Paatal Lok season 2 review:- Jaideep Ahlawat delivers another memorable performance as this criminal thriller does the impossible; it even outperforms season one.
Paatal Lok Season 2 Review:- What a start for Indian content this year. Netflix and Amazon Prime Video have both released season 2s of Black Warrant and Paatal Lok in the last two weeks. If Black Warrant was laudable for its novelty, Paatal Lok deserves even more credit for upholding the standards set by a perfect season 1.And, despite the fact that this is very impossible, Sudip Sharma and Avinash Arun Dhaware manage to outperform the first half. The best show on Indian streaming has returned and successfully navigated a difficult climate and sophisticated sociopolitical setting while remaining faithful to its beginnings. It’s a remarkable achievement.
Paatal Lok Season 2 Summarized
An significant Naga political leader is brutally assassinated in Delhi during a crucial Nagaland Business Summit. Imran Ansari (Ishwak Singh), a current IPS officer, is in charge of the probe. Hathiram Chaudhary (Jaideep Ahlawat), who is still detained at the Jamuna Paar Police Station, is probing the disappearance of a low-level narcotics courier. Soon, the two ex-colleagues realize their cases are linked.
And it brings them to Nagaland, where no one trusts them, and the local SP (Tillotama Shome) is more of a hindrance than an aid. Hathiram embarks on a journey to uncover the truth while contending with the challenges of politics, rebellion, drug trafficking, and familial struggles. He must do so before this paatal lok drags him in.
The show’s makers have insisted that season 2 is more complicated than season 1.It also clarifies the reason behind it. While the first season was set in Delhi and focused on the media-political nexus, the second season aims to navigate the treacherous political waters of Nagaland.Crafting a murder mystery set within the state while intertwining it with elements of local politics is a bold and ambitious undertaking. But the writing team handles it flawlessly. They achieve this by centering the entire narrative around Hathiram. The audience enjoys a good mystery. However, they prefer Hathiram, and the writers are well aware of this.
It’s Hathiram’s world, and we simply live in it.
The recap segment at the start of episode 1 is the clearest indication that the authors understand what they’re doing. A montage recaps season 1, showing none of the detection or police procedures from the case, but rather how Hathiram negotiated the barriers in his path. This is Hathiram’s quest, and the show stays true to it throughout.Director Avinash Arun Dhaware deserves credit for ensuring that we are introduced to Nagaland politics without becoming lost in them. Hathiram, the outsider, serves as our eyes and ears in that realm. However, to their credit, the filmmakers do not portray the state or its inhabitants as foreign. It is a place where individuals face and navigate their personal struggles and concerns. There is no othering in the tale, and they are not ‘exoticised’ in any way.
The series delves into interpersonal dynamics and relationships, focusing on Hathiram and Ansari as they navigate the complexities of their changed power dynamics and struggle to figure out how to interact with one another. Ishwak and Jaideep both exuded an air of discomfort. Jaideep, in particular, is performing exceptionally well. He emotes with his eyes, expressing longing, frustration, and terror in such a beautiful way that you root for Hathiram despite his imperfections.
Tillotama Shome brings exceptional talent to the ensemble. The actor creates the unpredictable SP. Meghna Barua shines as a charming heroine who breaks stereotypes and challenges biases. However, the true highlight of the show lies in its supporting cast, composed entirely of talented performers from the North-East. Prashant Tamang (of Indian Idol fame) and Jahnu Barua are the outstanding performers, although practically everyone else does well. Nagesh Kukunoor, a top bureaucrat with lots of skeletons in his closet, provides a pleasant surprise.
Paatal Lok season 2 manages to surprise you on numerous occasions in an era where content is so abundant that the audience frequently believes they have seen it all. The show is full of unexpected twists, with several shocking moments that take you by surprise. Sudip Sharma and the writers are to be commended for keeping the series innovative and full of fresh ideas.
Paatal Lok’s character has remained unchanged in season 2, which is the highest compliment one can pay. It feels like the same show, not something larger or grander. OTT had made us wary of second seasons (remember Sacred Games?), but Prime Video has recently managed to defy the pattern with The Family Man, Mirzapur, and even Bandish Bandits. Paatal Lok continues such legacy. Schadenfreude and relatability were the two pillars of its ‘humour’ in season one, and they remain intact in season 2. Don’t be shocked if meme creators have new Hathiram one-liners ready in a few days. It’s the Paatal Lok method.
