What Is the Story About?
There’s trouble during Panouti’s marriage to Puppy as an elderly man is shot dead at the venue. Battu, who realises a shocking truth about his lineage, is confident that Puppy holds a crucial link to a recent series of killings. Rumpa continues her quest for a map that’ll unlock a hidden treasure. Meanwhile, Sahib Singh’s life is in danger and Panouti tries to decode the conspiracy around Menka.
Performances?
Tusshar Kapoor has always been a handy actor in comedies and he does his best to salvage a wayward show, making it generally tolerable. His on-screen camaraderie with the equally formidable Shaan Groverr is a delight to watch. Priyanka Chahar Choudhary does well to preserve the mystery within Puppy’s characterisation and the good looks are certainly a bonus.
Satyen Chaturvedi (as Sahib Singh) doesn’t have much to do this season but veteran Sumit Arora holds his own as a cop with a domineering wife. Leena Sharma, Ekta Sharma, Chanchlesh Singh and Rajesh Tripathi are passable within the scope of their roles while Mia Magar’s indifferent performance doesn’t help her portrayal of Kajal and Rumpa.
Analysis
Dus June Kii Raat Season 2 is the second instalment of Jio Cinema’s dramedy centred on an abandoned theatre and mysterious deaths within a dysfunctional family. The entire show revolves around an unlucky protagonist – nicknamed Panouti – whose destiny takes a turn for the worse after he decides to reopen a cursed movie hall. Battu, his cousin, stands by him through thick and thin.
In terms of the plot, the show doesn’t exactly surge ahead drastically, but the viewer at least gets a satisfactory resolution about the mastermind behind a series of killings. This season explores the twisted past of Panouti and Battu’s family, the growing suspicion around Puppy’s identity (Panouti’s love interest), and a culprit’s desperate bid to unlock the treasure within Menka.
Battu digs deep into Puppy’s family history, worried about her growing prominence in Panouti’s life. A dark secret about Rumpa’s past adds some vigour to the proceedings. There’s drama between the two daughters of Sahib Singh around his attached properties. While the story takes a serious turn, the characters take themselves lightly, with their wayward decisions contributing to the humour.
The show belongs to the same breed of no-brainer comedies that filmmakers like Priyadarshan and Aneez Bazmee helmed in abundance in the 90s and 2000s. Though the show is neither a masterpiece nor completely intolerable, it’s fair to say that the formula and the treatment look quite dated. The layered plot is promising but the performances and writing are too mediocre to hold your attention.
However, in the digital space crowded by thrillers, dark action dramas and revenge sagas, it’s possible that Dus June Kii Raat may work as a welcome break for a section of audiences, even if it isn’t pathbreaking. It’s just the kind of show that serves as a reasonable, low-stakes time pass fare with an eventful screenplay when watched without much expectation.
Unlike the first season which left the viewer with too many questions, leaving them more puzzled than entertained, the storytelling is slightly more focused this time. The show is entertaining whenever Panouti and Bittu are around, trying to make sense of the mess around them. However, the high-pitch family drama is obnoxious, where the creators time their twists too conveniently.
Regardless of how they turn out, shows like Dus June Kii Raat Season 2 are important, for they’re rare attempts to capture the pulse of small-town India, their concerns, desires, even if masked by a farcical plot. However, the intentions are not often backed by the writing and performances this time. This isn’t a show that merits 11 episodes and it’s dubious how there may be a new season too!
Music and Other Departments?
Sanchit Choudhary’s score lacks much novelty and plays safe. Screenwriters Rajesh Tripathi and Ranveer Pratap Singh’s adaptation of Santosh Patnaik’s story lacks consistency in its entertainment value and the shabby execution doesn’t help their cause. Though the patchy, garish production design and costumes are a distraction, cinematographer Sachin Patekar tries to rise above his constraints with his vibrant, attractive visual exterior.
Highlights?
Entertaining plot
Eventful screenplay
Tusshar Kapoor, Shaan Groverr’s performances
Drawbacks?
Storytelling lacks consistency
Fails to utilise the comic potential of the story
Too long for its premise (nearly 4.5 hours!!!)
Did I Enjoy It?
In parts
Will You Recommend It?
Only if you’re desperate to kill some time and have nothing better to do
Dus June Kii Raat Season 2 Series Review by Binged Bureau
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