In the highly anticipated sequel to the acclaimed Hindi adaptation of the Israeli series 'Fauda', 'Tanaav 2' builds upon the intense and gripping narrative of its predecessor, even if it doesn't quite match the same level of excellence. While it may not surpass the benchmark set by the first season, 'Tanaav 2' remains a compelling watch, delivering a thought-provoking and suspenseful exploration of the complex situation in the valley and the dynamics between India and Pakistan. With its well-crafted characters, crisp dialogue, and timely themes, the series continues to captivate audiences, even if it doesn't quite reach the same heights as its groundbreaking prequel.

While Junaid becomes the Harkat commander, Aldamishq is the new threat:

Even though Umar Riaz died in the first season, militant activities continue to rock the valley. After killing Umar Riaz, Junaid (Shashank Arora) is made the commander of Harkat. Meanwhile, Farheed Mir aka Aldamishq (Gaurav Arora) is back in Kashmir from Syria to take revenge for his father’s (Mir Saheb) death. Unaware of who killed his father, Farheed wants to kill everyone from 

The characters shine but the writing lags a bit:

Just like its predecessor, the second season gets full marks for its casting. Most actors have reprised their roles - Manav Vij as Kabir, Rajat Kapoor as Malik, Arbaaz Khan as Vikrant, Ekta Kaul as Dr. Farah, Shashank as Junaid, Sahiba Bali as Toshi, Rocky Raina as Bilal, Mir Sarwar as Idris, and Arslan Goni as Kunal. Satyadeep Dubey has also returned to the season and so have Soni Razdan and Sukhmani Sadana while Gaurav and Kabir Bedi are the new additions.

Here, well-crafted characters continue to be the biggest strength of the series, paired up with the brilliant performance by each actor. Manav has yet again nailed his act as Kabir and still doesn’t follow the orders. Rajat’s straight face as Malik and his tactics continue to impress, just as Shashank leaves no stone unturned in proving his mettle. But Gaurav’s performance is what stands out the most as a well-educated man who has received training from ISIS.

‘Tanaav 2’ has more drama and less action:

The prequel had set the bar high, and possibly, the first part of the second season hasn’t quite met the expectations. Spread over six episodes, ‘Tanaav 2’ seems to have lagged a bit in the writing section. It has a lot of drama to offer, but very little action.

A particular scene where Kabir breaks down is well-crafted, and so is the one where Kabir’s daughter asks him if he ever killed a person. These scenes depict Kabir’s emotions so delicately that it hits you instantly. But at the same time, the makers have unnecessarily fitted in romantic scenes that bring nothing to the table. The scene between Vikrant’s sister and Kunal seemed completely unwanted per the plot.

Speaking of action, the blast at the bus stop and the car chase, both of which are in the first episode are the only action scenes that set off the pace for the series, but that’s about it. There’s no action scene beyond that that I can recall. I wish that there was more action here. Maybe it’s there in the second part of the season but it certainly lacked in this one.

Having said that, the writers must also be appreciated for creating some delicate moments and scenes that keep you on the edge. The scene at the butcher’s shop depicting Fahad’s fear is one of my favourites, apart from the rooftop scene. Another highlight is when Junaid confronts Dr. Farah wherein brutality takes over his love.

Narrative, camera work, music, and diction are its other strengths:

The showrunner, Sudhir Mishra, has co-directed the series with E Niwas. Their nuanced handling of the narrative and characters brings a level of sophistication and realism to the series, elevating it beyond a typical thriller. The music and background score are as amazing as the first season, if not more. The same goes with the camera work - expect some excellent close-up shots as well as scenes that rightfully capture the beauty of complexity of Kashmir.

Moving forward, one thing that stood out the most was the attention that has been given to the diction. While most actors are Kashmiris, others have also put in their best to speak the language with fluency, especially Shashank. In one scene, Shashank pronounces ‘purse’ as ‘purus,’ which goes on to show the attention he has given to learning the language since many local Kashmiris have a different way of pronouncing words that have ‘s’ pronunciation in them.

‘Tanaav 2’ - Watch it or skip it?

Definitely watch it! Despite the fact that you may not get to witness the same action that you did in the previous season, ‘Tanaav 2’ is certainly a must-watch. The show continues to deliver a promising series that captures the complexities that India is dealing with in Kashmir while riding high on impressive performances by each member of its cast. If that wasn’t alone, there is an element of surprise that waits for you at the end.

Stars: 3 out of 5