295. Web-series Reviews – 128

More web-series reviews…

Made in Heaven 2 – Came out in 2023. Made In Heaven chronicles the lives of Tara and Karan, two wedding planners based in Delhi. India is a potent blend of old and new. Tradition jostles with modern aspirations against the backdrop of a Big Fat Indian Wedding revealing many secrets and many lies. The supposedly liberal fabric of the upper crust unravels as the duo navigate through arranged marriages, dowry transactions and virginity tests.

One of the reviews from IMDB...

Most Indian web shows are not made with the intention of carrying forward the story into multiple seasons, and I strongly believe that filmmakers shouldn't go ahead with a new season unless they have an actual story to tell. After watching the first two episodes of this season, I just felt that perhaps this show didn't really need a second season. The first two episodes didn't leave any kind of impact on me as such and it felt like I was watching the show only because I had to and not because I wanted to. It was the third episode, where things finally got exciting. That's the magic of having a good director helm your show - Neeraj Ghaywan in this case - as they are quite capable of shaking things up and making the show more engaging for the viewers. I was thoroughly entertained watching the third episode and eagerly anticipated the next one as soon as this one came to an end. The writing on this episode was sharper, the pacing was fantastic and the actors finally made me believe that they wanted to be a part of this new season.

I was hoping that perhaps after a slow start this season would now pick it's pace, but unfortunately that didn't happen. Neeraj Ghaywan came back to direct the fifth episode and transformed 'Made in Heaven' into a completely different show once again. This episode was once again packed with some brilliant performances and very beautifully integrated an extremely relevant social issue in it's central plot. It goes without saying that the two episodes directed by Neeraj Ghaywan were the most praiseworthy episodes of this season, the only two that I would want to watch again. The rest of the season was highly problematic. When it happens in one or two episodes, you could say the creator just wants to highlight the problem because it's also a social issue, but if it happens in every single episode then you know that the showrunners have an agenda here. I felt like this season was more interested in male bashing than throwing some spotlight on the social issues ailing our society. In the name of feminism and liberalism, sometimes filmmakers overstep the line so much that they end up in the realm of absurdity and that is exactly what happens in this season.

In the first season I was more interested in the social issues being tackled in every episode than the events taking place in the lives of the main characters, and the showrunners also gave equal weightage to the two threads running in parallel, but in this season the marriage event takes a backseat and more attention is given to the lives of our main characters, which did not always make for a great watch because it was repetitive, boring and often frustrating. Even though this new season also takes up a number of social evils, but because the focus is primarily on the lives of our main characters, we are unable to fully invest in the issues being highlighted and as a result don't get affected as much as we did in the first season.

Made in Heaven made it quite clear in the first season that the protagonists of this show are grey characters, but with this season they have pretty much turned into Lord Voldemort, I just don't like them anymore. According to the showrunners, all the problems in this world are due to men, women are just victims, if a woman does something wrong then there is nothing wrong in it because she is just ambitious and wants to live her life independently, but if a man does something wrong he needs to be called out for it and punished severely. What kind of nonsensical ideology is that? How exactly are we supposed to empathize with 'Tara' in the final episode after the treatment she gives to Adil's mother? If the showrunners wanted us to hate 'Tara' after the final episode, then they clearly succeeded in doing that. It was such a relief to see Raghav parting ways with Tara in the end, no man deserves to be with a woman like that. This season feels like a case of feminism gone wrong.

Kabir and Jaspreet, possibly the most likeable characters of the show, had some beautiful scenes in the first season, but this season turns Jaspreet into a victim and paints Kabir as a bad person. It was mind boggling to see Jaspreet pointing fingers at Kabir even though every single one of those allegations could have been pointed at her as well! Kabir played by Shashank Arora was such a likeable character in the first season, but in this one he is hardly seen anywhere. Why did the writers destroy such a wonderful character? Why do the writers forget that Kabir is the one summarizing and narrating the story? How can a man who understands everything so deeply be so ambiguous about everything in his own life? Did the showrunners seriously ruin Kabir's character just because they had to show every man as a bad person?

This season also had two cameos by Jim Sarbh and Kalki Koechlin, yes the same two actors who were part of the main cast in the first season. Why were two amazing central characters given a treatment like this is a question that can be answered only by the showrunners. Jim Sarbh was brilliant as Adil Khanna in the handful of scenes that he was given this season, and it was frustrating to not see more of him. Were the actors not available for the filming of this season? Did the showrunners run out of ideas for them?

Mona Singh was the most notable new addition to the show in this season as Bulbul Jauhari and she did a fantastic job. Bulbul Jauhari was not only a very likeable character but the portrayal by Mona Singh was extremely believable as well. The track given to Karan and Meher in this season made me wonder, that is that all what their life is about? Looking for dates all the time, having sex with random people, taking drugs all the time? We got introduced to a new character in this season called Meher, who is so desperate that she is continuously swiping left and right, looking for hook-ups, even when she is at work; there was nothing else that the showrunners felt like telling us about her life. Also, the showrunners just casually ignored the fact that Karan stole eighteen lakh rupees from the company, he never gave an explanation for that and life just went on. The writing of this season was seriously messed up.

A couple of things in this season made me wonder if the showrunners are trying to cater to an international audience or they are completely out of touch with reality. While the first season was around 70 percent in English, this season was around 99 percent in English. It was fine in the first season because the rich and affluent people do tend to talk in English, but in this season everyone was talking in English all the time, including Ramesh Jauhari and his family, which felt extremely odd. Also, I could not understand the reasoning behind Ramesh Jauhari and his family eating food with spoons and knives. I don't think even a single middle class household in India eats their food like that. Who exactly were the showrunners trying to impress here ? Also has Zoya Akhtar and her team never met any normal Muslims? In the first Muslim wedding, alcohol was being served to everyone while the main Nikaah ceremony wasn't even shown, while the second one was a case of polygamy! It just reflects the major disconnect showrunners have with the culture.

