Masaba Masaba (Season 2) review: Mother-daughter duo face their challenges with courage and spunk

It’s immensely rewarding to see a show take its learnings from the previous season, work on them, and present a more wholesome follow-up to the audience. Based on the partly fictionalized lives of Neena Gupta and Masaba Gupta, the second season of the Netflix web-series Masaba Masaba does just that, resulting in an overall enjoyable show, with moments of amusement and humour.

The challenges in the lives of the mother-daughter duo continue in this season, as they jostle between doing things that would propel their careers forward and doing the work that they are truly passionate about. Masaba combats her anxiety around an upstart influencer overshadowing her work and decides to go all guns blazing to show people who’s boss. However, in her enthusiasm to reach her goal, she seems to be leaving the really important things behind.

Meanwhile, her mother encounters ageism in the film industry where men think they are ever youthful, and the options for older women are few and far between. Determined to carve her own way, she finds that she has to compromise at every turn, pandering to producers and being stabbed in the back by inexperienced, rapacious directors and supposed friends.

Amongst the men, Neil Bhoopalam’s strong, quiet, sensitive character is a dream. Respectful and self-contained, he packs the perfect picnic baskets, successfully runs a business and even realizes the value of simply being there for someone. He’s almost too good to be true!  

While the tone of the series Is mischievous, irreverent and fun, it delves into the serious stuff, reminding us once again that the lives of celebrities aren’t as fabulous as it seems on social media. The exploration of real problems keeps the show grounded. From anxieties around motherhood to staying relevant in a world that increasingly seems to belong to millennials, Masaba Masaba offers a more layered show this time around, delving into issues like mental health, and concerns over body image.

Although there are places where the show slackens in pace, especially post the mid-point mark, it manages to tie up most of its threads together suitably. However, one did feel like seeing more facets of Neena Gupta’s story. 

Once again what stands out is the chemistry between the mother and daughter. The two are formidable women in their own space who decide to firmly take charge of their lives and navigate the world of men with poise and passion. We desperately need to see more stories like this one.

Masaba Masaba (Season 2) is now streaming on Netflix.