We had to wait for five years to watch the second season of the compelling web series Paatal Lok but I am not complaining. The wait has been rewarding in every way possible. Jaideep Ahlawat is back as Hathiram Chaudhary from the Outer Jamuna Paar police station and how! The show is directed by Avinash Arun and created by Sudip Sharma and the makers have yet again raised the bar with a twisted and engaging second season. Ishwak Singh has reprised his role as ACP Imran Ansari, and there are some new faces like Tillotama Shome and others. Here’s a detailed review of why you should not miss the bang-on series!
Plot
The series starts with a bone-chilling death scene of a Nagaland diplomat in a hotel, in Delhi. The high-profile case is investigated by a team of the best officers headed by ACP Imran Ansari (Ishwak Singh). On the other hand, Hathiram Chaudhary (Jaideep Ahlawat) stumbles upon a missing person case. However, along the way, the two cases get interlinked which gradually leads the series into becoming a gritty, edge-of-the-seat watch. Paatal Lok Season 2 focuses on the political drama, rebels and disturbances in Nagaland and captures the scenic beauty of the region. Meghna Barua (Tillotama Shome) is a senior cop in Nagaland. She is in charge of assisting Hathiram Chaudhary and Imran Ansari during their investigation in Nagaland. There are eight episodes in the series and with every new episode, the suspense, thrill and anticipation around the story keep increasing!
Performances
Jaideep Ahlawat has delivered a brilliant performance, but that still would be an understatement. The performance is so convincing that I did not see any Jaideep Ahlawat but just Hathiram Chaudhary through and through, a cop who wants to do his duty while paying no heed to the rewards. The impact is the same as season one or maybe more. This time, Hathiram Chaudhary sets out on more dangerous missions, and multiple life-and-death situations but he gloriously escapes all of them. Jaideep Ahlawat brings so much finesse to the character that it fills me with joy to see an actor like him!
Ishwak Singh as ACP Imran Ansari brings forth the dilemmas of his character with a lot of precision. This season also deals a little with the personal life of his character and the sensitivity with which it is handled is commendable. The actor connects with the audience effortlessly through his expressions and eyes.
I was delighted to see Tillotama Shome ace the role of cop Meghna Barua. The actor has an admirable screen presence in the series. She picks up a flawless accent as the local Nagaland cop and transforms easily into the soft-hearted single mother to her kid, but the next moment, she is ready to take the lead as a fearless cop fighting the rebels. Tillotama Shome fits perfectly in this role.
The supporting cast consisting of Gul Panag, Anurag Arora, Nagesh Kukunoor, Jahnu Barua, Prashant Tamang, Merenla Imsong, L C Sekhose and Nikita Grover have substantial parts to play in making this series a wholesome and meaningful watch.
Also Read: What To Watch From January 13 To January 19: Emergency, Azaad, Paatal Lok Season 2, And More!
The Story
The narrative of Paatal Lok season 2 is complex and keeps getting twisted with each episode. However, that’s where the fun and thrill lies. As the investigation around the murder of the Nagaland diplomat develops, the narrative untangles more hidden secrets, motives and agendas of the other diplomats. Paatal Lok Season 2 also focuses on educating the Indian audience about the disturbed and political history of the state of Nagaland, which is primarily only considered a part of the “North East”, but there’s so much more to that! The engaging themes wrapped in a riveting murder investigation make the new season one-hell-of-a watch.
Direction And Cinematography
Avinash Arun and Sudip Sharma give us another binge-watch-worthy season of Paatal Lok. The end of each episode will leave you gasping for breath because you are moving at the same pace as the series. I loved some scenes where the characters are suddenly shot dead, one is not looking forward to most of these deaths. The essence of Nagaland’s scenic beauty blends in so well with the tone of this series. Some action scenes, hand-to-hand combats, chasing sequences, and confrontations have been presented effectively.
Paatal Lok season 2 is streaming on Prime Video. If you are into this genre and have been desperately waiting to see Hathiram Chaudhary solve yet another messed up case in “paatal look” (hell), then don’t miss it! The web show is quality content that has become a rare scenario in today’s time. It is high-on research and value. Season 2 sets the bar high with the performances, storytelling, direction and attention to detail. Paatal Lok season 2 is raw and keeps the essence of season 1 intact!