The 2025 Dupahiya (a two-wheeler) was one of the most refreshing village-based comedies that centered around a craze for a bike. This season, though it addresses issues like the physiological effects of mobile towers and exam scams, falls a bit short vis-à-vis that delightful saga. The series is based around Dhadakpur, which used to be a crime-free village before the bike entered the scene. And speaking of the bike, it barely plays a key role here.
As the new season opens, Roshni (Shivani Raghuvanshi) struggles with her SSC (school matriculation) prep, her brother Bhugol (Sparsh Shrivastava) seeks God’s help to become a film hero and their father Banwari (Gajraj Rao)’s hopes of earning big money with a mobile tower installed on his property are dashed. This is because the village opposes this as mobile towers are known to create impotency in men in the vicinity!
By (not hook but) crook, Banwari gets approval for the tower and thus gets the moneys promised, but the village vehemently protests. Amavas (Bhuvan Arora) secretly loves Roshni. Village head Pushpalata (Renuka Shahane Rana)’s daughter has meanwhile fallen for the urban dude who has brought the mobile tower proposal. Amavas decides to ensure that Roshni passes her exam by (not hook but) crook. Mithilesh (Yashpal Sharma), a dedicated cop, is determined to expose the caucus behind the examination racket, led by Pratham Kumar (Dinesh Lal Yadav ‘Nirahua’).
How all these tracks converge and harmony is restored (almost) for good, with the titular two-wheeler playing a not-so-big role, form the rest of the plot.
Advertisement
As in the first season, the aces of the show are the actors and the small, charming incidents and the lines spoken by the main characters. I loved the sequence where Mithilesh points out to Roshni and her friends what happens to genuine students when their seats go to undeserving counterparts. These are students who pay to get their question papers beforehand or employ writers to sit for the exams and write for them.
Sparsh Shrivastava (Laapataa Ladies, Dupahiya, Vibe) is getting better and better and his item song is a revelation in particular. Outstanding performances come in also from Samarth Mahor as Teepu and Yashpal Sharma as the dogged and compassionate cop, Mithlesh.
Gajraj Rao is his usual effortless self as the confused yet cunning Banwari who will do anything for his family’s well-being. His journey from dislike to grudging admiration for his son is excellently done. Anjuman Saxena is brilliant as his wife, and Shivani Raghuvanshi correctly apprehensive as Roshni.
Bhuvan Arora as Amavas is rakish and skilled, while a scene-stealing performance comes from Dinesh Lal Yadav ‘Nirahua’ as Pratham Kumar. Renuka Shahane Rana is perfect as Pushplata, while Avinash Dwivedi as Kuber Tripathi scores, and Komal Kushwaha as Pushplata’s daughter Nirmal is correctly awkward as needed.
Rating: *** ½ (Almost)
Amazon Prime Video presents Bombay Film Cartel’s Dupahiya 2 Produced by: Salona Bains Joshi & Shubh Shivdasani Directed by: Sonam Nair Created & Written by: Avinash Dwivedi, Chirag Garg, Salona Bains Joshi & Shubh Shivdasani Starring: Sparsh Shrivastava, Shivani Raghuvanshi, Gajraj Rao, Anjuman Saxena, Yashpal Sharma, Renuka Shahane Rana, Bhuvan Arora, Dinesh Lal Yadav ‘Nirahua’ Avinash Dwivedi, Komal Kushwaha, Samarth Mahor, Pranjal Pateriya, Yogendra Tikku, Brijendra Kala, Manoj Tiger & others
