned uncle.

Anupam Kher as the mentor figure has a pleasing presence but the part feels undercooked.

Technical aspects

Cinematographers Tojo Xavier, Arvind Singh, and Sudhir Palsane do a good job of capturing the many locations through their lenses. Their work stands out more when they recreate the harsh terrain of Syria — whether it is the camps, local markets or dilapidated houses.

Though a lot of back and forth keeps happening editing is quite seamless.

What doesn’t work for The Freelancer is the track of Mohit Raina and the complicated relationship that he shares with his on-screen wife (Manjari Fadnnis). It is weakly written, and as a result, their track comes across as more of an unnecessary distraction.

Final take

The Freelancer ends with a cliffhanger of Aliya’s in-laws turning suicide bombers. This makes the viewers even more hooked about what would unfold in Season 2.

(Views expressed here are personal.)

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Guns & Gulaabs: A Blend Of ‘Gangs Of Wasseypur’ And ‘Mirzapur’

Another story on drugs but worth a watch for the ensemble cast and the eccentric characters created by the director duo — Raj & DK.

Not as brilliant as Raj & DK’s previous ventures.
Guns & Gulaabs (Hindi)
  • Cast: Dulquer Salmaan, Rajkummar Rao, Adarsh Gourav, and Gulshan Devaiah
  • Director: Raj & DK
  • Producer: Raj & DK
  • Music: Aman Pant
  • No. of episodes: 7
  • OTT platform: Netflix

Raj & DK carved a niche for themselves in the web series zone with the two seasons of The Family Man (2019, 2021) and Farzi (2023).

In both the web shows, the director duo took up global issues and portrayed them through a humanistic lens.

But with their latest outing — Guns & Gulaabs, they seem to have entered more into the space of Gangs of Wasseypur (2012) and Mirzapur (2018, 2020). However, what remains the same is their trademark humour.

Synopsis

The story of Guns & Gulaabs is set in the fictional town of Gulaabgunj during the 1990s.

Ganchi (late Satish Kaushik) is a drug dealer who signs a big deal with a Kolkata-based businessman named Sukanto Chatterjee (Rajatava Datta). As per the deal, Ganchi needs to deliver a big quantity of opium to this businessman in just a month.

Paana Tipu (Rajkummar Rao) is the son of the late Bablu Tiger (Arijit Dutta), a key member of the Ganchi Gang. Tipu is a mechanic with zero interest in entering his father’s profession. He is head over heels in love with a school teacher named Chandralekha (T J Bhanu).

However, Tipu’s life takes an unexpected turn when he kills two people, in a fit of rage, who work for a contract killer named “Chaar Cut” Atmaram (Gulshan Devaiah). This gang is responsible for the death of his father Bablu Tiger.

Jugnu (Adarsh Gourav) is the son of Ganchi who is both effeminate and also savage. He is desperate to win the approval of his father. He gets an opportunity to fulfil his dreams when Ganchi meets with an unexpected accident.

Arjun (Dulqer Salmaan) is the seemingly honest cop and the perfect family man. He was a deputy commissioner of police in Delhi during the time of the Bofors scam. Now, he is transferred to Gulaabgunj with a simple brief of cleaning up the place.

Running parallel to these characters are a bunch of schoolchildren. Among the kids, the most important one is Tanishq Chaudhary playing the troublemaker Gangaram.

Raj & DK smartly integrate this track into the main plot of gang violence and the opium trade.

Eccentric characters

What also makes Guns & Gulaabs worth a watch are the eccentric characters that Raj & DK created. Most of them come in shades of both black and white.

For example, Rajkummar Rao starts as a reluctant son whose only aim is to become a famous mechanic and marry the school teacher Chandralekha. His scenes with TJ Bhanu bring a smile to the viewer’s face.

The actor also leaves you in splits with his fantastic comic timing. There is certain likeability to Tipu even after he becomes a part of the Ganchi’s Gang.

Rajkummar Rao portrays all these shades with his usual finesse.

The combination of scenes between Rajkummar and Dulqer, though few in number, is still good to watch.

Through the character of Jugnu, Raj & DK explore the journey of a young man who is stuck between effeminateness and living up to his father’s expectations. There is a chilling scene at the end where Jugnu pours out his frustration to his dad.

It gives goosebumps to viewers, thanks to the performance of Adarsh Gaurav.

Tipu and Jugnu have a striking commonality — both are burdened by the legacy of their respective fathers.

As mentioned in the beginning Dulqer Salmaan’s Arjun is initially presented as the perfect cop and the ideal family man. But as the show progresses past skeletons keep coming out.

