CAST: Jennifer Winget, Tanuj Virwani, Swanand Kikare, Manoj Dutt
DIRECTED BY: Akshay Choubey
Season 2 of ‘Code M’ follows a similar scenario of defence-supply corruption as in Season 1. Following the footsteps of its precursor, this installment features multiple twists and a mind-blowing climax, making it a compelling watch. The series is crisp and pacey, and the episodes are 20-25 minutes long, making them ideal for a binge.
The show opens with a sequence of an assassination attempt on CM Joshi (Manoj Dutt) during Kargil Day celebrations, prompting Major Monica Mehra (Jennifer Winget) to investigate the case. She, in turn, quickly realises that nothing is as it seems; a seemingly hot trail leads her to the vigilante group that is behind the attack and has slain other corrupt individuals who have caused the deaths of several Indian Army soldiers. The clock starts ticking for her when this case is about to be handed over to CBI officer Ismail Qureshi (Swanand Kirkire) as per protocol. Will Major Mehra be able to make things right despite her personal struggles—the death of her father, a failed marriage because ‘she chose nation over family’—and now this chase?
What do we like about Code M, Season 2? The question should be – what don’t we like.
Jennifer Winget delivers a brilliant, understated Monica Mehra in Season 2 and aged like fine wine, she blends into the very well developed, written, paced and directed thriller espionage.
The story by Aniruddha Guha and screenplay Shubhra Chatterji, Code M Season 2 begins from where the season 1 ends and finds Monica Mehra in the middle of a new conflict. The screenplay does acknowledge Monica’s inner conflict and personal struggles in the very beginning creating a good character base for the season.
What comes to the rescue of the show in a bigger way is the run time. 8 Episodes that are just around 20-25 minutes each make it an easy binge and keeps you hooked long enough and deeply.
Give it up for Akshay Choubey who directed this show to keep the audience so hooked. Created by Ektaa R Kapoor, this show really has the cinematography, plot and sequences to make it one of the winners from the house of Balaji. The show gets right into it when Major Mehra detects an attempt on the life of the Chief Minister and saves his life. Following the evidence, she realizes that the antigonists have deeper sinister motives than what she might have first gauged and what seemed like one murder attempt was indeed a well planned espionage. She also realizes that the culprit may belong to the Armed Forces.
As the Series progresses, it re-establihes Monica’s character arc, develops her relationships and flashbacks her backstories without wasting even an extra second on scenes that may not be required. That keeps the narrative on point and the audience attention the the story progression, A big relief because if you know us, you know how much we complain about Indian shows and their propensity to get lost in backstories. Thank God, this once kept its story focused and on-track.
Special mention to the fight sequences which have been choreographed very well and even with her slight frame, Jennifer Winget pulls them off with great conviction and confidence.
As Jennifer’s Monica follows the leads , her inner circle of trust is her team mate Rahil and her ex-boyfriend, who she starts dating again, Angad ( Tanuj Virwani). Here in this season, his character reveal is a suspense, making him a pivotal part of the next season.
The show steers clear of deep personal drama which is great to an extent because that keeps the focus on the action and the impeding surprises. The character of well trained army officer comes up stronger for Major Mehra as she relegates personal set-backs to another space while dealing with issues more important for the country. Country over everything, as she says.
Look out for Jennifer Winget. She is a star.
