Dupahiya Season 2 Review: Star Rating:
Cast: Gajraj Rao, Renuka Shahane, Sparsh Shrivastava, Bhuvan Arora, Shivani Raghuvanshi, Dinesh Lal Yadav (Nirahua), Yashpal Sharma
Creator: Sonam Nair
Director: Sonam Nair
Streaming On: Prime Video
Language: Hindi
Runtime: 8 episodes of 40 minutes each
Last year, when Dupahiya arrived with its first season, it was such a breath of fresh air! A year later, it still feels the same as it arrives with its season 2. However, when season 1 ended, my only concern was how they would take this forward and turn it into a franchise when the main conflict had been resolved. Season 1’s main arc was a bullet demanded by a potential groom, who flaunted his status as a state government employee, settled in the city. To a villager, that is an achievement, and the social commentary hit brilliant highs with its plot intact! So when the entire issue was resolved, I was curious how they would take this franchise forward, with this name. Does Dupahiya S2 fall into the usual traps and tropes? Yes. Does it manage to come out shining, stronger, and more brilliant? A dicey one to answer!
For the unversed, season 1 was about a family of four – Banwari Jha (Gajendra Rao), Malti Jha (Anjuman Saxena), and their children Roshni and Bhugol (Shivani Raghuvanshi and Sparsh Shrivastava). Then there is another family of two – Pushplata Yadav (Renuka Shahane) and her daughter Nirmal (Komal Kushwaha). Roshni’s alliance is fixed with a boy called Kuber Tripathi, who flaunts his government job, just like his father. But the alliance can reach the wedding altar, only if the bride’s family gifts a ‘Dupahiya’ to the potential groom. But all hell breaks loose when the Dupahiya goes missing, and the entire Dhadakpur gets involved in finding it, because I forgot to tell you! Dhadakpur has a reputation – it is a village with 0% crime rate, and might get an award for the same!
Dupahiya Season 2 Review: What’s It About:
Season 1 ended with Roshni challenging Kuber to secure a government job, move to the city with her merit, and enjoy life on her terms! Season 2 starts on the same note! Dhadakpur is no longer crime-free since Dupahiya was stolen in the last season, but Pushplata is trying to bring basic amenities to the village and wants to run for election. Roshni is struggling to work on the challenge, but the only problem is that she is not smart enough in her studies. Banwari Jha is suspended and is looking for options to fulfill his responsibilities as the head of the family! Meanwhile, Bhugol is an internet celebrity but only as a cross-dresser!
The village finds hope when a telecom company arrives in Dhadakpur to install towers and ensure they have access to a 5G network. It looks like a win-win since the tower will be installed on someone’s land, and that person will be paid a monthly allowance! However, the story takes the disruptive route as villagers are told about the side effects of 5G – right from affecting their sperm count to more environmental hazards like extinction of the sparrows! Village decides against the tower – Banwari’s only hope for monthly earnings!
And thus begins another chapter of struggle, confusion, planning, and plotting that blends with a cheating nexus and a scandal that follows! How does Dhadakpur manage not to become Mirzapur? Do they finally win over their societal and moral compromises, or do they finally lose their innocence? All of it becomes the plot of the 8-episode series!
Dupahiya Season 2 Review: What Works:
The soul of Dupahiya has always been its warmth and authentic rural flavor. Writers Avinash Dwivedi and Chirag Garg deliver an easy, fresh, and fun screenplay that glides smoothly without drowning the narrative in heavy-handed, unnecessary drama. The team keeps its roots firmly planted, and crucially, never turns village culture into a parody. Meanwhile, director Sonam Nair demonstrates an absolute mastery over this world, knowing her characters inside out and keeping the tone cozy and accessible for family viewing. There are absolutely no attempts to inflate the stakes artificially, and Avinash and Chirag make sure that they stay true to their roots. The village is still rooted in its village. Dupahiya treats it as home, and that respect is what gives the humor its warmth.
Dupahiya Season 2 Review: Star Performance:
Sparsh Shrivastava effortlessly solidifies his position as the find of this decade. Delivering an absolute masterclass, he anchors the emotional and comedic beats with a brilliance that is rare. His act is the strongest asset of the season and the reason the show works as well as it does. Alongside Shivani Raghuvanshi, he forms a brother-sister duo that wins the season. Their dynamic carries the emotional and comic weight of the story, and the pair deserves credit for making the sibling bond feel believable.
Gajraj Rao, as the head of the family, wins with one scene with his son. It is a reminder that a seasoned actor doesn’t need a long arc to make an impact. Meanwhile, Renuka Shahane, who had a central arc in the last season, is sidelined here. It is a disappointment, as the show doesn’t make the most of her presence this time.
Bhuvan Arora as Amavas is used well, and his character fits neatly into the ensemble. Yashpal Sharma and Nirahua should be the next Tom and Jerry of OTT. Their pairing has the push-and-pull that makes such duos work. Nirahua, in particular, is on a winning streak with his recent digital appearances. If the streaming world keeps casting him like this, he will become one of its most dependable comedic drama appearances that would work for a show.
Komal Kushwaha’s Nirmal gets a promising sub-plot, but the writing doesn’t support the actor with a story that holds together.
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Dupahiya Season 2 Review: What Doesn’t Work:
The major stumbling block comes from the forced setup used to justify its title. Reconnecting the resolved conflict of Season 1 required a very forced comeback that feels way off! The show started with a plot that looked like the main story – the issue of the tower and its placement, and honestly, that should have been cooked well, just like the Dupahiya plot in the last season! However, the show takes a steep turn with Roshni’s struggle with studies, leading to a cheating scandal involving Nirahua and his coaching classes! As if this were not enough, the story tries to reconnect with why it is still called Dupahiya, and the connection is so forced that you can feel the pressure!
The additional narrative starts struggling with pacing in certain stretches, leaving a few character arcs underexplored. The subplot involving the tower could have been significantly tighter and punchier. Furthermore, Komal Kushwaha’s character, Nirmal, picks up a promising subplot that unfortunately becomes directionless far too quickly. Another major problem with Dupahiya in its entirety is that it misses out on sharp, instantly quotable one-liners- lacking that signature conversational hook that makes shows like Panchayat pop. I mean, you say, Dekh Raha Hai Naa Binod, and you instantly know you are talking about Panchayat. You say, Are aapko nahi pata, and you know you will talk about Gullak. But you do not have that instant connection with Dupahiya!
Dupahiya Season 2 Review: Last Words:
Dupahiya Season 1 worked because it was a truly daring and sincere social commentary without any drama! Dupahiya S2 just reverses the equation, and that is where it misses the entire point! However, despite its narrative hiccups and forced title-justifying twists, Dupahiya S2 manages to retain its inherent charm and somehow brings everything together for a delightful win. It remains a rare, wholesome entertainer that can be enjoyed with the entire family, not offering hearty laughs but still tapping into nostalgic family dynamics.
And that is no small achievement for a sequel that had to find a new reason to exist. It stumbles on a forced twist, loses pace at places, leaves some arcs unexplored, and misses the memorable dialogues that would have made it stand out. But it keeps its humor, its roots, and its respect for its characters intact.
3 stars.
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