Lust Stories 2: Lacks the lust even as Konkona shines

Netflix’s sequel anthology Lust Stories 2 had a big reputation to match as the first one was a superb four tales about lust and passion weaved together by masters Karan Johar, Anurag Kashyap, Dibakar Banerjee and Zoya Akhtar. The second version, even though boasts some big names, fails to deliver anywhere near the first. There is no passion nor lust, just bleh, minus one segment by Konkona Sen Sharma, who understood the brief sent by the producers.

If you have 30-40 minutes to spare watch the one short by Konkona and maybe rewatch Lust Stories 1. Anthologies are a nice medium to express some offbeat creativity and thanks to OTT and Covid we have been watching many. So even if we can get 2-3 good ones out of the bunch it’s worth spending time on. But here sadly 3 out of 4 disappoints big time, even with some known actors trying their best.

Watch trailer here

To give a brief overview the worst of the lot is the most anticipated short where the current real-life heartthrobs Vijay Varma and Tamannaah Bhatia are paired together. The short didn’t do any justice to the theme other than featuring a very hot Tamannaah in her sari blouse. Even a very capable actor like Vijay looked strangely odd in a storyline which is tough to explain.

The third place goes to the R Balki-directed segment, which felt too forced. It was like someone told the writer you should use the word sex or equivalent in every scene and you are done. Sadly even Neena Gupta could not save it.

Amit Sharma’s film featuring the evergreen Kajol does quips your interest here and there and the actors have put in good performances, but somewhere it fails to connect and the final twist in the tale felt a little odd. But you can kind of last through the running time without getting up for another beer.

The top one and the only one noteworthy in the anthology, Konkona’s short featuring Tillotama Shome and Amruta Subhash, explores the topic not explored before in Indian cinema – voyeurism and desire from a female angle. Amrutha dishes out a fine performance as a maid who is caught making love in her female boss’s bed and Tillotama as the boss shows why she is a top actress, turns this into a voyeuristic pleasure. This short is what Lust Stories is all about.