The Trial Season 2 Review: Better Sequel, Still Forgettable

BOTTOM LINE
Better Sequel, Still Forgettable

PLATFORM
JioHotstar

CENSOR
4hrs 40 mins, 6 episodes

What Is the Film About?

As an image-cleanup act, Rajiv Sengupta plunges into politics, but the issues in his marriage with Noyonika remain. Back at work, she takes on several high-profile cases – one with a real-estate tycoon, a social media influencer and gives Rajiv’s political campaign (against his rival Narayani) a crucial boost right when it matters. However, her heart still beats for Vishal, who finds love elsewhere.

Performances

Kajol gets a little too carried away by the proceedings to make any significant impact; it feels like she’s scrambling from one problem to the other, without taking the viewer along. Jisshu Sengupta performs well, though the characterisation could’ve been meatier. Alyy Khan holds his own in a part caught between the devil and the deep blue sea.

Analysis

The Trial, the Hindi adaptation of the popular show The Good Wife, didn’t particularly have a good start with its first season, although it garnered enough viewership for Jio Hotstar to renew it for another instalment. The show struggled to rise above a collection of stray events in a middle-aged woman’s life, desperately rushing through episodes in a bid to keep a viewer hooked.

Not much changes with round two of the legal drama helmed by Umesh Bist – a racy screenplay is in place to mask a botched-up plot which never garners momentum. The treatment lacks grounding, remains surface-level; the obstacles either feel repetitive or get resolved too conveniently. It takes no time to pause, reflect on any of the character’s internal struggles and moves on aimlessly.

Noyonika is still in two minds about saving her marriage with Rajiv, taking the next step with her ex-turned-colleague Vishal. Fresh challenges surface at work with a new investor at the helm; differences creep up between the co-founders, Vishal and Malini. While Noyonika gives it all to her cases, she is forced to take sides (at work) and is entangled in her husband’s heated political campaign.

The cases remain reasonably interesting – an influencer allegedly rams her car into her rival’s vehicle after a party, a child loses his life due to a builder’s indifference, and a high society couple’s night takes a wild turn with a murder. Though the twists and turns in the legalities are alright, the courtroom drama lacks finesse; the arguments lack sharpness, and the resolutions are too vanilla.

The first case, in particular – of a woman from a massage parlour filing a case of sexual abuse by an influential man – could’ve spoken loudly of a workplace scenario where an employee’s safety remains constantly at risk. Even otherwise, the success in most cases are convenient compromises more than an absolute victory; an advocate’s mettle isn’t tested as much.

At the political stage, Narayani is reduced to a caricaturish opponent, who gives Rajiv a good fight, but a better effort to make her humane would’ve lent an edge to the battle. There are aspects it gets right too – the character assassination of women in a male bastion like politics, the emergence of podcasts for cleanup acts, the counterbalance between professional highs and personal lows.

The Trial Season 2 is marginally better than the first instalment; it remains watchable despite the contrived execution. While the earlier season more or less laid a platform to establish its key characters, you get to know their complexities on a more nuanced level here. Yet, it is hardly memorable, like orphaned events strung together into a show without a strong emotional core.

Performances by Others Actors

Although Sheeba Chaddha’s odd hairdo is a distraction, she delivers a decent performance as the edgy, competitive Malini. Kubbra Sait has ample screentime, though the impact, writing don’t match the length. Gaurav Pandey doesn’t have much to do, while Sonali Kulkarni breathes fire into her portrayal of Narayani, which feels under-wrought to an extent.

Music and Other Departments?

The music score, by Tallz, serves its purpose in building tension and urgency in the proceedings in its crucial junctures. The cinematography, by Kuldeep Mamania, is generally neat (though nothing spectacular), unaffected by the limitations in the backdrops, locations. While the narrative is pacy, agile, the absence of emotional grounding denies it a great impact. The production design, costumes remain authentic to the ambience.

Highlights?

Remains engaging

Intriguing moral dilemmas

Few elements of the political battle

Drawbacks?

Superficial execution

Performances, characterisation lack impact

Doesn’t offer scope for narrative to breathe

Did I Enjoy It?

Only in parts

Will You Recommend It?

If and only if you’re a legal drama enthusiast

The Trial Season 2 Review by M9