One of these includes a past affair with Yamini (Shreya Dhanwanthary). The duality of Arjun is portrayed well. Dulqer delivers the cuss words with conviction.

The track of the school children is effectively used to address how students are usually slotted under a particular category and the consequences it has on their personalities.

An important track that needs to be mentioned here is the student’s (Gangaram) infatuation with Chandralekha.

Flaws

Nevertheless, one big problem with Guns & Gulaabs is the tying up of the various subplots.

The last few episodes feel cluttered. You get the feeling that Raj & DK were in a hurry to wrap up the web series. The last episode, in particular, even with an interval in between feels much laboured.

The female characters, except TJ Bhanu, don’t make any impression.

Shreya Dhanwanthary, in particular, is criminally underused. This is sad because the women in both The Family Man and Farzi — be it Samantha, Priyamani, or Rashi Khanna — were featured in full-length roles as strong and powerful ladies.

Technical crafts

One of the things that stand out in Guns & Gulaabs is the technical department.

Pankaj Kumar does a beautiful job of taking back the audiences to those times with his lens.

In this, he is aided by a solid art direction department.

Aman Pant’s background score complements the period perfectly. It has the right retro feel. Both the background score and the cinematography enhance the show in a significant way.

Verdict

In all, Guns & Gulaabs do not entirely match up to the brilliance of the director duo’s previous works. But still, it is worth watching, particularly if you like crime thrillers.

(Views expressed here are personal.)

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Made In Heaven Season 2: A Gripping Critique On Social Issues

Despite a few editing lapses, the directors explore different topics and deliver a solid show, once again.

A worthy follow-up!
Made In Heaven Season 2 (Hindi)
  • Cast: Sobhita Dhulipala, Arjun Mathur, Vijay Raaz, Mona Singh, Shashank Arora, Mrunal Thakur, Pulkit Samrat, Radhika Apte, and Anurag Kashyap
  • Directors: Zoya Akhtar, Alankrita Srivastava, Neeraj Ghaywan, and Nitya Mehra
  • Producers: Excel Media & Entertainment and Tiger Baby
  • Music: Sagar Desai, Dub Sharma, Balkrishan Sharma, and Sherry Mathews
  • No. of episodes: 9
  • OTT platform: Amazon Prime Video

The first season of Made in Heaven created by Zoya Akhtar, Nitya Mehra, Reema Kagti, Prashant Nair, Alankrita Shrivastava, and Neeraj Ghaywan was a gripping take on the affluent society of South Delhi.

In the web series, the directors looked at the hypocrisies beneath all the glitter and glamour.

At the heart of Made in Heaven are the two wedding planners Tara Khanna (Sobhita Dhulipala) and Karan (Arjun Mathur). Tara was born into a typical middle-class family but her luck changes when she gets married into a rich South Delhi family.

Karan, on the other hand, is a gay who has unattached hookups.

Through each wedding, the directors explore different topics along with the upheavals that Tara and Karan face, both professionally and personally.

Synopsis

The second season of the web show, Made in Heaven Season 2, starts with Tara and Arjun trying to reconstruct their business which is facing financial issues.

As a result, they set up their office in an old dilapidated house with a new business partner Jauharji (Vijay Raaz) reprising his role from the first part.

In order to have tight control over the financés he brings in his wife Bulbal Jauhar (Mona Singh).

Apart from her, another new addition to the team is Meher (Trinetra Haldar).

Shashank Arora and Shivani Raghuvanshi continue their parts of Kabir and Jaspreet respectively.

Much like the first season, this time too, the creators push the envelope in exposing the double standards and hypocrisies that dwell in our society through different weddings.

For example, one of the episodes is about a successful author and Professor Pallavi Menke (Radhika Apte) who asserts her Dalit identity at every step. She insists on having a Dalit Buddhist wedding in addition to a traditional ceremony.

What is also similar is the various complexities playing out in the individual lives of Tara and Arjun.

The best part of Made in Heaven Season 2 is how the directors integrated the different social aspects of our society in an engaging manner.

Yes, there are times when the viewers feel the length of the episodes could have been trimmed. However, the impact doesn’t diminish.

Each episode ends with Shashank Arora’s social commentary. He raises uncomfortable yet important questions.

The Dalit episode definitely packs a bigger punch, thanks to Neeraj Ghaywan’s direction in addition to Radhika’s fiery performance.

Other episodes also make a strong impact.

A good example of this is the one centred on Kriti Malhotra and Gulshan Raina (Neelam Kothari and Samir Soni respectively).

