Taj 2 Review: Sequel has more drama to offer which reflects the changing dynamics of family relations of Mughals
Taj 2 series Rating: 3 Stars
Just watched Taj: Reign of Revenge Part 1 on Zee5. Let’s analyze the cast, release date, story, positive/negatives and at last my personal view on this web series.
Cast: Dharmendra, Naseeruddin Shah, Rahul Bose, Aditi Rao Hydari, Zarina Wahab, Sandhya Mridul, Aashim Gulati
Director: Vibhu Puri
Release Date: 12th May 2023 on Zee5
Duration: 4 Episodes/ 40 Minutes
Story: First season was Set in the 16th century, the story follows Akbar and the war of succession amongst his 3 sons: Salim, Murad, and Daniyal. It is a twisted tale of the struggle for power filled with dangerous politics, poetic beauty, torrid romances, cold treachery, and bloodshed. The show unravels multiple layers of each character in the Mughal dynasty. The series dramatizes the rise and fall of the various generations of the Mughal Empire, showcasing both the beauty as well as the brutality of the dynasty.
In season 2, the intense battle for the throne continues unabated with more treacherous moves and murders within the Mughal empire. It starts with a leap of 15 years after the events of the first season. Sheikh Salim Chisti (Dharmendra) predicted dark times and doom for Emperor Akbar (Naseeruddin Shah) and suggested him to bring Salim (Aashim Gulati) back in the kingdom.
On the other hand, Salim is on the quest to avenge his beloved Anarkali’s (Aditi Rao Hydari) death after being banished for 15 years. Dynamics have changed between the Mughal brothers. Daniyal (Subham Kumar Mehra) hates Salim and seeks vengeance, Salim, who has turned vicious and vile, shames him at every opportunity and the question it poses is whether his fierce determination will result in creation of a new kingdom or the destruction of the Mughal monarchy.
Mehrunissa (Sauraseni Mitra) and Salim share their hatred toward the king and hence, the alliance was obvious. What follows further is Salim raising havoc on his father and doing everything he can against the Mughals. He didn’t even spare his brother Daniyal who has been hiding like a rat in some hole. What happen next is all about this series.
NOTE: Only 4 episodes are available in the Season 2. Rest episodes will premiere from 26th May 2023.
Positives
1. Excellent Performances
2. Story
3. Direction
4. Cinematography
5. Background Music
Negatives
1. Lenth
2. Screenplay
3. Unanswered queries
4. Unnecessary sub-plots
Durgesh Tiwary’s View: When I watched the trailer planned to watch this series on premiere day because loved the 1st season and new season trailer also looked intense and engaging.
The season charters Salim’s journey from being the exiled enemy of the Mughal empire to seeking blood and revenge in an attempt to become the next Emperor. On this dark, dangerous, and destructive path, he is surrounded by enemies from all sides with few allies like his new love interest Meherunnisa.
This season is all about Salim taking revenge on his father, challenging his authority, and setting up his empire. Though he was his father’s last hope, he is going to prove to be his father’s most fatal mistake. Akbar’s reign is in question with constant threats from Salim. The sets, costumes, dialogues, and plot is impressive in this season. One can see how even blood relatives can turn against each other due to their hunger for power. There is a lot of bloodshed and plotting in the series and you never know who Salim is going to target next. But Taj derives its emotional heft from the clumsy, uneasy, complex and vitriolic relationship between the father-son duo, played to perfection and complete conviction by Naseeruddin Shah and Aashim Gulati. While the former’s veteran’s impeccable diction has always been an hallmark of any enterprise, the latter emanates a palpable sense of loom, loss and resilience.
While season 1 was an exhilarating journey, season 2 is more intricate and intriguing but less on thrills. Crafted with immense diligence by show creator Abhimanyu Singh and directed by Vibhu Puri, it perks the things up with dramatic intensity and hits you slowly and steadily like a wine. The sequel has more drama to offer, which reflects the changing dynamics of family relations. Though it does have a few action scenes here and there, it barely grabs any attention. The sequel has been split into two parts. It ends on a cliffhanger, with Daniyaal plotting another attack that may break Salim emotionally yet again. Although the second installment starts at a slow pace, it picks up on the story pretty fast. The season seemed at par with its prequel, making it worth a watch.
Overall, the legend of Emperor Akbar and the Mughal Empire is soaked in blood and on screen it has always made for a riveting tale of complex human relations and ambition. In its second season, ‘Taj: Divided by Blood’ continues to deliver on every count that was expected from it after a thrilling and engaging first season. My view on this series Recommended if you have watched the 1st season and liked it.
For more updates on Bollywood and Cricket visit my page on Facebook Durgesh Tiwary’s View and website Cricket Movie Website