Asur 2, starring Arshad Warsi, Barun Sobti, Ridhi Dogra, Anupriya Goenka and Amey Wagh, is nothing short of a cinematic genius amid a slew of poorly-executed, plot hole riddled shows. The mythological thriller that had you by the edge of your seats evolves dramatically in this season and absorbs you in the dark, philosophical world of Asur, as you tread on the borders of good and evil. The second season is handsomely packaged with some fascinating sub-plots, more devious and unexpected twists and some new and interesting characters at the helm of it. What ties all of it together is intelligent writing and a near-perfect and almost balanced depiction of reality mired in darkness and despair.
The fresh season picks right off where it left. The dissonance caused by the wrath of morally-defiant Shubh Joshi has compounded major losses upon all those who had come together to stop the maddening menace. Dhananjay Rajput a.k.a DJ (played by Arshad Warsi) is now lodged in a monastery somewhere in the mountains, trying to come to terms with the loss of his wife. Nikhil Nair, who had to unwillingly sacrifice his daughter for greater good, is distraught, drowning in guilt and estranged from his wife (played by Anupriya Goenka). Ridhi Dogra exudes empathy towards Nikhil as well as trying to cope with Lolark Dubey’s death.
With no end in sight, the entire CBI wing is once again challenged by a mysterious and cold-blooded Shubh that hides behind a mask and launches himself into another murderous spree, one that is meticulously formulated by him to veer people from the path of morality. With his foreboding words ‘Mahayudh Nikat Hai. Kalyug Ko Uske Charam Seema Pe Pohchane Ka Samay Aa Gaya Hai’ and his crew of devoted and brainwashed followers, it’s up to the CBI to solve the mind-scrambling puzzle behind Shubh’s identity and how all the answers lie in his disruptive past. This time, there is a lot at stake. Will the team collectively stop the impending doom in time?
The eight-episode series highlights the antagonist Shubh Joshi’s past and connects it with his present exploits. As viewers, it takes us even deeper into the evil mind of his and how he uses those around him to get closer to his insidious goals. Since every episode is nearly an hour long, and with a gap of three years to compensate for, one might feel a little disjointed to take to the story. The very first frame sets in motion the individualistic plights of our protagonists dealing with the ripples of the case. For instance, both Nikhil Nair and Dhananjay Rajput might be idealistically different from one another but their approach towards the case is personal and fuelled by their passion for justice.
The makers have retained the attention to forensic procedures in the bid to make the thriller closer to reality. It is brilliant and worth applauding for since Oni Sen doesn’t compromise with the subject matter and makes it believable. He induces a sense of horror and shock with some of the developments. The refreshing quotient of Asur 2 is the fact that nobody comes with a plot armour and nobody can outsmart the antagonist so easily. Some might call it a deterrent but it brings the thriller closer to some of the best shows made in the West.
Hence, the direction and editing of the show is praiseworthy. The transition from past to present and then past doesn’t seem jarring. The Hindi dialogues are another takeaway from this thriller that blends modernity with traditional roots and subliminally highlights the dark, twisted philosophy of the show. The lack of consistent pace is compensated with a large canvas, decorated with surprises. The nail-biting climax, strong performances and heart-stirring background score will make your experience immersive.
Arshad Warsi gets into the skin of Dhananjay Rajput and makes that character his own. The pain and anguish is reflected through his revenge-filled eyes whenever he comes on screen. Amey Wagh as Rasool Sheikh remains furtive and mysterious in his ways that will make your skin crawl. Barun Sobti perspires guilt in his demeanor and gives you a glimpse of his incredible acting range. There is a sense of calm and poise brought about by Ridhi Dogra’s natural acting. Anupriya Goenka is another actor that delivers a nuanced and balanced performance. Meiyang Chang essaying Paul Shangpilang, a Anti-Terror Force(ATF) brings forth drama and complexity with his craft. Adithi Kalkunte Shyamprasad who plays Ishani Chaudhary rightly fits the mould of her character of an intelligent and sensible officer. Vishesh Bansal deserves a special mention for his performance for he not only portrays a ruthless serial killer like Shubh but he lives it. His Madaari co-star Irrfan Khan would have been proud of him for his growth. Abhishek Chauhan and Gaurav Arora are equally good in their roles.
Asur also makes a scathing critique on child abuse, it’s ramifications and the dual nature of the ethical fabric. It subtly highlights the trepidation that can be brought about by technology through artificial intelligence, deep fake, data mining and more, each one of them weaved intelligently into one narrative.
Gaurav Shukla, Niren Bhatt, Abhijeet Khuman and Pranay Patwardhan have thought this through and it shows. And the timing of it all coincides with the recent developments in the realms of ChatGPT, Midjourney etc. Asur 2 unknowingly takes all of that into consideration. It has some shades of Chiyaan Vikram’s Anniyan/Aparchit but all in all, the execution is more precise in this one with snippets from Indian Mythology.
Despite the long gap, Asur 2 establishes itself as the country’s first mythological thriller and goes on to prove how it paved a way for other makers in this space to make stories around this theme. It makes you ponder on the philosophical thoughts around morality, right and wrong and much more. And all this while, it entertains you and dishes out a hot and piping recipe of thrill and drama.
Asur 2 is now streaming on JioCinema.
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