This episode has also been directed by Neeraj Ghaywan. Kriti and Gulshan were lovers once upon a time in college. Now in their 50s, they are having an extra-martial affair behind the backs of their respective spouses.

The episode ends with Kriti taking a bold decision that doesn’t go down well with her children.

Effortless performances

Made in Heaven Season 2 also does a good job in the way it portrays a transgender character. There is certain sensitivity both in the writing and execution of the transgender person (Trinetra Haldar) who delivers a confident performance.

Special mention must also be made of Mona Singh. Her character Bulbal comes across as a tough woman in the office. But at the same time, there is also a vulnerability in the scenes with her rebellious teenage son.

Mona Singh does a fantastic job of portraying these shades.

One of my favourite characters apart from Radhika Apte is the one played by Mrunal Thakur. She plays a beauty queen struggling in an abusive relationship. The actress does a wonderful job, particularly in the emotional bits.

Sobhita and Arjun Mathur take off effortlessly from where they left in the first season.

In the second season, Sobhita as Tara has to literally restart her life after the separation from her husband Adil (Jim Sarbh).

Tara is someone who is both vulnerable and manipulative. The actress does a good job of bringing out these shades.

Arjun Mathur is in impressive form with his arresting performance.

Final Take

To sum it up, the title “Made in Heaven” actually feels like a paradox because of the way most of the marriages in this series end up. However, it’s a worthy follow-up to the first season.

(Views expressed here are personal.)

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The Trial: A Gripping Drama That Goes Much Beyond The Courtroom

The real-life references that director Supan Verma brings in make Kajol’s web series debut interesting to watch.

A worthy remake!
The Trial (Hindi)
  • Cast: Kajol, Jisshu Sengupta, Sheeba Chaddha, Gaurav Pandey, Alyy Khan, and Kubbra Sait
  • Director: Supan Verma
  • Producers: Ajay Devgan and Rajesh Chadha
  • Music: Sangeet-Siddharth
  • No. of episodes: 8
  • OTT platform: Disney+ Hotstar

Director Supan Verma’s The Trial is centred on a woman named Nayonika Sengupta (Kajol).

It is a remake of The Good Wife (English, 2009) and deals with many relevant topics like corruption, politics, media trials, and fake news. It also marks the web series debut of Kajol.

What happens that brings Nayonika back to work is what The Trial is about.

Synopsis

One day, Nayonika’s husband Rajiv Sengupta (Jisshu Sengupta) is arrested by the police for seeking sexual favours. This incident results in her coming out of her retirement.

With the help of Vishal Chaubey (Alyy Khan), she manages to get a job at a law firm co-founded by him. Vishal and Nayonika have a past which didn’t end happily.

At the law firm, Nayonika faces the brunt of both gossip and the sexual scandal of her husband before she proves herself as a competent lawyer.

In a nutshell, the series focuses on the different cases that Nayonika takes up along with how she bravely takes on the challenges that arise in both her professional and personal life.

Makes references to real-life incidents

One of the things that makes The Trial interesting is the real-life references that director Supan Verma brings in.

For example, one of the cases is about a cricketer who commits suicide and his girlfriend is hounded by the media. A negative campaign is run against her.

This reminds you of the Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s case.

Here, the director makes some valid points about how these media trials have a severe effect on the person who is already battered.

The Trial also has some satirical commentary on the legal system which lands perfectly.

Realistic portrayal of relationships

Supan Verma does a good job of exploring the dynamics between a mother and her two young daughters. It has been treated in a realistic manner.

The two daughters face a lot of humiliation in school because of the father’s sex scandal. In fact, they are forced to mature before age.

Another track that deserves a mention is the one involving Vishal and Nayonika.

Vishal never lets their bad past come in the way of supporting Nayonika. On more than one occasion, we feel that Nayonika should have ended up with Vishal and not Rajiv.

Further, the back story of how Nayonika and Rajiv ended up together could have been explained better. But still, the scenes between Kajol and Jisshu Sengupta do pack a punch.

The aloofness of Nayonika and her hesitancy to trust Rajiv again has been wonderfully portrayed.

Performances

As Nayonika, Kajol delivers a formidable performance and is successful in bringing alive the different layers. She brings in the right amount of grit, vulnerability, and despair.

Jisshu Sengupta is solid on his part as a guilty husband.

Sheeba Chadda as Vishal’s law firm partner brings in the required authority.

The rest of the actors also deliver good performances.

Final take

Watch The Trial for a realistic portrayal of Nayonika’s professional and personal life.

