Lust Stories 2 is a 2023 Indian Hindi-language anthology film, and second installment of Lust Stories, consisting of four short film segments directed by R. Balki, Konkona Sen Sharma, Amit Ravindernath Sharma and Sujoy Ghosh. Co-produced by Ronnie Screwvala of RSVP and Ashi Dua Sara of Flying Unicorn Entertainment, the film has an ensemble cast including Kajol, Mrunal Thakur, Kumud Mishra, Amruta Subhash, Angad Bedi, Neena Gupta, Tamannaah Bhatia, Tillotama Shome, Vijay Varma and others.[2][3][4][5] It was released on Netflix on 29 June 2023.[6][7]
| Lust Stories 2 | |
|---|---|
 Official release poster | |
| Directed by | |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | |
| Cinematography |
|
| Edited by |
|
| Music by |
|
Production companies |
|
| Distributed by | Netflix |
Release date |
|
Running time | 132 minutes[1] |
| Country | India |
| Language | Hindi |
At the 2023 Filmfare OTT Awards, Lust Stories 2 received 5 nominations, including Best Web Original Film and Best Director in a Web Original Film (Sen Sharma), and won 2 awards – Best Web Original Film (Critics) and Best Supporting Actress in a Web Original Film (Subhash).
Plot
editThe film is a series of four short stories on the topic of love, sex, violence, and relationships.
Made for Each Other
editVeda and Arjun seem like the 'perfect match', as their families meet to discuss their arranged marriage. The parents are busy raving over the couple's shared interests, but Veda's grandmother intervenes, enquiring whether the two have had sex yet. The couple's parents are left embarrassed, but Veda's grandmother insists that a sexless marriage leads to an unhappy life. The next day, Veda has an open discussion with her grandmother, who insists that Veda and Arjun have premarital sex so they can learn to satisfy each other. Taking cues from this, Veda and Arjun rent a hotel room and sleep together for the first time. Veda has no complaints, but her grandmother insists that Arjun learn to make her orgasm. The couple keep up their sexual exploration, until one day, Veda excitedly breaks the news to her grandmother that she climaxed during sex with Arjun. Veda's grandmother is pleased and finally approves the union. She offers up her room to the couple to use as a honeymooon suite for their eventual wedding night.
The Mirror
editIshita, a graphic designer in her early 40s, lives alone in a lavish apartment. One afternoon, she inadvertently walks in on her maid, Seema, having sex with her husband in her (Ishita's) bed. Too shocked to confront them, Ishita hides while the couple finish and leave. She realises this is a daily occurrence, as Seema lives in a small house shared with kids, and does not have privacy in her own home. That night, Ishita masturbates to the image of Seema having sex. Realising she enjoys being a voyeur, she starts spying on the couple each day when they routinely have sex in her apartment. Seema spots Ishita through a mirror in the apartment, but carries on as if nothing happened, knowing Ishita cannot confront them. Both seem to derive pleasure from the arrangement. One afternoon, Ishita knocks over a vase and is forced to reveal herself. She fires Seema, who accuses her of invading her privacy. A few weeks later, the two women cross paths while out shopping for groceries. Ishita enquires about Seema, who has failed to land another job. Ishita too is struggling to replace her as a maid. They agree that Seema can come back to work, and Ishita hands over her apartment keys. The next day, Seema's husband visits the apartment on cue, and Ishita hides in the closet to spy on them, indicating a return to old patterns.
Sex with the Ex
editVijay is a successful CEO of a company, who is married but has a strained relationship with his wife Anu. He meets with an accident while driving his old car. Before the accident, he had a video call with his girlfriend, who distracted him and caused him to crash into a tree while trying to avoid hitting a cyclist. Unable to start his car or use his phone, he seeks help from the cyclist and they go to a nearby village. He asks a reluctant mechanic to fix his car, but there is no phone signal available. He goes to a coffee shop and hears a familiar song playing nearby. He follows the sound and finds a woman in a red saree dancing at a community hall. He tries to approach her, but she denies being the person he thinks she is and asks him to leave. A police officer arrives and addresses her by the name he called her (Shanti), which makes him happy. Inside her house, it is revealed that they were once married, but she disappeared ten years ago. He is thrilled to see her again, but she wants him to leave. They recall their past and have conversations, during which he behaves inappropriately towards her. She repeatedly asks him to go away, but he refuses. They discuss the events leading up to her disappearance, and she suspects that Anu was involved. He reveals that he married Anu and had children with her, becoming the CEO of Anu's father's company. This angers Shanti, who thinks Anu orchestrated her abduction to marry Vijay. They have sex, and while lying together, Shanti mentions the pregnancy test she took before her disappearance. Vijay's response reveals that he manipulated the situation and planned everything to marry Anu. Shanti realises this and confronts him, and he admits to it. He then suffocates and kills her with a pillow. In order to escape the arriving policeman, Vijay escapes through a window. Back at his car, he sees people pulling his body out, thinking he is dead because he didn't respond. Shanti appears next to him and tells him he should have returned when he had the chance, which is when he screams.
