BOTTOM LINE
Not Even for ‘Lust’ Fans
OUR RATING
1/5
PLATFORM
Netflix
What Is the Film About?
Lust Stories 2 is the second season of the anthology movie. Four different stories are part of the film, with a focus on sex and lust as part of the narrative.
Performances
Neena Gupta is, without any doubt, the show stealer in the first short. The way she goes about the proceedings is right down her alley, especially with the newfound image she developed after her comeback. Many dialogue work because of her delivery style.
Mrunal Thakur overdoes the blushing part but settles down well eventually. Angad Bedi is alright but has nothing much to do. Hemant Kher and Kanupriya Pandit, as parents, are good, and their reactions are perfect. The rest of the cast is alright in their brief roles.
Tillotama Shome and Amruta Subhash are the show-stealers. They are terrific and elevate the drama with their acts. The confrontation scene and the ending bit between the two are superbly done. Shrikant Yadav holds his own in the women-dominated narrative. The rest have nothing much to do.
Despite the efforts of Tamannaah and Vinay Varma to create chemistry, it fails to materialize on screen. For Tamannaah, this performance serves zero purpose as she barely makes a difference, apart from a couple of scenes featuring skin show. Vijay Varma’s talent is wasted, given that the subject itself lacks substance.
Kajol is fine portraying a woman in suppression. The pain can be felt, but there is nothing more to the character than it until the end. Here the one brief moment showcases the range of the actress. Alas, that’s the only part. Kumud Misra is good and plays his part well. Anushka Kaushik is perfect for the part, whereas Zeeshan Nadaf is okay.
Analysis
R Balki, Konkana Sen Sharma, Sujoy Ghosh and Amit Ravindernath Sharma direct the four shorts in the anthology flick.
Made For Each Other is the first short in Lust Stories 2. Right from the start, it has the typical R Balki style. The relatable situation and the writing turning the predictable moments’ upside down make it a decent watch. However, nothing is new here; we have seen similar breaking of taboo talk content in the past. The actors make it work here.
The Mirror by Konkana Sen Sharma is the second short and best of the lot. The mirror here forms a reflection of various subtexts between two individuals and eventually shows how despite the different backgrounds, they are the same.
The take-off comes across as a bit illogical and hard to believe. The initial reaction is not what normally one expects. However, the way things proceed post it is true to the theme. The eventual confrontation leading to the verbal dual between the two women is excellently enacted. Similarly, the ending awkwardness after all that follows it is beautifully shown. The subtexts make the short easily stand out.
Sex With Ex by Sujoy Ghosh is the weakest of the shorts in Lust Stories 2. It has the required meat related to the title and its expectations but nothing else.
Everything seems off from the beginning. The colours and the situations are jarring. And when the ex shows up, the first dialogue kind of gives away the twist. Once that is known, there is hardly anything in the short except the sensual, sultry scenes between the real and reel-life pair of Tamannaah and Vinay Varma.
Tilchatta by Amit Ravindernath Sharma has an exciting setup, and that’s the best thing about it. The short feels repetitive for the most part, with minimum progress in the story. Only the ending works due to its double twist, and it (one of the two) could be guessed (at least by a few) if one is cued.
Overall, Lust Stories 2 is a dud. Nothing works except for very few parts here and there. Considering and cast and directors involved, it is a massive failure. There is very little on the expectations related to the title too. Give it a try if you have zero expectations.
Music and Other Departments?
Aman Pant’s music is neatly incorporated into the narrative in Made For Each Other, and the background score is easy on the ears. The cinematography and production design are neat for the setting. The editing, too, is smooth, reflecting a calmness in proceedings.
In The Mirror, Sagar Desai’s music goes well with the proceedings. Mostly it is restrained and aids the proceedings. The editing is fine, and the cinematography is decent for the small scale.
The music is a recreation of an old song, and it’s good on its own but doesn’t fit the narrative in Sex With Ex. The cinematography is so over the top in giving a colourful visual that it looks fake. The editing is alright.
Highlights?
Casting
Drawbacks?
Poor Stories
Nothing Exciting
Very Boring Narrative
Did I Enjoy It?
No
Will You Recommend It?
No
Lust Stories 2 Movie Review by M9News