(Views expressed here are personal.)

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The Night Manager Part 2: High On Both Thrills And Human Drama

Part 2 of this espionage drama gives a deep insight into global politics through the character of Shelly played by Anil Kapoor.

Stands out for its performances!
The Night Manager Part 2 (Hindi)
  • Cast: Anil Kapoor, Aditya Roy Kapur, Sobhita Dhulipala, Tillotama Shome, and Saswata Chatterjee
  • Direction: Sandeep Modi, Priyanka Ghose, and Rukh Nabeel
  • Producers: Deepak Dhar, Rishi Negi, and Rajesh Chadha
  • Music: Sam CS
  • No. of episodes: 3
  • OTT platform: Disney+ Hotstar

The first part of The Night Manager followed the journey of an ex-Navy guy-turned-night manager Shaan Sengupta (Aditya Roy Kapur). His life takes a drastic turn when a tormented teenager seeks help from him.

The husband of this teen is a criminal and much older than her. He is also an associate of a businessman named Shelly (Anil Kapoor).

On the surface, Shelly is supposed to be a philanthropist. But in reality, he is a businessman who deals in illegal arms.

Shaan takes the help of a woman called Lipika Saikia Rao (Tillotama Shome) who works for the Indian intelligence.

In spite of his best efforts, Shaan isn’t able to save the teenager. And this leaves him absolutely shattered.

The crux of The Night Manager Part 1 was primarily about how Shaan manages to impress Shelly and gets access to his inner circle.

Season 2 synopsis

The Night Manager Part 2 begins with the illegal arms dealer Shailendra Rungta aka Shelly.

He is still not aware of Shaan’s real identity. His trust in Shaan is so firm that he even makes him a business partner.

On the other hand, Lipika is continuing to trace Shelly at the cost of facing heat from the system.

There is also a secret love story developing between Shaan and Shailendra’s girlfriend Kaveri K Dixit (Sobhita Dhulipala).

However, Shelly’s friend Brijpal (Saswata Chatterjee) isn’t still convinced about Shaan’s reliability. Adding to Brijpal’s woes, he loses Shelly’s trust.

Like most espionage dramas, this web series is also about a man who rises against all odds to save the country. At the same time, The Night Manager Part 2 gives a deep insight into global politics through the character of Shelly.

Sobhita gets a strong role

A big area of improvement in comparison to The Night Manager Part 1 is how the makers designed the character of Sobhita Dhulipala’s Kaveri.

In the first season, she was more of a glam doll. But now, the character has been explored much more.

The romantic moments between Shaan and Kaveri are subtle yet effective. However, as viewers you do wish that Kaveri shouldn’t have been reduced to a damsel in distress towards the end.

Sobhita Dhulipala is quite good and does hold her own opposite the terrific Anil Kapoor.

A peek into world politics

Coming to Anil Kapoor, he does a fantastic job of portraying the evilness of Shelly. The monster side of Shelly comes out much more in The Night Manager Part 2.

For example, there is a scene where he butchers a former associate to death with what looks like a Reynolds ballpoint pen.

One of my favourite moments in the show is when he chews on the cigar and talks about bombs in a poetic way. It is so good to see Anil Kapoor reinventing himself constantly.

As earlier mentioned, the theme of global politics is explored through the character of Shelly.

He may look like the villain, but in reality, he is someone who is very much needed by the Indian government. Because people like him are hired to do the dirty work which the government doesn’t want to lay its hands on.

At one point, Shelly is compared to Osama Bin Laden whom America thought it could control, at least at one point in time.

These moments make the show a cut above the usual espionage drama.

Other characters

Aditya Roy Kapur shows once again why he is perfect for the role of Shaan. He lends the required mystery as Shaan doesn’t express a lot. His good looks also come in handy since Shaan is meant to be a seducer as well.

Another character from The Night Manager Part 2 that stays with the viewers is Saswata Chatterjee’s Brijpal. He effortlessly conveys the turmoil of a man who is losing the trust of his friend.

Tillotama Shome as the heavily pregnant intelligence officer continues her impressive form.

She is in equal parts resilient and vulnerable. She also gets her share of masala moments and the actress knocks them out of the park.

The cinematography by Benjamin Jasper and Anik Ram Verma is of the highest order. The desert shots, in particular, deserve mention.

The background music by Sam CS elevates the drama in several places.

Final take

The Night Manager Part 2 is an espionage drama that manages to stand out with its understanding of world politics and stellar performances.

(Views expressed here are personal.)