Soul-searching show by the sassy quartet
The fiery girls are back in a fresh season of Four More Shots Please! With an insight into their relationships that have gone sour and plans that have derailed, they are bolder and brighter than ever as they try to strike a balance and figure things out.
Story
The story picks up where it left off with the girls, Siddhi (Maanvi Gagroo), Damini (Sayani Gupta), Anjana (Kirti Kulhari) and Umang (Bani J) regrouping in Istanbul after a distress call from Siddhi. They reconcile and let loose as Mumbai’s Truck Bar welcomes them with open arms.
However, their fears, fantasies and fallacies start resurfacing. Damini starts writing an investigative book on Judge Damodar who gets killed under suspicious circumstances.
Anjana and Arjun (Ankur Rathee), both get along for a brief time while her ex-husband Varun (Neil Bhoopalam) gets closer to her. Umang, who is unable to forget Samara (Lisa Ray) after their break up, decides to go back to her.
Meanwhile, Shasank (Sameer Kochhar) enters Anjana’s life and Siddhi finds solace in Amit (Prabal Panjabi).
Dr Aamir Warsi (Milind Soman) and Jeh (Prateik Babbar) also pop up again in Damini’s life which turns out to be quite tough for her to handle. As a result she gets pushed to a corner with nowhere to go.
Once again, the four are vulnerable due to their personal and professional lives or mingling of the two.
Performances
Inarguably it’s the four leading ladies who get full marks for the portrayal of their characters to perfection. Gagroo, Gupta, Kulhari and Bani J came out with all guns blazing for FMSP!’s second coming.
They’re as flawed as they come which makes them perfect individually and for each other. Moreover, they are unapologetic and hold themselves together as they explore broader ideas of gender fluidity, open marriages and the like.
The supporting cast, which is a majority of males, is enjoyable to watch too and compliment the story perfectly. Every character has a part to play and does so brilliantly.
Positives
First and foremost, it’s a sheer delight to watch the extraordinary performances of four lead actors who gave the necessary fillip to the series.
Four More Shots Please! season 2, like its predecessor, feels mostly real and deals with some very relevant issues and situations most of which our society does not even realise exist. Same sex marriage is just the tip of the iceberg.
Devika Bhagat’s writing and Ishita Moitra’s dialogues keep the spirit of the series alive. There is a lot of emphasis on character development but the lovable quirks are maintained.
Director Nupur Asthana succeeds in getting the best out of all the actors. The focus on subtle differentiation of choices in relationships and how they drive human lives are projected in a brilliant manner.
Negatives
Four More Shots Please! season 2 sure has its flaws but there are not many.
Speaking of the narrative, it does get a little slow as it goes on (but picks up eventually) and involves some repetitive aspects to it.
It goes on without saying that there are obvious comparisons to Sex and the City which Four More Shots Please! does share a resemblance with but does not quite live up to it.
The series sometimes feels artificial in terms of the standard of lives these ladies have. Every female in this country will not relate to the lavishness of it.
Worth it?
Four More Shots Please! season 2 is a definite treat to watch. Overall, it tells you that it is alright to be flawed and make mistakes but the key to positivity lies within yourself. It also envisages the need for some soul searching exercise before plunging into any relationship to avoid mishaps.
