Taaza Khabar Season 2 review: There's little that's 'taaza' in Bhuvan Bam's show

In Taaza Khabar Season 2, there’s little that’s taaza (fresh). There’s ambition, but not enough drive. There are those next big things, but not the smoothest ways forward. A show, often oscillating between past, present and future, lacks the ‘vardaan’(blessing) of staying afloat - something that,both the series and Bhuvan Bam’s character Vasant Gawde desperately need.

Those who’ve watched the first season will understand when we say - far bizarre things happen to Gawde in the follow-up. In the first season, a sanitation worker stumbles upon his magical powers of getting updates about future events and his life changes overnight. But everything that rises must eventually have a downfall. The new season takes off from where the last one ended - only this time, the ‘taaza khabar’ is that of Vasya dying. Will he rise from the dead? Or can he possibly avert his death?

Well, turns out, he might be able to avoid his death, but not the challenges that await him. With help from his parents, played by Atisha Naik and Vijay Nikam, friend Peter (Prathmesh Parab), Mehboob (Deven Bhojani), and love interest Madhu (Shriya Pilgaonkar), Vasya tackles one ‘taaza khabar’ and obstacle after another. However, there’s a new entrant in the show - Yusuf (Jaaved Jaaferi), who in his own words, does politics in the name of charity. He wants Vasya to compensate for his betting losses and will go to any extent to extract that money. He is the new villain of the show, and Vasya's fate is at his mercy.

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Bhuvan Bam, who reprises his role as Vasant, stays true to his character. But what falters is having a stale approach to the story that leaves little for actors, including Jaaferi, to chew on. It’s the same old cycle of a flashing new update, a new plan, and no consequence.

After a point, it all feels stretched as Vasya tries to undo the chaos, particularly with erratic new ideas of minting money. He is also trying to mend his relationships with his parents and girlfriend, who, like every other character on the show, are now part of the cat-and-mouse narrative. It's almost a disservice to others that they are in constant service of just one character. The placement of flashbacks is particularly disappointing, with them adding little value. As a man who can see the future and is struggling in his present - there was a lot that could've been explored, but alas.

In the Himank Gaur directorial, the dialogues written by Abbas Dalal and Hussain Dalal add a slight edge. There's often a chance of songs feeling misfits in shows such as this, but 'Rang Hai Ri' and 'Kaun Hai' are woven into the narrative with precision and stay with you long after the series. But those might be the only few things that feel fresh.