BOTTOM LINE
Has Its Heart in the Right Place Again
PLATFORM
Jio Hotstar
RUNTIME
25 Minutes (each episode) -4 Episodes
What Is the Film About?
Radhi resigns from her job, seeking solace at home, while Reena, promoted as a senior resident, clashes with Arjun, now a CEO. A new batch of interns arrives as Teju, working in a modest clinic, refuses to forgive Naveen. Madan contemplates suicide amidst mounting financial woes. The new in-charge, Preetham, assigns Reena a high-profile case with ulterior motives.
Performances
Anumol is the glue that keeps the soul of the show intact, using her strong screen presence and maturity in handling even clichéd situations with ease. Deepa Balu has a vibrant persona, so does Yogalakshmi. Charukesh, Amit Bhargav, Sharmila Thapa, Padine Kumar, Sarvhaa, RG Ram and other actors in the hospital gang hold the fort with natural, spontaneous performances.
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Analysis
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Heart Beat, the popular weekly web-serial that lasted over a hundred episodes and struck a chord with Tamil viewers, is back for a new season, exploring a series of fresh conflicts at RK Multi-speciality Hospital. While it continues to dwell on issues that affected the pivotal characters in the first season, the stakes of the workplace drama are naturally raised in the initial set of episodes (four).
Radhi’s personal life takes a toll, nearly jeopardising her marriage after a shocking revelation about her past, association with Reena is out in the open. She quits her job to focus on her familial priorities, and the hospital gears up for a new chapter. Arjun is now the CEO, Reena is a senior resident, Preetham, a medico with suspicious credentials, takes over Radhi’s place and a new set of interns arrive.
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The hospital is in disarray after Radhi’s exit, much like her troubled marriage, which now also affects her kids. Dev is still not on talking terms with Radhi. Before taking any hasty decision, they let the relationship amble along for the time being, keeping the kids in mind. Meanwhile, Arjun and Reena struggle to move on from their past, and the interns adapt to the hospital’s realities.
The show, directed by Deepak Sundarrajan, retains what was the core strength of the first season: dealing with grounded, relatable characters and their romantic escapades that lend an easygoing quality to the proceedings, while alternating it with high-stakes drama to provide an emotional context to drive the story forward. The drama is primarily due to the rupture in the relationships.
The storytelling is fairly consistent and neat, where brief recaps and hints about the characters’ pasts are likely to keep first-time viewers interested too. There are light-hearted subplots (involving clashes between the senior residents and new interns) that allow room for the creators to keep the ball rolling, providing momentary relief from the bigger problems plaguing the hospital.
Naturally, the story is laying the ground for Radhi’s return (in the coming set of episodes), but the conflict is too straightforward to captivate a viewer. The portrayal of Preetham as a man with poor integrity and the absence of strong leadership are hinted as the main issues for the hospital.
In addition, the team employs a tried and tested ’90s trope, where two kids come together to revive the fractured relationship of their parents. They take out their parents for dinner, call their grandpa and discuss issues beyond the scope of their age. The writing, while aiming for a resolution between the couple, could have taken a less clichéd route for better impact.
Meanwhile, a refreshing development in the show is the grace that Arjun exhibits as a leader, particularly with how he forgives Madan for his faux pas, acknowledging his father’s contribution to the hospital. There are glimpses of a new romance in the offing at work. The humour, while not extraordinary, is still tolerable.
On the whole, this can be termed a neat start to Heart Beat 2. It has a bit of the past, offers something new, and retains the spirit of the first season.
Music and Other Departments?
Saran Raghavan’s score (besides the catchy title track) complements the mood of the show seamlessly, without affecting its momentum. Regimal Surya Thomas, the cinematographer, uses the eye-catching backdrops, vibrant costumes and flashy colours to his advantage and creates a visually appealing exterior. Writer-director Deepak Sundarrajan avoids hefty melodrama, coming up with an easily palatable, breezy screenplay ideal for the digital medium.
Highlights?
Breezy viewing
Neat performances
Good balance between situational humour and drama
Drawbacks?
Resorts to usual clichés in the drama
Convenient conflict resolution
Doesn’t aim for realism
Did I Enjoy It?
Mostly, yes
Will You Recommend It?
If you don’t mind breezy workplace sitcoms
Heart Beat Season 2 OTT Review by M9
