'Save The Tigers Again', the second season of 'Save The Tigers' (2023), is currently streaming on Disney Plus Hotstar. Starring Priyadarshi Pulikonda, Chaitanya Krishna, Abhinav Gomatam, Jordar Sujata, Deviyani Sharma, and Pallavi Gangireddy in key roles, the family comedy is a 7-episode series with an approximate running time of nearly 190 minutes. Let's find out what the show has in store.
Plot:
The first season showed events in the lives of Ganta Ravi (played by Priyadarshi Pulikonda as a dairy farm owner), Vikram (played by Chaitanya Krishna as an ad writer), and Rahul (played by Abhinav Gomatam as an aspiring novelist), whose wives were unhappy with them for different reasons. The season ended with the trio getting caught by a Circle Inspector (Srikanth Iyengar) as prime suspects in the abduction and alleged killing of actress Hamsalekha (Seerat Kapoor).
The current season begins with the trio being subjected to custodial punishment by the cop. However, in a comical twist, it is revealed that the three men actually got into the good books of Hamsalekha the past night. After they are let out by the cops, a series of incidents involving them and their wives (Priyadarshi's wife is played by Sujata, Abhinav's wife is played by Pavani Gangireddy and Krishna Chaitanya's wife is played by Deviyani) leads to a range of quirky incidents, including a figurative throwback to the primitive age. Sparks fly, fences are mended, and new beginnings are made.
Performances:
Priyadarshi shows ease with his Telangana slang. He is swift when it comes to switching between comical and serious. Abhinav Gomatam, who has lately turned a lead actor in feature films, is confident. Chaitanya Krishna's acting is natural and understated; notice the spark in his eyes when he gets to meet a new female colleague.
The female actors get to bond organically and it helps that they don't go overboard with their approach to their respective roles. The counsellor played by Satya Krishna and Venu Yeldandi as a TV presenter named Vijaykanth are good. Gangavva, Darshana Banik, and Aarthi Ganeshkar fit the bill. Rohini, as the funny maid, is enjoyable.
Analysis:
Creators Mahi V Raghav and Pradeep Advaitham ensure that the themes and beats of the story are not diluted anywhere even though the scenes are aimed at delivering laughs. Even a reference to the non-existent equivalent of periods in males is not off-putting because of the writing and the able performances. Since Mahi is a feature filmmaker with experience in dealing with a variety of genres (from 'Anando Brahma' to the recent 'Yatra 2'), he doesn't let the sitcom under review lose its focus.
Director Arun Kothapally tries to imbibe freshness to the proceedings by resorting to different genres of humour whenever the season suffers from pacing issues. Writers Pradeep Advaitham, Vijay Namoju, and S Anand Karthik lend formidable creative help by infusing contemporary ideas such as revelry at a pub, etc.
On the technical front, the season is adequately decked up for the genre. Cinematographer SV Vishweshwar and composer Ajay Arasada bring their A-game to the table. Editor Shravan Katikaneni doesn't force anything towards the fag end of the episodes; this way, the web series tries to go beyond the rules of the format. Art Director Kiran Mamidi's work is conventional.
Vox Verdict:
'Save The Tigers Again' is a worthy follow-up to its 2023 predecessor. Despite its loudness, the show is held up by its compelling performances and decent writing.
Rating: 3/5
Streaming Platform: Disney Plus Hotstar
