'Made in Heaven 2' review: Vital politics, social commentary reign supreme

A charged second season proves its vitality through its themes

KARACHI:

The second season of Made in Heaven is a pertinent watch in many ways. Embellished with overt politicism, weddings take a bit of a back seat in this instalment (although they are just as larger than life as before). After a nearly four-year wait, this very fact bothered many, and some complained that the show made them feel like they were being preached to. However, Made in Heaven has always been political; the first season's exhilarating highs and heartwrenching lows are a testament to the same. The second part is far more unapologetic in its social commentary, and therein lies its vitality.

Spoiler alert!

A triumphant Tara (Sobhita Dhulipala), at the end of the second season, faces criticism from her boyfriend who believes she does not deserve her newly acquired win. In a powerful moment of assertiveness, Tara reminds him that his opinion has no bearing on what she deserves. That is the crux of Season 2 of this spectacular show; the opinions of others, the pestilent plague that is "what will people say" is tackled head-on, with moral ambiguities colouring the narrative.

The series is marked by numerous powerful messages embedded within the fabric of key episodes. For example, the very first episode tactfully combats the obsession with fairness. It is rather ironic that the bride in question has a gorgeous dusky skin tone and is not quite dark, to begin with. Subtly addressing the colonial hangover with which many residents of the subcontinent still wrestle, through an opulent lens masked by upper-class grandeur, the episode is a reminder of the fact that while beauty has always been more than skin deep, learned behaviour and inherited insecurities run far deeper.

While the groom reminds the bride that she is "the perfect caramel" (a thoroughly whitewashed way of describing brown beauty) the bride's failure to put down the very products that marred her face, just to grasp at the hope for fairer skin, is as heartbreaking a depiction as it is realistic and believable.

Another stand-out episode is the one where Mrunal Thakur plays the role of a domestic violence victim, about to be hitched to her abuser. Gritty, dark, and hard-hitting - it is a reminder of the many nuances involved with cases of partner violence. The hesitation to accept that one is being abused, covering up for one's partner, oblivion associated with being emotionally involved with a narcissist, and reaching a point of no return - this is perceptively displayed in this critical episode.

It is a hard watch, especially when Thakur's Adhira goes through with the marriage, but also one of the utmost importance, given that marriages with rampant abuse are a tangible reality. The series makes the audience live with that shock till the very end, till a news snippet confirms that Adhira has filed charges against her abusive spouse. Although a moment of respite, Adhira's upcoming battle, wherein her name will inevitably be dragged through the mud in a world where victims are seldom believed, is one we do not see on-screen. After all, the audience has consumed similar real-life trials, and rarely does the victim receive any semblance of justice.

The episode with Radhika Apte is perhaps the most moving one, bravely tackling the issue of the infamous caste system in India head-on. Criticised for lifting the lived experience of journalist and author Yashica Dutt, the makers undoubtedly have a wrong to right. This is considerably desolating, given that the relentless take-down of the caste issue on an individualistic level makes for one of the most brilliantly nuanced watching experiences from the entire season. Thoroughly feminist, unapologetically brave, and pertinently intersectional, the offering is easily one of the highlights of the season.

All of this is elevated with crisp editing and breathtaking cinematography, making the entire season a grand, visual feast. Further marked by powerhouse performances by the entire cast, with Sobhita, Arjun Mathur, Jim Sarbh, and Trinetra Haldar giving the narrative their all, individual arcs are a treat to follow. Karan's (Arjun) journey is illustrated, through drug abuse, as a battle between being his truest self and giving into his dying mother's wish for him to be anything but. It is a reminder of the fact that nobody in the show is meant to be perfect, regardless of their politics. The characters are inherently flawed and constantly in combat with their demons, thereby becoming human. This, if anything, makes Made in Heaven more relatable to its audience.

Meher (Trinetra) is a welcome and necessary addition, providing a crucial window into the experience of being a post-operation transgender individual. This is tackled tastefully, where, at no point, one feels lectured at. Events in her life play out organically and are indispensable in terms of highlighting the many tribulations that come with being trans, evoking a sense of empathy that is often tricky to ignite with a theme of this nature.

Tara is an impeccably dressed fireball this season - more in her element than one has ever seen her before. Whether it's her strutting in her revenge dress, seeking monetary compensation during her divorce process, dealing with the fact that her ex-best friend has conceived a child with her ex-husband - something she ardently desired but never achieved - or becoming the embodiment of the age-old adage, "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned," Sobhita slays every frame, and one is grateful for the same. However, at no point is Tara a victim because of her divorce. Her refusal to be hoodwinked by respectability politics and her firm desire to get what she believes is rightfully hers make her a formidable foe for Adil (Jim), and watching their deadly divorce dance play out is, in many ways, a mindboggling treat.

Mona Singh as Bulbul Jauhari has her own problems this season. Despite being a new character, she seamlessly fits into the overall narrative. Through her struggle, themes of victim-blaming, sexual abuse, violence, and holding those close to you accountable are highlighted. Albeit vital, one can't help but feel that while her story is just as compelling, it perhaps deserved to be played out in a better-written manner, instead of playing out in the background, almost doubling as a filler.

Is the second season of Made in Heaven perfect? It is not, nor is it meant to be. It is a reminder to the audience that art imitates life, and life is, inherently, marked by turbulent imperfections. Just as Tara informs her chagrined boyfriend that his opinion has no bearing on what she deserves, the audience, too, is left feeling that their opinions have no bearing on the impact of the course of the show. We do not decide who deserves a happy ending. We do not decide who is right or wrong. We are allowed an opinion, but it does not change what has been written. Making peace with the same is almost our homework and takeaway.

What an ideal world it would be if the blacks were black, and the whites were white. However, Made in Heaven intelligently robs the audience of that moral clarity, finding its peace nestled amongst tantalizing grey areas that bring one face-to-face with their own demons and a plethora of unanswered questions.

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