Bandish Bandits season 2 review: Newer faces, better music, heightened drama

Bandish Bandits season 2

Bandish Bandits season 2
Director: Anand Tiwari
Cast: Ritwik Bhowmik, Shreya Chaudhry, Sheeba Chaddha, Atul Kulkarni, Rajesh Tailang, Divya Dutta, Rohan Gurbaxani, Yashaswini Dayama
Episodes: 8

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When there is a considerable gap between two seasons of a show, you run the risk of having lost connect with the audience. Especially for a show like Bandish Bandits, which is majorly about the art vs commercial music tussle. Truth be told, I was initially not very keen on watching season 1, which released in the middle of the pandemic. But when you are working from home in a lockdown situation, you end up consuming more content than you intend to. Plus some friends who had watched it had praised the show, and it had the lure of veteran actors like Naseeruddin Shah and Atul Kulkarni.

I watched season 1 several months after it dropped on Amazon Prime Video. And fell in love with it. It was so refreshing to have a show dedicated to music, albeit served with a huge dollop of family drama. It reminded me of Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Aaja Nachle and more such movies that focused on Indian classical music.

Wait was worth it

Bandish Bandits season 2 has arrived on Amazon Prime Video today, after a 4-year gap. It has been a long wait, but it is totally worth it. The scale, cast, drama, setting, everything is bigger in season 2. Season 1 ended with Radhe (Ritwik Bhowmik) proving that he is worthy of carrying on the legacy of his grandfather (Naseeruddin Shah). Season 2 throws new challenges at him as family secret spill out in the open, and suddenly the well-respected Rathod gharana is shunned by the society.

New faces in season 2

The drama also moves up north, as Tamanna (Shreya Chaudhry) enrolls in a music school in Shimla. A new bunch of characters are introduced - Divya Dutta in a never-seen-before avatar as a western music teacher, the underrated by very talented Yashaswini Dayama (Saumya) as the band's lead singer, and Rohan Gurbaxani (Ayaan) to add a new love triangle. There's also an exciting cameo by Arjun Rampal.

Better music

If you loved the music of season 1, you will find season 2 even better. The composers have offered more variety this time, fusing Western classical with Rajasthani folk, and Indian classical with Rock beats. The album is a treat for music lovers. My personal favourites are Holdin' On and Nirmohiya.

Mental health issues, gender disparity

While season 1 mostly focused on art vs commercial music tussle, season 2 takes it forward with the classical musicians' reluctance to subscribe to commercial methods of gaining recognition. A band competition is introduced to pit the two leads against each other, representative of two different genres of music. Season 2 also gives Mohini (Sheeba Chadha) the due space she deserves as a classical vocalist, while also highlighting she is still caught between male egos - her former love Digvijay, husband Rajendra and son Radhe. Yashaswini's character brings out pressures of social media and visibility that artists have to deal with these days - just being talented is not enough.

Despite some plot loopholes and a lot happening thanks to an increased cast, Bandish Bandits season 2 has enough to make it an entertaining watch. Just the novelty and the scale of this attempt is laudable. Looking forward to season 3.