Once again, SonyLIV knocks the ball out of the park, thanks to its originals! January 2023 was a mixed bag for the streaming service in terms of the quality of its shows. But the platform has bounced back.
In February, SonyLIV released four Indian shows. Three of them, including Potluck Season 2, Nijam With Smita, and Jehanabad – Of Love & War, performed brilliantly and received fantastic responses from viewers. However, the second season of Iru Dhuruvam fell short due to its rushed ending and weak plot.
Iru Dhuruvam Season 2 (Series/Direct-to-OTT) – Miss
Potluck Season 2 (Series/Direct-to-OTT) – Hit
Nijam With Smita (Series/Direct-to-OTT) – Hit
Jehanabad – Of Love & War (Series/Direct-to-OTT) – Hit
Iru Dhuruvam Season 2: The sophomore entry in the SonyLIV thriller series, Iru Dhuruvam, took off nicely but suffered turbulence as it reached its conclusion, thanks to its rushed end. Also, the writing seemed to be lacklustre, making it a bit of a tedious watch. Nandha looked good in his role as Viktor. But some of his scenes needed more expressions from him. Prasanna shined the most in the series. He brilliantly handled the challenging and exhilarating role of Lankeshwaran. His presence adds some much-needed spice to the show. Season 2 suffers from weak writing. But Prasanna’s scene-stealing performance makes it watchable.
Potluck Season 2: The second season looks better than the first one. It seems like the writers have certainly done their job by getting rid of all narrative hindrances and bestowing a more intriguing and entertaining Season 2. One of the best things about the latest season is the relationship between the siblings, which is touching. Plus, the effortless chemistry between the actors makes it more enjoyable to watch. Furthermore, this season arrives with improved characterisations and humour. However, Season 2 becomes a bit of a drag when it tackles Prerna’s phobias and emotional introversion.
Nijam With Smita: Prominent playback singer, Smita Valluripalli, comes back with a bang, but this time as a host of a talk show. Besides her hosting duties, Smita has also produced this one. Also, the show gets benefitted from the presence of noted personalities from different fields. Well-known figures like Rana Daggubati, Chiranjeevi, Sai Pallavi, Adivi Sesh, Nani, and many more appear in this show, and they don’t hesitate to give blunt replies to Smita’s hard-hitting questions. We see the host asking burning questions regarding physical abuse, gender discrimination, nepotism, development vs populism, the influence of cinema, braveheart soldiers of India, and many more.
Jehanabad – Of Love & War: The events of the show take place in a small town of Bihar, Jehanabad. Set in 2005, the series takes inspiration from some real-life scenarios. The story focuses on the naxals as they plan to free Deepak Kumar, a popular Naxal leader. On other hand, viewers witness the love saga of college professor Abhimanyu Singh and his student Kasturi. The shades of love, loss, and betrayal are seen as the show progresses. How do these two tales combine? Watch the show to find out more!
Parambrata Chattopadhyay gives a scene-stealing performance in the show. Ritwik Bhowmik delivers a restrained but refining performance as Abhimanyu. Also, the series receives the benefit of Harshita Gaur’s and Rajat Kapoor’s screen presences. It is a gripping show that keeps viewers hooked till the end.
SonyLIV delivered four exclusive entries to its viewers. Apart from Iru Dhuruvam Season 2, all of the above-mentioned shows performed outstandingly well.
SonyLIV success score: 75%