When a show dares to revisit the haunted corridors of emotional abuse, gaslighting, and societal hypocrisy, it aims to shake things up. Lajja 2, the successor to its predecessor Lajja, tries to shoulder this burden but stumbles somewhere between intent and execution.
Directed by Aditi Roy, the series opens with a promising, almost poetic tragedy: a sudden death during a serene getaway to Bolpur. The premise holds weight on Jaya, played with quiet resolve by Priyanka Sarkar, is catapulted into a storm of moral judgment and whispered blame. Instead of sympathy, she receives suspicion.
The story unfolds in six episodes, each peeling off a layer of societal rot, but the precision remains silent.
Priyanka Sarkar is the clear lifeline of Lajja 2. With a face that carries fragility and resilience, she breathes life into a character that could’ve easily fallen flat. Jaya is not a firebrand feminist; she’s a bewildered woman caught in silence. Priyanka’s performance is marked not by dramatic flourishes but by the sincerity of quiet suffering. Her eyes usually do the talking, and when she does speak, honesty stays.
The supporting cast, Anindita Bose, Koneenica Banerjee and others, are left with sketches rather than characters. But we loved how the director tried to contrast Jaya and Sneha, the former who remains this timid, naïve woman, and Sneha, who shines with empowerment, who knows how to face the world.
There’s flair, yes, some fierce courtroom drama, some confrontational exchanges, but they often feel too orchestrated, lacking the messiness of genuine emotion.
The writing tries hard, perhaps too hard, to push a point. And the point arrives: verbal abuse is real, and emotional violence leaves scars deeper than what the eye can see. The show deserves credit for not shying away from this discussion. But where it falters is in the crafting. Characters are barely fleshed out beyond their function in the narrative. One is a villain because she must be. Another is sympathetic because the script wills it.
There’s no greyness, conflict, or dilemma; just roles to be played.
A few lines do resonate: sharply feminist, unapologetic, and they do manage to give you the pump. But they feel more like slogans than dialogue.
In the end, Lajja 2 is a well-intentioned but undercooked dish. It has flavour, thanks mainly to Priyanka’s grounded performance and attempts a bold conversation. However, with characters that lack depth and a narrative that forgets to breathe, it remains a series that could have been so much more. It raises its voice, yes, but it doesn’t quite roar.
IWMBuzz rates 3 stars.
Lajja 2 is currently streaming on Hoichoi.
