Kathmandu Connection (Season 2)
Introduction
Onto the next release of the weekend but before that I am on the road to recovery so thank you so much for your wishes. With that I pushed myself(due to my ill health) to finish watching the second season of Kathmandu Connection which is streaming on SonyLiv. I remember watching the first season of Kathmandu Connection without any expectations only to be pleasantly surprised. The drama was unassuming in many ways with a slow buildup that ended with a massive twist that no one would have seen it coming.
However, I had moments of skepticism as far as the second season was concerned. While the end of season 1 was open although perfectly logical, the burning question for me was whether season 2 was actually required to keep the franchise alive. Surely that twist would never be matched upto right? With many questions I ventured into the second season of Kathmandu Connection. Is it worth your time, stay tuned.
Story & Screenplay
The second season of Kathmandu Connection picks up from the same point where season one had ended. This season brings about fresh challenges for the authorities who have another security threat to deal with. The story is decent here with moments that will engage you although the proceedings are nothing which you haven’t seen before. The screenplay standing at 6 episodes of 30 odd minutes each does make for a brisk watch without any diversions.
The drama has a bit of a sluggish start piecing together things from the previous season. You are briefly introduced to all the characters again and where they are five years after the events unfolding in the first season. So we are in the year 1999 wherein a plane hijack is the reference point of the drama. It does take an episode and a half before the urgency kicks in and you get a slightly more clearer picture of the things transpiring onscreen.
Unlike season one, there are no real twists and turns barring that one twist which comes at about the halfway mark. The drama is engaging but quite predictable in its narration. There are two to three tracks unfolding together and each of them are interesting to an extent, yet you would definitely be able to tell as to where the events are leading upto. One thing which could have been worked on better was the characterization here. Some characters appear sketchy and perhaps a little time could have been invested in their back story. So there was a clear trade-off between the pace of the drama and the character depth, something which was better handled in season 1.
But this is by no means a bad watch. The proceedings are supremely watchable as they would keep you on the edge of your seat. The events leading up to the final act are interesting and engrossing leading up to a satisfactory final act. But again, things are setup for a potential season 3 and I just feel this series may get repetitive and stretched if a few things are not corrected. In other words, season 2 may not be as good as season 1 but it is definitely watchable.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are pretty decent here that create a decent amount of impact. The music is terrific and the soundtrack does add a sense of rawness to the drama. The BGM is good as well, as is the cinematography. Director Sachin Pathak does a good job here although it was slightly rough around the edges. However after a sluggish start he does create moments in the drama that are engaging along with amping up the urgency levels that will keep the viewers on their toes.
Performances
Perhaps the strongest pillar of the series is the performance by the entire ensemble, all of whom have done a terrific job. Gurpreet Bedi as Maya and Ashok Pathak as Fazlu do have their moments to shine. Prashant Narayanan as Wajid is so effortless in his role and he makes for a great nemesis which hardly comes as a shock. Aksha Pardasany as Shivani has a great presence onscreen and she does a terrific job here despite a limited screentime.
Harleen Sethi as Tasneem is a welcome addition to the series and she does a phenomenal job, justifying her role to the T. Anuraag Arora as Mishra is excellent and I am really happy to see him in such meaty roles. Anshumaan Pushkar as Sunny provides another timely remider on what a powerful performer he is and I hope to continue to see him i such prominent roles. Amit Sial as Samarth is an absolute delight to watch and the amount of restraint that he brings to his performance is incredible to witness.
Conclusion
The second season of Kathmandu Connection is a decently watchable drama with powerful performances. Available on SonyLiv.