Khudha Season 2: A historical thriller that leaves Assamese audiences hungry for more

The release of Khudha Season 2 on Assamese OTT platform Reeldrama has generated curiosity among local audiences, especially since the first season in 2024 attracted a moderate viewership. This continuation, starring Ravi Sharma in the lead role as undercover officer Shyam Morris, comes with a premise that at first glance seems weighty and rooted in history. The series builds itself on the hunger for truth, justice, and treasure, borrowing its name from the Assamese word Khudha, which literally means hunger. It is a concept loaded with meaning, but the final product leaves the viewer with very little to chew on.

The central narrative is based on the smuggling of historical artifacts connected to the Ahom kingdom during the Burmese invasion. The idea of a hidden treasure guarded by cryptic manuscripts scattered across different corners of the country has enough dramatic potential to make the story gripping. Yet the handling of this potential is unsteady. The atmosphere that should have been marked by suspense, mystery, and historical depth, instead dissolves into a series of loosely tied episodes that rarely manage to sustain tension. The seriousness of the subject-an empire's legacy, threatened by smugglers and rediscovered through scholarly effort-is diluted by the superficial approach of both writing and execution.

One of the most noticeable drawbacks lies in the portrayal of characters. Several members. of the cast are shown as aged figures but are visibly young actors with unconvincing make-up. Their stiff body language and untrained postures betray the illusion of age, making scenes appear amateurish rather than authentic. Even seasoned actor Ranjeev Lal Baruah, remembered for his role in the Hindi web series Taj on Zee5, struggles to elevate his role here. He plays a character assisting in decoding the manuscripts but does so without conviction, leaving the impression of a performer detached from the urgency of the plot.

Ravi Sharma, a crowd-favourite, is tasked with carrying the show on his shoulders as Shyam Morris. His undercover disguises, however, become more of a distraction than a strength. In one instance, his attempt at a God-father-inspired accent and mannerisms borders on parody, compounded by patchy prosthetics instead of enriching the multiplicity of his hidden identity, these disguises rob the story of seriousness, pushing it closer to caricature. It is ironic that a series titled Khudha fails to present the hunger of its protagonist with intensity or believability.

The series claims inspiration from Khudharta Shagun, a popular Assamese novel written by Kumud Chandra Hazarika, known to readers as Ranju Hazarika. The novel itself was marked by its narrative urgency and compact, yet vibrant storytelling. Translating such a source into a visual medium requires both cinematic craft and fidelity to the spirit of the text. Unfortunately, the adaptation falters at this critical junction. Rather than creating layered characters and tightly woven suspense, the series drifts into predictable tropes, repetitive expositions, and a strange obsession with filler moments that do not add to the central storyline.

One expected that the director, Deepak Kumar Roy, would bring cinematic sharpness to the project. Assamese OTT space is still in its formative years, and each release is judged not only as entertainment but as a marker of where the industry is heading. By that measure, Khudha Season 2 represents a lost opportunity. Roy's direction does not capitalise on the rich historical backdrop or the cultural memory of the Ahom era. Instead, it relies too heavily on dialogue-driven revelations without giving visual atmosphere its due importance. The temple mystery, which should have been wrapped in shadow, silence, and ritualistic eeriness, appears on screen as a routine treasure hunt.

The titles of the episodes also betray the seriousness of the story. Rather than deepening intrigue, they feel randomly assigned, never capturing the tone of the events that follow. A work dealing with manuscripts, hidden codes, and centuries-old treasure requires thematic coherence. What the audience gets instead are abrupt tonal shifts that prevent immersion.

The Assamese OTT audience today is more discerning than ever. With access to regional and global content, viewers are quick to identify quality gaps. They can appreciate historical thrillers when executed with conviction- evident from the reception of similar attempts on national platforms. For a series like Khudha, which had the advantage of an existing literary base and a theme rooted in Assamese identity, the bar was already high. Falling short in writing, performance, and execution, therefore, feels doubly disappointing.

One cannot help but reflect on the irony embedded in the title. Hunger is indeed the right metaphor, but what the audience experiences here is hunger for better writing, hunger for consistent acting, hunger for credible make-up, and above all, hunger for a vision that respects both history and storytelling. The project could have served as a proud example of Assamese creativity reaching out to a wider digital audience. Instead, it comes across as a hurriedly assembled production that neither satisfies local expectations nor rises to national visibility.

Khudha Season 2 stands as a reminder of how crucial execution is to any ambitious idea. Having a strong premise, a capable cast, and a cultural legacy to build upon are not enough unless shaped by a coherent vision and detailed craftsmanship. The crew's effort is visible, but effort alone cannot replace artistry. Viewers enter the series expecting an engaging hunt across manuscripts and temples but leave it with the lingering sense of something unfulfilled. Hunger re-mains, but satisfaction does not.

- Kaushik Nath