Director: Zoya Akhtar, Reema Kagti, Alankrita Shrivastava, Nitya Mehra, Neeraj Ghaywan
Cast: Sobhita Dhulipala, Arjun Mathur, Jim Sarbh, Kalki Koechlin, Shivani Raghuvanshi, Shashank Arora, Mona Singh, Ishwak Singh, Trinetra Haldar and others
Where: Streaming now on Amazon Prime Video
Rating: 4 stars
Back in 2019, Made In Heaven Season 1 marked a new chapter in terms of storytelling and scale. Showrunners Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti joined by directors Alankrita Shrivastava, Nitya Mehra and Prashant Nair, held a gigantic mirror against the idiosyncrasies of Delhi's buzzing wedding scene. While these celebrations were replete with grandeur and pomp, the layers beneath revealed uglier realities that were never confronted before, on-screen.
In the second season, the winning quartet of the ladies remain, but this time around they are joined by filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan, to unravel much dirtier secrets. The second season is pretty much about the lavish weddings but there is a much deeper perspective that the makers offer and they pull all the plugs to leave you shaken and stirred, across seven lengthy episodes, each cut over an hour long.
Tara (Sobhita Dhulipala) and Karan Mehra (Arjun Mathur) return as the friendly wedding planners. Operating from a dilapidated bungalow located in the dingy lanes of Old Delhi, the duo struggle to keep their business afloat as they navigate their workings around demanding clients, bossy stakeholders and organisational changes. While Jaspreet aka Jazz (Shivani Raghuvanshi) and Kabir Basrai (Shashank Arora) stay along with them, the core team is joined by Bulbul Jauhari (Mona Singh) as the team's auditor and Meher Chaudhary (Trinetra Haldar) as the production head. In the midst of the professional chaos that ensue, both Tara and Karan have their personal demons to deal with. While Tara is negotiating in between divorce proceedings with her estranged husband Adil (Jim Sarbh) and coming to terms with Faiza's (Kalki Koechlin) presence in his life, Karan is unable to communicate about his feelings to his mother, who wishes to see him married, even as she ails from cancer.
A still from the show
Peppered with sparkling cameos by various artistes across seven episodes, Made In Heaven Season 2 seizes the opportunity to address pertinent concerns that aren't addressed in everyday situations. Whether it's the appalling obsession with fair skin, physical abuse, unfulfilled love, spousal insecurities, social prejudices and the lack of self love, the platter is more than just palatable. You feel a sense of victory but an equal sense of catharsis as the fairy-tale weddings are demystified. While you cheer watching Radhika Apte stand her ground with her unapologetic ideals in an inter-caste set-up, your heart aches seeing Mrunal Thakur settle for the worst predicament. The individual arcs of the Made In Heaven teammates move you in their own right. While you are unable to tell if Tara is scheming or affirmative, Karan steps into an emotionally dark abyss to deal with his pain. While Kabir and Jazz struggle to understand the dynamics of their friendship, social acceptance continues to evade Meher. As Bulbul hopes to strike a balance between being a responsible co-worker and a doting mother, Adil must come to terms with a personal tragedy himself.
The only area where Made In Heaven Season 2 falters at is it's length. Which might not be of a grave concern to fans considering each episode allows them room to question their own choices and vices. Following able writing and direction, the show also hugely benefits from its moving score by Gaurav Raina and Tarana Marwah. While the signature theme is retained, the duo also deploy the best talents from the Indian independent music space to deliver lasting original compositions. The able technical team have put their best foot forward in ensuring that the production design and the costumes are in accordance with the show's story. Lastly, the performances of its fine ensemble register a profound impression. While the primary cast continue to charm us, I personally found myself rooting for Bulbul and Meher's little wins. Both Mona and Trinetra are really that outstanding.
A still from the show
In its entirety, Made In Heaven Season 2 only establishes that the franchise is possibly the country's most aware show. One that is unafraid and unhinged in its portrayal of lives that are unfamiliar yet relatable. It also makes an important case on how to get representation and inclusivity right in all aspects. Little do you realise how you reach the end of the season, but a part of you remains behind in the heavenly universe built by Akhtar and Kagti.
The show is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
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