Maharani 2
Cast: Huma Qureshi, Sohum Shah, Amit Sial
Director: Ravindra Gautam
Rating: 3/5
Created by Subhash Kapoor and directed by Ravindra Gautam, Maharani season 2 has deviates a lot from the previous season, but somehow that has worked in its favour. The story, which started as a closer to life portrayal of a former Bihar Chief Minister, has transformed into a totally fictious story of a woman taking the centerstage in a man’s world.
Rani Bharti (Huma Qureshi) is at war with opposition leader Naveen Kumar (Amit Sial) and her conniving politician husband Bheema (Sohum Shah). However, she is a quick learner and riding the slopes with occasional obstacles. Would her dream run continue for a long time?
Qureshi’s Rani Bharti is scheming and confident, a welcome change the audience wanted in the show. I mean, what’s the point if she is still the docile village belle! Especially in a Hindi web show that mostly thrives on blood, gore and sharp twists. Qureshi has acted better and in the know how of the business, probably more than others. The makers have not given a new trajectory to any other leading actors in this season. Maybe Sohum Shah to some extent where he shows his darker side, but Shah is a refined actor who believes in keeping it subtle, which is probably not the way to go in a over the top show like Maharani 2. To match the energy and boisterousness of other characters, he should have gone more pressing and in your face.
Same goes with Amit Sial whose nuanced reading of the character goes unnoticed whenever he shares the screen with actors like Vineet Kumar. But he definitely justifies his presence as a power-hungry politician.
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Maharani 2’s climax is a bit lethargic but the build up to it is really good. In fact, some frames in the ninth episode would add a new perspective to the mostly predictable story.
Maharani 2 is an easy-breezy watch and totally worth binging. Just don’t look for the meanings not intended.
