What Is the Story About?
Juhi’s latest novel Dhund is a bestseller and she’s all set to leave for the UK for a teaching stint at the University of Oxford. However, a mystery man drops a bombshell claiming that Juhi’s book is based on his story and blackmails her for credits. He also reaches out to Anand Tyagi for a negotiation. Meanwhile, Rhea adopts strange methods to settle scores with Juhi. Where’s the tale headed?
Performances?
Huma Qureshi plays to her strengths yet again in a well-written, complex role, but one feels her mettle came to the fore better in the first season. Avantika Dassani’s performance is passable though it could’ve benefited from more conviction. She hardly mirrors the rage, angst within Rhea. Rajit Kapur is as dependent as he can be, playing a brooding father disappointed with himself.
The only surprise package this season is Naveen Kasturia’s portrayal of Amit – who’s caught between vengeance and his inner conscience. He reflects Amit’s moral ambiguity with ease and impresses while he lasts. Krishna Bisht and Indraneil Sengupta don’t have much to contribute this time around whereas Krishna Bisht’s Arun makes little impact.
Analysis
If ZEE5’s Mithya began as a riveting redemption drama around two sparring half sisters trying to settle scores in a college backdrop, their rift takes a more sinister turn in the second season. Based on the 2019 UK drama Cheat, the unconventional plot comprises a handful of colourful, flawed characters within a family, offering a unique blend of drama, thrills and suspense.
In the latest instalment, Rhea is back from jail and the cops begin investigating the mysterious death of Dheeraj Rajguru (her father). When everything looks set for Juhi to start life afresh in a new country, a plagiarism allegation alters her career prospects overnight. Worse, a personal tragedy drowns her further. Yash (Juhi’s son) is sandwiched between Juhi, Rhea and their ego battles.
Rhea brings the worst out of Juhi and both are not ready to budge anytime soon. While Juhi’s intentions are clean, she is caught on the wrong foot in her attempt to outsmart Rhea. The latter also has a new love interest – Amit – while Arun continues to stalk her and tries to get close to her. When pushed to the brink, the lines between right and wrong in the protagonists’ lives are blurred.
Mithya’s first season was naturally nail-biting – the characters remained quite unpredictable with their behaviour, it was hard to outguess the timely twists and the show was held together by the solid dysfunctional family drama. The second time around, it’s a disadvantage that you’re quite aware of how the proceedings could pan out and the creators don’t make a sincere effort in upping the stakes.
Well, the show starts well at least, with Juhi caught in a no man’s land – where her professional and personal life are destroyed beyond imagination. Yash is the only light in Juhi’s life and Rhea strikes back at her through her weakness. Though the screenplay is reasonably engaging, the drama rarely strikes an emotional chord, despite a handful of twists and turns.
Not enough time is devoted to building the conflicts between Juhi and Rhea effectively. Their battles feel like remnants from the first season and there are hardly any new layers to the pivotal characters waiting to be discovered. Amit’s presence springs some momentum into the show initially, but as the cat is out of the bag, Mithya feels like a simplistic, underwrought redemption tale.
Be it the performances or technical finesse, Mithya has a handful of aspects going for it, but the writing is too lazy and straightforward to hold a viewer’s attention for three and a half hours.
Mithya Season 2 isn’t bad but gets too comfortable with its mediocrity and doesn’t aim high enough. It neither has the urgency of a taut thriller nor the depth of a strong family drama.
Music and Other Departments?
Nirmal Pandya’s music score, despite not breaking any new ground, still stays true to the spirit of the story. Raghav Ramadoss’s cinematography is one of the major highlights among the technical contributions, using the hill-station backdrop to add mystery to the tale. The screenplay has its moments but doesn’t sparkle enough fully to distract you from the show’s follies.
Highlights?
Huma Qureshi, Naveen Kasturia’s performances
A few twists
Technical finesse
Drawbacks?
Dull storytelling
Nothing new to tell (in comparison to the first season)
One-dimensional characters
Did I Enjoy It?
In parts
Will You Recommend It?
If you’re in a mood for a thriller sans the thrills
Mithya Season 2 Series Review by Binged Bureau
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