Cast: Kay Kay Menon, Prakash Raj, Tahir Raj Bhasin, Muzammil Ibrahim, Vikas Mankatla, Karan Tacker, and others
Creator: Neeraj Pandey
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Streaming On: JioHotstar
Language: Hindi
Runtime: 7 episodes of 50 minutes each
What is the biggest challenge while creating a sequel to a celebrated series? Not living up to the standard of its predecessor! In Neeraj Pandey’s case, the pressure was at an all-time high after winning big time with Special Ops and Special Ops 1.5. The man arrives with a vision in Special Ops 2, and you can clearly see him expanding his version of Spy Universe, led by one hero, Himmat Singh, played by Kay Kay Menon, along with his army.
This time, Himmat Singh fights AI, an enemy that is not visible! Although the web series has a clear enemy in Tahir Raj Bhasin, and he makes sure to pack a punch without any bloodshed, without any choreographed stunt scenes, without any violent chases – just making sure that the world is destroyed with a click probably!
Special Ops 2 deals with the threat of Artificial Intelligence as Himmat Singh and his team gear up for a deadly Cyber War. But is the web series free from flaws? Well, that is debatable. The one man to save the day trope is a staple of Yash Raj Films’ spy franchise, but Neeraj Pandey, who delivered a successful spy film in Baby a decade ago, is well-equipped to exploit this Universe blueprint, but does he pull the right cards? Well, mostly yes. Scroll down to read more as we dissect the seven episodes of this crime thriller.
Without wasting a single frame, Special Ops 2 dives straight into the issue of cyber threat as an AI scientist gets kidnapped after a conference. Himmat Singh is handed over the responsibility of finding Dr Bhargava. Muzammil Ibrahim and Karan Tacker join him on this mission that has no physical clues or leads. Everything is handled from a laptop screen, and how do you fight that? This plan of action becomes the core of the web series that tries to outshine the power of technology in this seven-episode-long war!
Kay Kay Menon delivers another masterclass in understated intensity, a performance so layered it deserves its own intelligence briefing. He plays the morally grey intelligence officer with such conviction that he elevates every single scene he’s in, ruling the frames like no one. We see Himmat’s quiet desperation, his calculating genius, and his grit to resolve. The character becomes more intense and believable when Himmat Singh’s personal struggles with his daughter come to the fore.
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The supporting cast of the show has done a commendable job in bringing this web series together. But special mention goes to Prakash Raj’s sub plot, also because, it is the weakest part of the show. A man challenging Himmat Singh to solve his ‘bank-issues’ is not something I would expect a Spy Universe to turn into!
Left Right Left guy, Vikas Mankatla, joins the team, but his screen time is limited. So is Saiyami Kher, who does not get a chance to shine! More so because whatever glory is left after Kay Kay Menon, all of it goes to Tahir Raj Bhasin, who comes with an ’80s type villainish aura, and everything around him is strikingly impressive! Or, probably, we have officially entered the age where we love villains more than the heroes!
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The only shortcoming of Special Ops 2 is the ensemble that is brilliant but not used! In a series that relies heavily on teamwork, only Himmat Singh is visible! Even Salman Khan, who is Tiger, had Angad Bedi and Paresh Pahuja doing a substantially impressive job. But the characters of Special Ops 2, do not find their individual moments to shine! They are only plot devices rather than integral parts of Himmat’s world. Another flaw with the web series is that there is not a single dialogue that hits hard or stays with us! A series with Bharat at the center, but not having a single impressive dialogue, is a bit of a turn-off! More so, I expect it from Neeraj Pandey because he gave us – Religion wale column mein hum Indian likhte hain – Bold aur Capital mein!
Unlike the often glamorous, gravity-defying, and over-the-top nature of the popular Spy Universe (yes, you decoded the taunt and the sarcasm right), Special Ops 2 maintains a refreshingly grounded and realistic tone. Also, in this age of web shows, not being able to breathe without one intimate scene, Neeraj Pandey’s show, directed by Shivam Nair, does not add any useless Besharam Rang to the plot (yes, again sarcasm)! There are no cars flying off cliffs or agents surviving impossible explosions without a scratch. The focus remains on artificial intelligence taking over the world in a not-so-good way.
Despite the shortcomings, Special Ops 2 is a well-structured web series that does not disappoint and succumbs to the pressure of a sequel. Neeraj Pandey does what he knows best – carving out a great thriller yet again! Hopefully, the threequel would be killer!
3.5 stars!
For more such reviews, stay tuned to Koimoi.
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