Web Series-Baarish-Season 2| It is Raining again!

Image Courtesy an OTT Platform ZEE5.com

I have no patience to watch daily soaps anymore. Waiting for the next episode gets on my nerves. I prefer the web series these days as one can binge-watch them. We keep updating the series we have watched in our friends’ Whatsapp group. A friend mentioned Baarish, streaming on ZEE5. Well, it was season 2! I had to binge-watch season one to get to Web Series-Baarish-Season 2| It is Raining again!

Jeetendra-Digital Debut

One main reason for liking season 2 more than season 1, is the presence of yesteryear’s jumping jack Jeetendra. He has made his digital debut with this series. He plays the role of a matchmaker, who tries to get Gauravi (Asha Negi) and Anuj (Sharman Joshi) together.

Image Courtesy an OTT Platform ZEE5.com

Story of Baarish

Romcoms are the top in my digital list. Baarish with its complex love story of Anuj and Gauravi is one of its ilks. With a radiant heroine and an endearing leading man, it has the Balaji and Ekta Kapoor stamp. Produced by former actress-turned-producer, Bhairavi Raichura and Nandita Mehra, the 20-episode series has also been directed by Nandita Mehra.

The story of Web Series-Baarish-Season 2| It is Raining again! takes drastic turns and twists and keeps you glued to the screen. You never realise when you are enamoured with Anuj Mehta and Gauravi Karmarkar’s love story. The first episode starts with Gauravi (Asha Negi) being led to jail for an unrevealed crime. Then the narrative goes into flashback mode with Gauravi narrating her story to her lawyer; relating the events that led to her confinement.

The complicated love story of Anuj and Gauravi

Being a pluviophile, a lover of rain and petrichor, Baarish or rain is the epitome of romance for me. The romantic and mercurial Mumbai rains are a perfect backdrop for the lovers in the tale. At its core, Baarish is a heart-warming saga of the genuine, open love that blooms between the bourgeois Marathi lass, Gauravi, and moneybags, Anuj Mehta (Sharman Joshi), the owner of Mehta Diamonds. Nevertheless, the dissimilar backgrounds of our protagonists lead to twists and turn with Anuj’s younger brother, Rishi (Sahil Shroff) playing a killjoy.

Anuj is a humble, naïf man, who puts family above everything else. He treasures his mom (Leena Prabhu), and siblings, Rishi and Shreya (Pooja Banerjee). Having sacrificed his studies to run the Mehta Diamond empire, after his father’s death. He is peevish about his lack of education and inability to converse in English. The epitome of sacrifice, he remains a bachelor till the age of 37.Contrarily, Gauravi, is educated, dignified, independent girl, who has a precondition for marriage. She wants to support her parents, financially, even after marriage. This is a major reason why her prospective grooms turn her down. Gauravi and Anuj make a huge compromise and enter into matrimony for easing Shreya’s marriage to Gauravi’s younger brother, Aniket (Vikram Chauhan).

Jealousy, suspicion and lack of understanding. Baarish S2 highlights the bitter side of Anuj and Gauravi’s relationship

The societal, financial and emotional differences between Gauravi and Anuj climax into this classic love story with its share of hitches. The antagonist portrayed by Sahil Shroff of a nasty, snobbish and depraved rich guy is their bête-noire. Pooja Banerjee plays his sister and his comrade-in-arms, bent on destroying Anuj and Gauravi’s marriage. Jealousy, suspicion and lack of understanding lead to major strife in the relationship. Anuj pledges to work hard and rake in the moolah and this leads to emotional distancing. Anuj turns into a suspicious and mistrusting husband when there enters another man in Gauravi’s life. This leads ultimately to misunderstandings, leading to divorce.

Melodious Music

Where there is romance there has to be beautiful music in the show. The first episode is named, “Waqt ne kiya kya haseen sitam”, which is so quaint. The enthralling beauty of the sets, extravagant home of Anuj, is a perfect backdrop for this soppy tale dotted with the typical Ekta Kapoor drama. The series is sprinkled with serenades and soulful songs that add to the love saga. I particularly like the title track and Preet.

The protagonists play the goody-goody roles to the hilt. The butter would not melt in their mouths type, which is a bit too much to take in. The clichéd bourgeoisie woman being the gold-digger or a guileless cake feeding image leading to suspicions of an extra-marital affair are sore points. Typical Indian nari not speaking up for herself or taking a stand and archetypal roles of everything being in black and white with no shades of grey is its Bete Noire.

However, Baarish is a languid show, perfect for these lazy days of lockdown and doesn’t frazzle your nerves instead leads them into a stupor. If you are a soppy romantic who believes in antiquated love stories like I am, you will enjoy Web Series-Baarish-Season 2| It is Raining again!

If you are looking for more viewing tips, check out my blog on What to watch and Where to Watch

Classic Kids Movies on ZEE5