Taaza Khabar season 2 review: Bhuvan Bam’s ‘Vardaan’ works wonders in this ambitious, slightly melodramatic season
yash gupta
Yet again, Bhuvan Bam impresses as Vasya. The character is heroic, yet ordinary. Despite some of its flaws, Taaza Khabar is very taaza (read: A breath of fresh air). Among the many OTT shows that can barely justify their 8 episode run, Taaza Khabar season 2 is is surely worth your time.
Taaza Khabar 2
In a scene from Taaza Khabar season 2, a character says “Gareeb ka naseeb bhi gareeb hota hai (The poor have poor fortunes)”. Written by Abbas Dalal and Hussain Dalal, the dialogues in the second season of Taaza Khabar are poetic. Mehboob bhai (played by a cutesy Deven Bhojani), is debt-ridden. In episode 2, he says “Karza aur gunah chukaane padte hai warna chain se mar bhi nahi sakte (Debts and karma must be paid else one cannot die in peace)”.
Starring Bhuvan Bam, Taaza Khabar hits all the right notes in its second season—it’s comical, its sentimental (even if it has the cost of being melodramatic), aspirational and thought-provoking. The season opens with Vasya getting a predictive news flash about his death. In a Money Heist-eaque fashion, he throws bundles of cash into a massive crowd (while handing over stacks of rupees to an elderly couple as a mark of respect). And then, he is shot.
Taaza Khabar 2: Performances
The entire cast of Taaza Khabar, including the supporter characters, are at the top of their game. Alisha Naik as Bhuvan’s Aai is simple yet effective as the seemingly gullible, unintentionally hilarious mother figure.
She feels serving chai to Yusuf’s men will make them have a change of heart, much to the dismay Vasya’s father (Vijay Nikam) who seems like he is one step away from a mental breakdown (he ends up in the hospital after he overexerts himself). Besides Vasya’s parents, Peter (played by the phenomenal Prathmesh Parab) brings comic relief as Vasya’s partner-in-crime.
Taaza Khabar 2: Plot
At Vasya’s cremation shows up Yusuf Akhtar (played earnestly by Javed Jafferi), a corrupt construction baron who funds government’s election campaigns and occasionally incites riots in religious rallies. A year goes by and Vasya is nowhere to be found. It is then revealed that he had faked his death because he wanted his parents and friends to be safe from Yusuf, who wants Vasya to compensate him for his betting losses in the previous season.
Via flashbacks, we are told why Vasya was acting out of character at the party last season. Yusuf is essentially bullying Vasya into clearing his debts and also compensating him for his losses. Will Vasya be able to break free from Yusuf’s clutches?
Deven Bhojani is the grief-stricken father trying to pay for his daughter Shazia’s education abroad. He brings a vulnerability to the role that isnt rooted in self-pity but a strong resolve to get out of the difficult situation he finds himself in.
Taaza Khabar 2: Writing and Direction
Madhu (Shriya Pilgaonkar) now works at a factory where she operates a sewing machine. She is (rightfully) pissed at Vasya over his disappearance (and then sudden emergence). Her roommate is going through a difficult time—but Madhu’s lengthy monologues detailing her condition fall flat entirely.
After a while, these lengthy descriptions of pain don’t evoke an emotion of empathy. Why, you ask? Because Taaza Khabar uses poverty porn to bring its viewers to tears. Yes, the poor and the marginalized must tell their stories of oppression. But the treatment of poverty in Taaza Khabar is more sympathetic than empathetic.
Surely there can be better ways of showing middle class family struggles and life’s many tribulations instead of going for a “look, poor people, this is so sad” approach. The treatment of poverty continues to be Taaza Khabar’s biggest flaw in a series which otherwise gets mostly everything right.
Taaza Khabar 2: What Works, What Doesn’t
The first season of Taaza Khabar got brickbats for its portrayal of caste. This season, the show portrays poverty through a melodramatic lens. The show’s sentimental moments work best when they are devoid of melodrama and overly sentimental background music.
Despite Javed Jafferi’s best efforts, for some reason, Yusuf doesn’t really convince you as a menacing antagonist. The constant flashbacks and back-and-forth in terms of timeline often play spoilsport. Despite some of its flaws, Taaza Khabar is still very taaza (read: a breath of fresh air).
The cast, writing and performances are convincing. Yet again, Bhuvan Bam impresses as Vasya. The character is heroic, yet ordinary. Despite some of its flaws, Taaza Khabar is very taaza (read: A breath of fresh air). Among the many OTT shows that can barely justify their 8 episode run, Taaza Khabar season 2 is is surely worth your time.