Tilchatta
editDevyani is a victim of marital sexual abuse by her husband, Suraj Singh, a former king in rural Rajasthan. Suraj marries Devyani after lusting for her in a prostitution house, and takes in her son too. His stepson, Ankur, wishes to study abroad, but Suraj is fearful that Devyani will follow him too as a way to escape the palace. A new maid, Rekha, starts working at the palace, and catches Suraj's eye. Unknown to Suraj, Rekha is a former prostitute who has contracted HIV. Devyani hired Rekha, hoping Suraj will get the disease as well when he inevitably assaults her. His illness would clear the path for Devyani and Ankur's future, devoid of his menacing presence. Suraj calls Rekha to his room, but is interrupted in the process of disrobing her by Ankur, who unknowingly walks into the room. Ankur spots the bottle of alcohol on the table nearby. At night, Devyani hears moaning sounds emanating from Rekha's quarters. She walks towards the room, expecting to see Suraj there, but Suraj stumbles into the house that very second, having just returned from his nighttime drinking routine. Realisation dawns on Devyani's face, as Ankur is the only other male in the house who could be having sex with Rekha. Her expression changes to horror, as she realises she has inadvertently ruined her son's life.
Cast
editMade For Each Other (R Balki)
edit- Mrunal Thakur as Veda M. Kaushal
- Neena Gupta as Kamli Kaushal, Veda's grandmother
- Angad Bedi as Arjun Bhalla, Veda's fiancé
- Kanupriya Pandit as Mohini M. Kaushal, Veda's mother
- Hemant Kher as Mohan P. Kaushal, Veda's father
The Mirror (Konkona Sen Sharma)
edit- Tillotama Shome as Ishita Sengupta
- Amruta Subhash as Seema K. Mhatre, Ishita's house help
- Konkona Sen Sharma as Sameera Sen (Voice-over), Ishita's friend
- Shrikant Yadav as Kamal Mhatre, Seema's husband
Sex With Ex (Sujoy Ghosh)
edit- Vijay Varma as Vijay Chouhan
- Tamannaah Bhatia as Shanti, Vijay's ex-wife
- Mukti Mohan as Anita "Anu", Vijay's second wife
- Jeniffer Piccinato as Nisha, Vijay's girlfriend
- Jugal Hansraj as David Chaudhary
- Tarun Khanna as Inspector Inderjit Singh
Tilchatta (Amit Sharma)
edit- Kajol as Smt. Devyani Singh / Chanda, Suraj Singh's mistress
- Kumud Mishra as Maharaj Suraj Bhanumal Singh of Lal Kotla
- Anushka Kaushik as Rekhaji
- Zeeshan Nadaf as Kuwar Ankur Singh, Suraj Singh's step son, Chanda's son
- Payal Pande as Batari, Suraj Singh's house maid
- Vibha Chibber as Mausi, brothel madam
Music
edit| Lust Stories 2 | |
|---|---|
| Soundtrack album | |
| Released | 8 June 2023 (First Single) |
| Recorded | 2018 |
| Studio | Netflix |
| Genre | Feature Film soundtrack |
| Language | Hindi |
| Label | Sangeet Music |
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Khelo Khellum" | Shellee | Aman Pant | Aman Pant, Kinjal Chatterjee, Sapna Sand | 2:22 |
| 2. | "Jab Koi Baat Bigad Jaaye" | Indeevar | Rajesh Roshan (original), Raja Narayan Deb (recreated) | Marianne D'Cruz Aiman, Shazneen Arethna, Crystal Sequeira, Dean Valerian Sequeira, Thomson Andrews, Rahul Pandey |
Release
editThe film was released on Netflix on 29 June 2023.[8]
Reception
editOn the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 60% of 10 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.5/10.[9][10]
Critic Sukanya Verma from Rediff.com reviewed Lust Stories 2 as a diverse anthology that explores lust beyond sexual aspects,gave a rating of 3 out of 5 stars. She praised Konkona Sen Sharma's segment for its intimate storytelling and social context. The segment delves into the primal nature of lust between two characters, portrayed by Tillotama Shome and Amruta Subhash. Verma further discusses Sujoy Ghosh's segment, which explores the encounters of Vijay Varma and Tamannaah Bhatia, delving into the subconscious and guilt. She mentions the fanciful visuals and eerie atmosphere of the segment, which focuses less on explicit representations of sex and more on the toxic nature of lust within an individual. She appreciated the enigmatic and imperfect nature of Amit Ravindernath Sharma's concluding segment, addressing domestic violence and casteism. Verma expressed disappointment in the anthology's lack of queer narratives but acknowledged its potential as a streaming franchise.[11] Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV rated the film 3/5 and she described it as a mixed bag of stories and themes. While bursts of passion are present, Chatterjee felt that they are not the main focus. The opening story is criticized for its sterile approach, but Neena Gupta's performance stands out. "The Mirror" is highlighted as the turning point, exploring female desire in a complex manner. "Sex with Ex" is a genre exercise with the captivating performances of leads, who bring chemistry and intrigue to their roles as a woman who vanished mysteriously and her one-time husband, while "Tilchatta" provides a fitting end with Kajol's solid performance. Overall, Chatterjee felt that the show offers a range of narratives, delivering occasional passionate storytelling.[12]
