The return of Prime Video series Bandish Bandits with a second season after four years feels like reconnecting with an old melody — it’s familiar yet filled with unexpected notes. Directed by Anand Tiwari and co-written by Atmika Didwania and Karan Singh Tyagi, the second season picks up from where it left off, reviving the central theme of the conflict between tradition and modernity in Indian classical music.
This season delves deeper into the lives of Radhe Mohan (Ritwik Bhowmik) and Tamanna Sharma (Shreya Chaudhry). Radhe, the torchbearer of his family’s classical music legacy, is now tasked with keeping the Rathod gharana alive after the death of his revered and domineering grandfather, Sangeet Samrat Rathod (Naseeruddin Shah).
Under pressure to modernise his music to survive, Radhe joins a band experimenting with rock-raga fusion. This decision pits him against Vishal (Samad Khan), a fiery bandmate who views classical music as outdated.
Tamanna, who broke up with Radhe, is now a pop star but is at a crossroads, yearning for a deeper connection with her art. She moves to Kasauli to study at a prestigious music academy and is overwhelmed by the rigour that her mentor Nandini (Divya Dutta) puts her through. As luck would have it, Tamanna and Radhe’s paths cross again when his band goes to compete in a contest where Tamanna and her classmates are their competitors.
Beyond its focus on Radhe and Tamanna, the series also gives screen time to the Rathod family. Free from the shadow of the patriarch, Radhe’s parents (Sheeba Chaddha and Rajesh Tailang) and his uncle (Saurabh Nayyar, taking over the role after the late Amit Mistry) seek to carve their own identities within the gharana. Digvijay (Atul Kulkarni), who once challenged Radhe as the gharana’s torch-bearer, reconciles with his estranged family members.
Visually, Bandish Bandits retains its lushness, with Rajasthan’s palaces and deserts providing a grand stage for the drama. Season 2 leans more heavily on competition-based sequences reminiscent of reality singing shows, where rivals square off in melodramatic performances. The subplot around Tamanna’s tempestuous rebound relationship with her bandmate Ayaan (Rohan Gurbaxni) doesn’t add any novelty.
Ritwik Bhowmik shines once again as Radhe, struggling to strike a balance between his artist self and the heir to the gharana. Shreya Chaudhry brings out Tamanna’s transformation from a pop star relying on autotune to a mature singer who’s found her voice.
Divya Dutta is a standout as the music teacher Nandini. Her interactions with Tamanna are among the season’s most rewarding moments, reflecting the complex dynamic between teacher and student and reminiscent of the dynamics between Naseeruddin Shah and Ritwik in the first season. Even Arjun Rampal manages to win your hearts as Nandini’s ex; the silent glances shared between Divya and Arjun speak volumes.
