Undekhi (Season 2)
RATING
Introduction
Onto the second new release of the day and I had stretched and finished the second season of Undekhi on SonyLiv last night. It was during the first lockdown when SonyLiv was a new and budding OTT yet it had shown glimpses of recognizing good content. I distinctly remember having taken a free one month demo of SonyLiv only to realise that a new webseries was releasing which had so many fresh faces titled Undekhi. It was a Sunday when I decided to give it a go(popcorn reviewss did not exist back then so I wasn’t rigorously reviewing content). And I was pleasantly shocked by the content which it had to offer! The premise itself was shocking and almost instantly sent a shiver down my spine. Over the course of the next 4 hours, I had unearthed a hidden gem. While I was on the fence with the ending back then, the makers have returned with the much anticipated second season. So then is Undekhi Season 2 worth your time, stay tuned.
Story & Screenplay
The second season of Undekhi picks up from the same point where season one had ended. So the revenge game is alive and kicking. The story here to my surprise follows a different trajectory in as many words. While there is an undercurrent of revenge which is prevalent throughout, the focus is on the illegal trading which the Atwals are privy to. Which is not to say it is bad, but it took me a little while to get back into the groove keeping aside my expectations from the drama. But the writers definitely know how to construct a thriller. The screenplay is fast paced right from the beginning and always keeps you on your toes. There are so many sequences which are designed to keep you glued to your screen. The twists and turns are fascinating and soon I began to separate my expectations from season 1, and watch this drama independently.
There are multiple subplots are all of them have a level of intrigue to them. Some subplots though did seem half baked and they could have either been developed further or simply left them on the edit table. But the pace was well maintained and there wasn’t a single dull moment. The loyalties of the characters keep shifting which adds a layer of complexity to the drama. The final act is dynamic although I was left with a similar complaint as season 1. But overall, this was an intriguing and enthralling thriller of a screenplay!
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are filled with expletives yet they leave a lasting impact. The lines are engaging and thoroughly enjoyable. The BGM is good as is the cinematography. Director Ashish R Shukla whom I highly rate for his directorial credentials does a brilliant job yet again. His direction is taut and almost commands your attention throughout.
Performances
The performances are brilliant here like in season 1. It was refreshing to see the female characters being written so well in what seemed to be a male dominated universe at the very beginning. Breshna Khan as Gerri and Jamie Alter as Issac are first rate and have their moments to shine. Tej Sapru as Arjan Singh Diwakar Dhayani as Dogra and Diwakar Jha as Timma get their moments to shine. Meiyang Chang aa Abhaya was a welcome addition to this universe and he does a swell job particularly in the combat sequences. Likewise Nandish Sandhu who as Samarth was suave and quite fantastic here. Ayn Zoya as Saloni was fabulous and Sayandeep Sengupta as Shashwat was equally brilliant. Shivangi Singh as Muskaan is absolutely a delight to watch and love how her character shapes up here. Ankur Rathee as Daman also is pretty good and probably he might be a decisive character in season 3. Apeksha Porwal as Koyal is menacing and quite brilliant. Vaarun Bhagat as Lucky is fantastic and has an interesting conflict to his character. Anchal Singh as Teji is probably my most favourite character in season 2 and I just simply loved the shades to her character. And her brilliant performance will keep you guessing throughout. Harsh Chhaya as Papaji is absolutely stunning so much so that after a point you are angered by the audacity of his character. Dibyendu Bhattacharya as DCP Ghosh is just so natural onscreen, it is always a pleasure watching him perform. And Surya Sharma, the find of the series for me from season 1 is brilliant here as Rinku. For the first time, we get to see some amount of vulnerability to his character and he is marvelous here.
Conclusion
The second season of Undekhi is a pacy and enthralling thriller which keeps you hooked and booked throughout. Available on SonyLiv.