Taaza Khabar season 2 review: Bhuvan Bam's 'Vardaan' is a remarkable piece of work in this ambitious, slightly dramatic season.
Bhuvan Bam makes an impression as Vasya once more. Though average, the character is heroic. Taaza Khabar is really taaza, despite a few of its shortcomings (read: A breath of fresh air). Taaza Khabar season 2 is well worth your time, even though there are a lot of OTT shows that can't even hold their own for eight episodes.
Ankush Pandey
"Gareeb ka naseeb bhi gareeb hota hai" is said by a character in a scene from Taaza Khabar season 2. Written by Abbas and Hussain Dalal, the dialogue from the second season of Taaza Khabar is lyrical. Mehboob Bhai (played by the beloved Deven Bhojani) is troubled by debt. The line "Karz aur gunah chhobaane padte hai warna chaan se mar bhi nahin sakte" (Debt and karma must be repaid otherwise one cannot die in peace) appears in episode 2.
In its second season, Bhuvan Bam's Taaza Khabar, which is humorous, heartfelt (although at the expense of being melodramatic), ambitious, and thought-provoking, hits all the right notes. Vasya receives a foreshadowing of his impending demise in the first news flash of the season. He tosses bundles of cash into a throng of people in a Money Heist-esque manner (while respectfully giving an elderly couple stacks of rupees). Then he gets shot.
Taaza Khabar 2: Plot
Yusuf Akhtar (played earnestly by Javed Jafferi) appears during Vasya's funeral. He is a dishonest construction baron who finances political campaigns for the government and occasionally incites unrest at religious gatherings. Vasya is nowhere to be found after a year. Subsequently, it is disclosed that he staged his demise in order to protect his parents and friends from Yusuf, who demands payment from Vasya for his lost bets from the previous season.
We learn why Vasya was acting strangely at the party last season through flashbacks. In essence, Yusuf is pressuring Vasya to pay off his debts and make up for his losses. Will Vasya manage to escape from Yusuf's grasp?
Taaza Khabar 2: Performances
Every member of the Taaza Khabar cast, even the supporting cast, is performing at the highest level. Simple but effective, Alisha Naik plays Bhuvan's Aai, the seemingly naive and inadvertently humorous mother figure.
She believes that offering Yusuf's men chai will cause them to rethink their minds, much to the dismay of Vasya's father (Vijay Nikam), who appears to be on the verge of going insane (he ends up in the hospital after overdoing it). Peter, portrayed by the outstanding Prathmesh Parab, provides comedic relief as Vasya's accomplice in crime, in addition to her parents.
The bereaved parent attempting to finance his daughter Shazia's overseas education is Deven Bhojani. His vulnerability in the character comes from a strong will to overcome the challenging circumstances he finds himself in, rather than from self-pity.
Taaza Khabar 2: Writing and Direction
Currently employed at a factory, Madhu (Shriya Pilgaonkar) works on a sewing machine. She is (rightfully) furious with Vasya for his abrupt withdrawal and subsequent reappearance. Although Madhu's flatmate is going through a tough moment, her long monologues about her situation are completely uninteresting.
These long accounts of suffering eventually cease to arouse empathy. You might wonder, why? because Taaza Khabar makes her audience cry with poverty porn. Indeed, the underprivileged and marginalised people need to share their experiences of persecution. However, Taaza Khabar treats poverty in a way that is more sympathetic than empathic.
Surely there are better ways to show the struggles of a middle-class family and the many hardships of life than taking the “look at poor people, how sad it is” approach. The treatment of poverty is the biggest flaw in Breaking News, as the series otherwise gets most everything right.
Taaza Khabar 2: What Works, What Doesn’t
Taaza Khabar's treatment of caste in its first season drew criticism. This season, the program takes a dramatic approach to depicting poverty. When the shw's romantic moments are free of melodrama and excessively sentimental backing music, they function best.
For some reason, Yusuf fails to fully impress you as a dangerous antagonist, despite Javed Jafferi's best attempts. A spoiler tactic is typically employed by the many flashbacks and chronology back and forth. Taaza Khabar is still very much taaza (a breath of fresh air) in spite of a few of its shortcomings.
Convincing performances, writing, and cast are all present. As Vasya, Bhuvan Bam dazzles once more. The character is both heroic and commonplace. Taaza Khabar is really taaza (read: A breath of fresh air) in spite of a few of its shortcomings. Of all the OTT series, Taaza Khabar season 2 is unquestionably worth your time, even though its eight episodes hardly seem worth it.
Star rating: 3 / 5 stars
Taaza Khabar is now streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.