Debiparna Chakraborty from Best of Netflix gave the anthology 2/5 but praised Neena Gupta's role in the first story. She also praised Konkona Sen Sharma's short "The Mirror", writing "With sweat and spit and other bodily fluids oozing, this short drives in the point that sex can be strange and messy, especially when it steps out of the confines of straight-laced monogamous heteronormativity. It no longer remains palatable or clean."[13]
Shubhra Gupta writing for The Indian Express found Konkona Sen Sharma's segment, "The Mirror," to be the most complex and satisfying. Gupta criticized the lack of passion and avoidance of intimacy in the first episode. The third episode left the reviewer confused about its genre. Gupta praised the performances in the fourth episode but noted the smaller impact of the marquee name, Kajol. Overall, Gupta appreciated the exploration of class and desire in "The Mirror" but criticized the lack of representation of marginalized communities in the anthology.[14] The anthology exploring desi sexuality, receives positive feedback from Monika Rawal Kukreja of Hindustan Times. She highlights the engaging nature of anthologies and praises the four filmmakers for their different perspectives on female sexuality. Kukreja particularly enjoys Konkona Sen Sharma's segment and appreciates the performances of Tillotama Shome and Amruta Subhash. While she finds Sujoy Ghosh's segment to be the weakest, she credits Amit Sharma's segment for its twist in the climax. Overall, Kukreja recommends Lust Stories 2 for its brilliant performances and the message it portrays.[15]
Accolades
edit| Year | Award ceremony | Category | Nominee / work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Filmfare OTT Awards | Best Web Original Film | Lust Stories 2 | Nominated | [16] |
| Best Web Original Film (Critics) | Won | ||||
| Best Director in a Web Original Film | Konkona Sen Sharma | Nominated | |||
| Best Supporting Actress in a Web Original Film | Amruta Subhash | Won | |||
| Best Story (Web Original Film) | Pooja Tolani, Konkona Sen Sharma | Nominated | |||
| Best Original Screenplay (Web Original Film) | Nominated |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Lust Stories 2". British Board of Film Classification. Archived from the original on 29 June 2023. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
- ^ "Tamannaah Bhatia clarifies she did not break her 18-year-old no-kissing policy for Vijay Varma in Lust Stories 2 just for popularity sake". The Times of India. 14 June 2023. Archived from the original on 15 June 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
- ^ "Tamannaah Bhatia Breaks Her 18-Year-Old 'No Kiss' Policy for Vijay Varma: 'Not Trying to Be Famous'". 14 June 2023. Archived from the original on 15 June 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
- ^ "Lust Stories 2 Teaser: Love, Lust And Everything In Between. Bonus - A Stellar Cast". NDTV.com. Archived from the original on 6 June 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
- ^ "Lust Stories 2 teaser: Neena Gupta, Kajol, Tamannaah Bhatia, Vijay Verma, Mrunal Thakur to star in anthology". The Indian Express. 6 June 2023. Archived from the original on 6 June 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
- ^ "'Lust Stories 2' teaser: Kajol, Neena Gupta, Tamannaah Bhatia, Vijay Varma impress and leave fans wanting for more!". The Times of India. 6 June 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 6 June 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
- ^ "Lust Stories 2 teaser: Kajol, Vijay Varma and more star in the second edition of the hit anthogy". Filmfare. Archived from the original on 6 June 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
- ^ "'Lust Stories 2' teaser: Kajol, Tamannaah Bhatia, Vijay Varma perk up anthology". The Hindu. 6 June 2023. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 6 June 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
- ^ "Lust Stories 2". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
- ^ "Lust Stories 2". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
- ^ VERMA, SUKANYA. "Lust Stories 2 Review: Konkona Saves The Day!". Rediff. Archived from the original on 5 July 2023. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
- ^ "Lust Stories 2 Review: High-Wattage Tamannaah Sizzles, Vijay Varma Absorbs The Heat Without Melting". NDTV.com. Archived from the original on 27 July 2023. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
- ^ "'Lust Stories 2' review: More sordid than sensuous". best-of-netflix.com. 29 June 2023. Archived from the original on 5 July 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
- ^ "Lust Stories 2 review: Equal parts passionate and ponderous". The Indian Express. 29 June 2023. Archived from the original on 29 June 2023. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
- ^ "Lust Stories 2 review: With more hits than misses, Netflix delivers another winner on desi sexuality". Hindustan Times. 29 June 2023. Archived from the original on 29 June 2023. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
- ^ "Nominations for the Filmfare OTT Awards 2023: Full List Out | Femina.in". www.femina.in. Archived from the original on 20 January 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
