Rating – **1/2 (2.5/5)
Taaza Khabar Season 2
Cast: Bhuvan Bam, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Deven Bhojani, Prathamesh Parab, Jaaved Jaaferi, Shilpa Shukla, Nitya Mathur & more
Directed by: Himank Gaur
Bhuvan Bam and his incredibly popular BB Ki Vines, where he plays 12 characters, have now become an afterthought as Bam has embodied and breathed life into the role of Vasant Gawde, aka Vasya, in Disney+ Hotstar’s series Taaza Khabar. The show now returns with a second season after the not-so-surprising success of the first one, and it picks up right where it left off.
The rise and fall of Vasya, with the fall being a mere hint of what’s in store ahead, comprised a pretty entertaining first season. However, here in the sophomore season, we witness the actual fall, an older enemy entering his life, and Vasya trying to rise from the ashes.
Where Taaza Khabar Season 2 works best is with its world-building and performances. Interestingly, the repeated reference of ‘tatti’, ‘sandaas’, ‘muttar’ and so on might and does sound incredibly gross – even more so to just how frequently it is used but just like Peter (Prathamesh Parab) rightfully remarks in the end – ‘kya zindagi hai, tatti se shuru hui thi, ab tatti par aake ruki hai’. There is a weird full-circle moment for Vasya and his gang that seems fitting. The claustrophobic return to being in a small kholi (house) after having been in a bungalow, Vasya trying ways and tricks to mend things, and the scintillating performances of the cast makes up for the best moments in the show.
There is chemistry and an underlying tone in the human emotions which are always dealt with respect – be it Vasya’s difficult but loving relationship with his father, Vasya’s unconditional love and friendship with Peter, his pure love for Madhu (Shriya Pilgaonkar) and his constant fight with himself.
Whenever Taaza Khabar Season 2 stays raw, realistic and rooted – it works wonders and has you genuinely glued because you are now connected to these characters.
Where the show falters is when it takes itself too seriously and tries to make sense of perhaps a one-line plot that keeps stretching to four episodes. Eventually, it stops making sense the more it keeps going on. To the makers’ credit, they do manage to create a genuinely formidable antagonist in the form of Yusuf (Javed Jaaferi) but there are instances aplenty where you feel the loss of logic taking over the plight of Vasya being forced to obey Yusuf’s orders. A wafer-thin plot and an attempt to be forcibly deep hampers the overall impact of the show and despite a mere six-episode run, the middle journey seems insignificant.
It also didn’t help that there was a need to or perhaps the want to create a blockbuster commercial finale showdown between Vasya and Yusuf. It felt out of sorts, cliched and frankly, boring because you predict and know the outcome.
But as mentioned above, it is the phenomenal cast that makes sure to keep you in this world despite its flaws – where the standouts are Prathamesh Parab as Peter, Deven Bhojani as Mehboob Bhai and finally a villain to remember in the form of Javed Jaaferi as Yusuf (this man’s baritone voice has a separate fanbase). The women – Shriya Pilgaonkar and Nitya Mathur also provide able aid to proceedings but now I want to see much more of Shazia (Mathur) and Waseem.
Ultimately, it all rests on the able shoulders of Bhuvan Bam. I cannot help but go back to the interview where director Anurag Kashyap mentioned that in this lot of influencers or YouTubers turned actors, he believed Bam is the best. I cannot agree more. Bam seemed like a natural even in the first season but now that he has breathed and lived Vasya even more, he has managed to nail even the intricacies and smaller moments with almost perfect pitch throughout the show. Bam is exceptional and Taaza Khabar is just a stepping stone for bigger and crazier things to come for the actor.
Director Himank Gaur does get indulgent and writers – the Dalal trio: Abbas Dalal, Aziz Dalal and Hussain Dalal also lose the plot and resort to convenience as the story goes on. However, despite the flawed storyline and an underwhelming finale, an apt cliffhanger and the actors along with your initial investment in this world make Taaza Khabar Season 2 a worthy watch.
