Netflix’s announcement of a second season of its top action drama series Rana Naidu has thrown up many questions for us fans. The most important one is how Rana Naidu — the lead character who makes questionable moral choices to fix other people’s problems — gets out of the pickle he has landed himself in. Here’s what we love about the show and what to expect in Season 2 of the Indian adaptation of Liev Schreiber-starrer Ray Donovan.
Rana Daggubati – Man of action Rana Naidu
A fixer-protector of people in showbiz and those who matter in the power corridors, Rana Naidu bludgeons his way through anything that comes in the way. In the middle of all the killing, maiming, blackmailing and swapping of bags of cash, it becomes clear that Rana has a chip on his shoulder – his father who’s just finished jail time. So, Rana can fix almost everyone’s problems except his own, which lends him a touch of vulnerability.
Rana Daggubati makes Rana Naidu his own. Tall, lean and strapping with an air of urgency about him, Daggubati does not really let you relax because Rana Naidu, the guy you are rooting for despite all his dubious moral choices, never relaxes. Equipped with a killer survival instinct, he is always intense and on guard around those whose lives he is entrusted with, which includes his wife Naina (Surveen Chawla), their two children, and his two brothers Tej and Jaffa.
Naidu Vs Naidu — The father-son enmity
The Telugu Naidu family of three brothers based in Mumbai is stunned when their estranged foul-mouthed father Naga (Venkatesh Daggubati) surfaces after a 15-year prison term, and the screen face-off between the real-life nephew-uncle duo of Rana Daggubati and Venkatesh Daggubati becomes the centrepiece of this action drama.
While Rana Naidu looks at his father as pure evil and sees his return as a threat to his family, Naga goes about his usual irresponsible ways of warming to his sons and Rana’s family. However, in his attempt to be nothing like Naga, Rana tends to become the worst version of himself, framing his father for a crime he didn’t commit.
Brothers Naidu – One for all and all for one
The bro bonding is one of the best things about the show. The three brothers — Tej, Rana and Jaffa — have distinctly different personalities but are as thick as thieves, and it helps that two powerful actors — Sushant Singh and Abhishek Banerjee — have been cast as the elder and younger brothers, respectively.
All three brothers have suffered in their childhood because of their father’s criminal activities, philandering and cruelty. Tej is a stunt director who is a gentle soul under his tough exterior. A caring brother and forgiving son, Tej steers clear of shady dealings.
Jaffa is haunted by his traumatic past of being preyed on by a godman, which has led to his alcoholism and low self-esteem. All three brothers have ‘Nitya’ tattooed on their chests in memory of their sister who had died by suicide.
What the future holds for the brothers in Season 2
In a bout of drunken rage, Jaffa shoots the godman, who admits to also have molested Rana when he was a child and begs for his life. Rana kills him and finally vents his repressed anger. Jaffa also gets some sort of closure, while Tej has to choose his family over his love for Anna (Ishita Arun).
The incident brings the three brothers even closer. This also reduces Naga’s importance in Tej and Jaffa’s lives as they finally understand the extent of destruction he had caused. However, both Tej and Jaffa are still struggling with their inner conflicts and the upcoming season will need to show how they are handling it.
Where the father-son enmity goes from here
Though a selfish and remorseless Naga is out to take revenge on those who had sent him to jail (which includes his son Rana), he saves Rana at least twice from the clutches of sure death. Yet, Rana cannot forgive or forget his father. At the end of the season, he successfully lures his father to go away to Kathmandu, but the resulting carnage of their animosity will most likely pit Naidu Sr and Jr for another round of sparring.
Rana’s marriage could be on the rocks in Season 2
Actress-turned-homemaker Naina has long accepted the challenges of Rana’s job and been his biggest support system, but with the arrival of Naga, their marriage begins to fray as Rana shows his darker side. Things are further complicated when Rana’s new assignment brings him closer to a small-time actress (Priya Banerjee) who repeatedly tries to seduce him and he gives in after a point.
At the end of the first season, Naina comforts Rana after he sends her a heartfelt voice note but it’s not clear if she has really forgiven him or she is there for the sake of their kids, who go through major crises of their own.
Where does Rana go from here?
Rana’s contact in the CBI, Sujoy (Rajesh Kumar), whom he had blackmailed, has evidence of Rana’s involvement in the death of CBI agent Eijaz Sheikh (Mukul Chodda). Sujoy can emerge as a major threat to Rana, apart from CBI’s own investigation into the case. The death of filmstar Prince Reddy (killed by Naga and another criminal mastermind) will surely point fingers at Rana and his employer OB, who were Prince’s close friends, especially with OB’s declining health and public display of mental breakdown have him cornered in political power play.
For once, Rana Naidu will have to start cleaning up his own house while fixing everyone else’s problems as they come rolling.
