Sanchita
Konkona Sen Sharma’s short starring Tillotama Shome and Amruta Subhash is a cut above the rest. Sujoy Ghosh’s directorial with Tamannah Bhatia and Vijay Varma is the weakest link in the Lust Stories 2 anthology.
Read Full Lust Stories 2 Movie Review –
Rating: 2.5/5
Director: R Balki, Konkona Sen Sharma, Amit Ravindernath Sharma and Sujoy Ghosh
Cast: Tamannah Bhatia, Vijay Varma, Kajol, Kumud Mishra, Tillotama Shome, Amruta Subhash, Mrunal Thakur, Neena Gupta
Runtime: 2h 12m
Storyline:
The first short in the anthology is by R Balki starring Mrunal Thakur, Neena Gupta and Angad Bedi. The segment features Mrunal-Angad’s characters meeting in an arranged marriage set-up. Neena plays Mrunal’s sex-positive Grandma… who scandalizes the rest of the family by insisting that her granddaughter should have sex before marriage with her husband-to-be to ensure that there is sexual compatibility.
The 2nd film in the sequence has been directed by Konkona Sen Sharma and it stars Tillotama Shome and Amruta Subhash. One day, Tillotama’s character – who is a rich businesswoman, spies her maid (Amruta Subhash) in her bedroom, having sex with her husband. Turned on, Tillotama’s character indulges in her voyeuristic side and masturbates at the sight of her maid’s coupling. Amruta’s character is thrilled to know that her employer is getting off to her. However, things take an ugly turn when their mutual secret comes out in the open.
The 3rd segment in the anthology is by Sujoy Ghosh, starring Tamannah Bhatia and Vijay Varma in the lead. After getting into an accident, Vijay walks out into a strange village. While his car is getting repaired, he looks around for some timepass and is bewildered to find his long-lost ex-wife (Tamannah Bhatia) there.
There is a weird urgency in her voice when she tells him to leave the village soon or he’ll be too late. When he confronts her as to why she left him 10 years ago, she reveals a bizarre kidnapping-murder plot as the reason, implicating his current wife.
The last short in the Lust Stories 2 is headlined by Kajol and Kumud Mishra and directed by Amit Sharma. Kajol plays the submissive wife of an abusive king (Kumud). Stuck in the glory of the past, he takes his frustrations about the degrading state of the manor out on her… mocking her past as a prostitute and violently abusing her sexually.
Kajol’s character holds on in front of the abuse, convinced that her son will soon take her out of this hellhole to London. When her maid flees away after suffering from the King’s lewd advances, a new girl takes her place. Kajol’s character tries to use her to get away, but it backfires horribly.
What Do We Think:
Konkona Sen Sharma’s short is a cut above the rest in Lust Stories 2. Her segment – starring Tillotama Shome and Amruta Subhash goes from the thrill of voyeurism to the shame of being found out and it ends on a surprisingly heartfelt note.
Konkona takes something sleazy and turns it into something intimate and tender. A creepy start mellowed with some curiosity and exploration…a conflict-ridden middle segment and a satisfying conclusion! Tillotama and Amruta have acted terrifically, and the tension of their fall-out as the things done in shadows come to light, emanates beautifully.
Sujoy Ghosh’s segment starring Tamannah Bhatia-Vijay Varma is the weakest link in the anthology. The weird VFX, which was probably intended to allude to the presence of a surreal world, makes the twist blatantly obvious. Add to that the befuddling kidnap-murder plot… too many cooks spoil the broth! While Tamannah-Vijay’s chemistry is good, this plot undermines their acting and seems misplaced in a Lust Stories sequel.
R Balki’s short film starring Mrunal Thakur, Neena Gupta and Angad Bedi, comes across as perverted instead of sex-positive. While there are no complaints about the performances, the script itself appears tactless, blunt and awkward.
Lastly, Amit Sharma’s segment with Kajol and Kumud Mishra, takes a darker turn. Kajol is convincing as the abused housewife who tries to use her past as her shield, but it crumbles. Kumud Mishra as the perverted, lewd king is equally pathetic and terrifying. While the story is tragic and interesting, the whole segment again feels out of place in a Lust Stories anthology.
Overall, Lust Stories 2 is somewhat of a hit-and-miss. The 1st part was definitely better and more coherent. This time around, the stories seem to be all over the place. Konkona’s film is the most impactful of all.
Hit Or Miss:
This one’s a hit-and-miss. Catch it streaming on Netflix now –
(Also Read: “He Is My Happy Place”; Tamannaah Bhatia CONFIRMS Dating Vijay Varma!)
