Sure, the second season of Made In Heaven is grander, glossier and more glamorous than its first. But does it have its heart and soul in the right place much like its prequel? Yes and no. In 2019, Zoya Akhtar, Reema Kagti, Nitya Mehra, Alankrita Srivastava and Prashant Nair helmed a series that proved to be a defining moment for the OTT space. It brought to the fore a bunch of characters that were undesirable, flawed and vulnerable but still had you rooting for them. It shed light on hush-hush but pertinent themes like gender inequality, dowry, second chance at love, old-age romance, extramarital affairs, homosexuality and superstition against the backdrop of big-scale weddings.
Season 2 talks about gender inclusivity, physical violence, obsession with fair-skinned brides, ego clashes, adultery, pre-marital pregnancy, caste-based differences and polygamy, among many others. It picks up from where the first season ended and dives straight into the lives of Karan, Tara, Jazz and Kabir as they navigate the trials and tribunals in their personal lives and deal with a short-changed work environment.
We are also introduced to Bulbul Jahauri, the wife of the majority shareholder of Made In Heaven, who takes on the role of the auditor of the wedding planning agency. While she appears to be a tough and stern woman in power trying to cut down on the company’s expenses, we eventually see a rather human, fragile, vulnerable and soft side to her. And then there’s Mehr, an employee who works as the production head. She plays an important role in reshaping the company’s present while going through the ups and downs of online dating as a trans-woman. And then come the weddings – of all kinds, essence and flavours. Karan and Tara and their team keep curating these stunning weddings as demons of their past, present and future keep unravelling one after the after. Seems too much, right?
Yes, Made In Heaven season two is a lot to take, much like a string of ceremonies and rituals involved in a traditional wedding. There are multiple sub-plots running in a parallel fashion and has too many subtexts woven into it. In a bid to achieve greater goals, the core focus of the narrative fizzles out. Unfortunately, Tara’s character takes a back seat and is written in a rather one-dimensional manner. Season one had Tara’s emotional arc fluctuate like a ticking dynamite. Here, it’s all too simplistic and to be honest, a remarkable character like Tara deserved better. But that’s not to say that Sobhita Dhulipala doesn’t do justice to it. She plays the part with the same passion, intensity and fervour. And to top that, she looks drop dead gorgeous in Sabyasachi’s regal ensembles.
Speaking about the central theme, attempts are made to incorporate and include weddings across genders and social stratum. But unlike its prequel, Made In Heaven 2 cannot possibly boast of a wedding that can stay back with you. There are two weddings that had the potential to stand out. We get to see the toxicity underneath an otherwise perfect relationship shared by a manipulative and controlling life coach and a beauty pageant winner-cum-actor who are set to tie the knot. In another episode directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, a popular Dalit writer Pallavi Manke fights for the subtle discrimination she faces from her in-laws as she demands for a traditional Dalit ceremony on the day of her wedding with her lover who belongs to an upper caste community. Both these episodes are written and treated with a lot of nuance but they don’t really impact you in the way, let us say, the story of a seemingly progressive IAS officer agreeing with his parent’s demand for dowry from his fiancée’s parents did in the first season. And no matter how hard you try, comparisons between the two seasons are inevitable.
The writers, however, deserve credit for putting together the upheavals in Karan’s character. He struggles between debts, substance abuse, his mother’s terminal illness and need for acceptance from her and his haplessness is heart-breaking. Arjun Mathur does a brilliant job. He brings out the intricacies, complexities and messiness of his character and the relationships he shares with aplomb. He often becomes unlikeable but you will never really find yourself judging him. His poise, charisma and charm makes Karan the heartbeat of the show.
Mona Singh is the new addition to this season. She steals the thunder through her portrayal of Bulbul. The restraint and subtle but unyielding strength she brings to the table is remarkable. Her storyline is written with a lot of sensitivity. Your heart goes out to her as she’s caught between protecting her son accused of a crime and standing up for what’s right. She lets her eyes convey most of the suffering. Underneath the businesswoman resides a brittle survivor and she plays out this dichotomy with a lot of earnestness and deftness.
Trinetra Haldar is yet another character to join the Made In Heaven universe. Kudos to the makers for challenging the status quo and setting a precedent by casting a trans-person to play a woman belonging to the community! It’s a watershed moment for Indian entertainment. And to top that, Trinetra proves to be a revelation, who you cannot take your eyes away from. She has a scintillating screen presence and impressive acting chops and holds her own before a bunch of some really gifted talents. Jim Sarbh, Kalki Koechlin, Shivani Raghuvanshi and Shashank Arora continue with their winning streak and deliver impressive performances.
Made In Heaven 2 may not live up to the expectations set by its first season. Truth be told, Neeraj’s sensibilities as a filmmaker – as is evident from Masaan and Geeli Pucchi – render a lot of emotionality and intersectionality to the large-scale canvas of the show. This season, the weddings are seen holding a whole lot of cultural tones. But is that enough?
Whatever said and done, Tara, Karan, Jazz, Kabir, Bulbul and Mehr will remind you a little of yourself or maybe a loved one. And sometimes, that’s enough reason why you should give them a chance. The themes may appear too contrite and some episodes may come across as a preachy and moral lecture. But as long as they make you sit up and cross your mind even as a fleeting thought, that’s victory. Made In Heaven is everything that a millennial or a Gen-Z audience will relate to and fights for. And it is this quality that makes it glitter, shine and sparkle like a big fat Indian wedding!
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