One of my first thoughts on the series is that the whole concept of one wedding per episode got a little boring this time. While the issues addressed in Season 1 were very original such as dowry in affluent and educated families, abortion etc, this time around each issue seemed to be forced just to tick a checkbox. The characters did not have any depth because of the rush of introducing and resolving one issue in an hour . I did not like any of the weddings except the last one. Neelam and Sameer Soni’s episode (and I am a fan of both of them) was particularly ridiculous! Also, I did not quite understand why in this time and age, people need to marry ONLY because of pregnancy!
Then why did I still love the show?
It is because of the main characters! I think Amazon Prime should change the model of this show (if at all there is a third season) because the main characters are so well written, superbly acted that I definitely want to watch more of them without any distraction of one wedding per show.
Reviewing the lead actors one by one in the order in which I liked them the most. Minor spoilers ahead.
- Arjun Mathur as Karan Mehra
Karan went through a lot of turmoil this season mainly because of his mother and her deteriorating health. The mother who has cancer tells her son that he is the reason for her illness. Indian family structures can be totally toxic with the way parents impose their expectations on their children, and emotionally blackmail them. The mother’s words pierce through Karan’s heart destroying his soul leading up to his destruction. Other idiotic relatives suggest him to get married so the mother’s health can improve.
Don’t fall for the emotional blackmail. It will make you fall for sure.
- Mona Singh as Bulbul Jauhari
She is a new addition and she proves that she is an actress who knows her craft so well. A woman who has gone through domestic violence in her marriage has intuitions other people wish they would never have. If there is one thing experience teaches you, it is wisdom.
You know when something is wrong.
Bulbul’s relationship with her son and her efforts to ensure he grows up to be a good man is endearing to watch. Her anger and shame watching him being on the wrong path is also worth applauding.
A good lesson for the MILs whose sons abuse their wives. These mothers instigate their already out of control, angry sons against their wives, and if the hitting goes out of control and God forbid the wife approaches police, these same evil women start crying about false cases and their ‘old age’. In a remarkable scene Tara tells her MIL she respects her as much as she respects her. Karan’s ex-boyfriend also uses a term for his mother which she rightly deserves.
Being old does not absolve you from your sins.
3. Sobhita Dhulipala as Tara Khanna
Shobhita’s character is by far the most interesting character. In this season she is a bit sad because she is on the verge of a divorce and the husband is ready to move on.
Nonetheless, she is Tara Khanna. A woman who knows her worth and she is smart enough to maneuver her way through any situation. She starts dating again because a woman like her will always have options, but does she get a guy who can match her?
Wrong question, because a man or no man along her side, a smart woman like Tara will still remain who she is.
Special mention for Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju as Meher Chaudhry
Please look up this beautiful, intelligent woman. She is a doctor!
In the show , Meher is a transgender woman who has undergone surgery. She is beautiful and she wants to date. How much of her identity should she reveal? How much of her should the guy she is dating reveal to his friends?
Is ‘nothing to hide’ necessarily empowering? Does every person deserve to know your truth?
As any woman who is dating, she has a horrible experience. What can I say!
You have to kiss a log of frogs before you find a slightly lesser objectionable frog!
Other powerful scenes and actors:
Jim Sarbh and Kalki are fun to watch. Another underrated character was Natasha Rastogi as Bindu Khanna. Lots of nuances to her character and portrayed very convincingly. Manini Mishra as Tara’s mother is also very effective. Mona Singh looks very beautiful also, and I lover her colorful salwar suits. Her skin glows! Vijay Raaz as Jauhari is an ideal man. I hope men like him exist.
Tara and Karan’s friendship is one of the best parts of the show.
‘Sometimes heaven ordains you a friend’.
So true and people who have such friends are lucky.
The scene in which Karan cries is so real. I loved him in season 1 as well but in Season 2 he deserves an award. He was brilliant!
There were times in the show when the scenes of the lead characters were being cut short to focus of the wedding of the day, which annoyed me. I wanted to watch more of Bulbul and her back story. It was a drag to watch those rushed weddings with characters forced to address one issue at a time. I tried hard not to sleep through Diya Mirza’s episode and even the one with the actors’ wedding was dull to watch.
The last episode was well made and the show concluded beautifully.
Every woman should learn to commit to herself. To cherish herself in sickness and in health and love herself fiercely because guess what, marriages are NOT made in heaven, and everybody in life comes with their own agenda.