Too much of anything can be bad and the final episode is a good example of that, where we see a rather bizarre wedding in which a bride marries herself. In the name of feminism and liberalism, sometimes filmmakers overstep the line so much that they end up in the realm of absurdity and that is exactly what happens in this episode and the season as well. By the time this season ends, one actually feels happy for Adil, his sister Gauri, his mother and Faiza; they may have lost their house, but at least they have each other; Tara on the other hand is left to live alone in that big house with her selfishness. How do the showrunners expect the viewers to root for the main leads after all this is beyond my understanding. Despite a longer runtime for each episode, this season feels extremely hollow and disappoints big time. Barring the episodes directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, there is nothing that I would wish to watch again from this season and I am certainly not looking forward to the next season.

My Take – Worth a watch!

 

Kaalkoot – Came out in 2023.  A police officer must deal with society's and his mother's pressure to marry, as well as frequent bullying and pressure from his superiors.

One of the reviews from IMDB...

With a bold assertion right from its opening frame, "Kaalkoot" captivates the audience's attention. This cinematic masterpiece delves into the heart-wrenching realm of heinous acid attacks, weaving a poignant narrative that ultimately blossoms into a tale of discovering profound respect for all genders. As we traverse the cinematic landscape, we are introduced to Ravi Shankar Tripathi, portrayed by the exceptional Vijay Varma. His personal journey commences on a softer, more intimate note - a police officer yearning to break free from the clutches of systemic corruption. Yet, he is also a devoted son, entangled in the delicate web of his mother's persistent pleas for him to embrace matrimony. The film's intricate layers unravel, painting a vivid picture of emotions, challenges, and transformation, leaving an indelible mark on the tapestry of cinema.

Right from the inaugural frame of the narrative, Varma exudes a magnetic presence that effortlessly seizes control of the screen. In the realm of performers, a select few possess the uncanny ability to infuse their characters with a profound sense of humanity, allowing their evolution to unfurl with natural authenticity. Varma unquestionably belongs to this echelon of actors. As the harrowing acid attack case lands on his doorstep, he immerses himself with unwavering commitment, delving into the abyss of the investigation. In this relentless pursuit of truth, the contours of his own worldview and self-perception undergo a profound metamorphosis, etching a transformative arc that resonates deeply with both the character and the audience alike.

Embarking on a transformative odyssey, he transcends his initial desire to abandon the force, emerging as an officer profoundly entangled in the moral labyrinth of the case. Supported by an ensemble of performances that exude equal potency, the show unveils a chilling visage of its thematic core: the sinister depths of its subject matter. It dauntlessly confronts us with a haunting query that resonates beyond the screen: How do we, as a collective society, weave a tapestry of respect that celebrates the individuality of women? What veils our progress on this path? And, in the face of unspeakable injustices inflicted upon them, where do we even find the starting point for restitution?

The bone-chilling truth of the girl's silence, a haunting silence piercing the very core, surfaces under the skilled gaze of the officer, etching an indelible mark across the episodes. Her voice, imprisoned by an unspeakable terror, becomes a spectral enigma, both figuratively and literally. Officer Ravi Tripathi's unwavering pursuit to unravel the case transcends the bounds of a single brutal incident. Within this narrative tapestry, a grander proclamation about the intricate interplay of power and gender reverberates, casting an unyielding spotlight on the larger sociocultural canvas.

My Take – A definitive watch!

 

The Hunt for Veerappan – Came out in 2023. A 4-part documentary series.  A poacher who conquered the jungles of South India and became the subject of the biggest manhunt of India.

One of the reviews from IMDB...

There's no doubt about one thing, the life of Veerappan and the major attempts made by the govts of Karnataka and TN itself is a full real life movie experience. Witnessing it unfold in this documentary was no short of a blockbuster thrilling movie.

I had the basic knowledge of Veerappan that he was someone who was difficult to catch but how and why I never really bothered to research , after all why would I research about a criminal. This is why I decided to watch this documentary which presents a pretty detailed picture of who exactly Veerappan was, what he did, what turned him into the monster he became and simultaneously what were all the efforts made by the police to nab him. All was extremely interesting yet spine chilling for me to hear.

The spine chilling parts were especially to witness the constant defeat of police force and the rare pictures shown in this documentary of the bombing or killing sites . Veerappan was always one step ahead of the police. The fictional character Pushpa (Allu Arjun ) is heavily inspired by Veerappan actually and one realises this when one sees both characters. It was quite shocking to see Veerappan make the govts of two states dance to his tunes , something I was never aware of.

Many narrators present in this documentary from policemen to journalists to insiders of Veerappan gang narrate the tale and it's always interesting to hear it directly from their mouth but the makers struck gold by getting in the wife of Veerappan Mutulakshmi who manages to give us an insight into a never heard before Veerappan's mindset and what he used to think from his pov , for example when his men got killed how angry he used to feel which forced him to take revenge against policemen like Shakeel Ahmed . You will see a sense of no remorse on MutuLakshmi's face when she says what Veerappan did was absolutely right which again sent shivers down my spine .

Go watch this series if you want some insight into Veerappan and all the hohum around him . Literally this man was exactly what Osama was to US . This documentary is your time worth spending!

My Take – A definitive watch!

Cheers till next time😊!!