'Rana Naidu' S02 review: Rana Daggubati's show is uneven, half-baked
What's the story
Rana Naidu Season two, starring Venkatesh Daggubati, Rana Daggubati, Sushant Singh, and Abhishek Banerjee, premiered on Friday.
Created by Karan Anshuman, the Netflix show is a remake of the American series Ray Donovan.
While the first season worked well due to the strength of the ensemble and the interesting storyline, the second season struggles despite a bigger cast and more ambitious narrative.
Plot
This time, Rana has a new enemy
Set right after the events of the first season, this installment once again cuts right to the chase, as we meet Rana (Daggubati) on another dangerous, life-altering mission.
He makes a powerful enemy in Rauf, played by Arjun Rampal, who is after not just Rana, but also his family, even his two kids.
Kriti Kharbanda plays Rana's business associate, Alia Oberoi.
#1
Positives: No complaints on the acting front
All the actors slide back into their characters as if no time has passed between the two seasons.
Rana keeps his rage intact, while Naga (Venkatesh) again unleashes the fun, amusing aspect of his personality.
Props also to Surveen Chawla (who essays Rana's wife, Naina), who doesn't always get as much screentime as she should, and yet leaves a lasting, memorable impact.
#2
More on the above aspect
Whenever Rana Naidu almost crumbles, it is saved by the craft of its terrific cast.
Take, for instance, an intense, gripping face-off sequence between Tej (Singh) and Rana in the third episode, titled, Well Played, Mr Naidu.
Both actors bring their A-game to their respective roles, and it's tough to take your eyes off them during this electric, charged sequence.
#3
Rampal shines and how!
Rampal continues to surprise us despite having spent over two decades in the industry!
He may not receive as much screentime as Rana or Venkatesh, but he consistently shines in all his scenes, so much so that you always want to see more of him.
As Rauf, he is just the right amount of mean, moody, and menacing.
#4
Negatives: We don't spend enough time with the central characters
The first season triumphed less due to the action/thriller sub-plots and more due to the way it etched out the relationship between the three brothers: Rana, Jaffa (Abhishek Banerjee) and Tej.
However, in this season, we don't see their camaraderie as much; everyone does their own thing, ultimately lending everything a scattered and fragmented feel.
#5
It is tough to stay invested throughout the show
While the first season had an ample amount of intrigue and suspense, this time, the series struggles to hook you.
There are unnecessary subplots and side characters, an excessive amount of confusion, and overall, the show lacks the bite that defined the first installment.
Surprisingly, Venkatesh is mostly relegated to the sidelines, almost as if he has an extended cameo, not a lead role.
#6
How many supporting characters are too many?
Unlike the first season, the nonlinear narrative does not always work in the show's favor, and the barrage of needless characters bogs the show down.
This season is eight episodes long, as compared to the ten episodes of the first season, and yet, it doesn't feel slick or fast-paced.
Moreover, most conflicts have a convenient resolution, so it's tough to take them seriously.
Verdict
An underwhelming follow-up to S01
Rana Naidu Season two has its fair share of thrilling moments, and the performances never miss.
However, it suffers due to too many plotlines and some half-baked characters (such as that of Kharbanda), and struggles to untie its knots.
Grisly and gory, but also underwhelming and unsatisfactory, Rana Naidu Season two entertains, but it also slips more than once.
2.5/5 stars.