The Gone Game Season 2: The unexpected truth

The Gone Game Season 1 released on Voot in 2020 was a winner. Conceived and shot during the Covid-induced nationwide lockdown, the crime drama is about how life changes for the Gujral family after Sahil (Arjun Mathur), the only son, apparently dies of Covid-19.

The first season kept the viewer engrossed because of its offbeat approach to storytelling under unusual circumstances. The Gujral family, which has lost Sahil, consists of his parents Rajiv and Sunita (Sanjay Kapoor and Rukhsar Rehman) and sister Amara (Shweta Tripathi Sharma). There is a twist in the tale after Sahil’s wife Suhani (Shriya Pilgaonkar) is accused of murdering him. Far from being ‘dead,’ however, Sahil has disappeared after an act of wrongdoing.

Released at a time when the fear of Covid-19 has diminished significantly, the second season reminds the viewer that the virus hasn’t entirely disappeared from our lives. It begins dramatically after Suhani, who has been released from prison, is killed. After an altercation with her in-laws, somebody shoots her dead in her house. Every member of the Gujral family is a suspect, while the entry of a purposeful CBI officer (Harleen Sethi) is a sign of things to come.

Do Sahil’s parents know their son is alive? Is Sahil’s sister Amara an innocent girl who has shared an uneasy relationship with her brother? Who killed Suhani? Will Sahil get caught, or will he escape to somewhere unknown? Many questions get answered as the plot heads towards an unexpected climax.

The second season has several fine performances. The CBI officer, an author-backed character played with relish by Sethi, has a secret she needs to hide. Why she has to do it is a surprise. However, she knows how to find unusual ways to get to the bottom of a crime.

Kapoor is brilliant as the agitated patriarch, while Tripathi Sharma makes an impact as Amara. Mathur is superb as Sahil, who has disappeared in a cloud of mystery. Rukhsar’s is a half-baked character with nothing much to do, which is disappointing. Shriya Pilgaonkar, who has a small but well-written role, proves she is dependable once again.

The Gone Game Season 2 isn’t conceptually new in the Indian context, which was the USP of the first season. Consisting of five crisply edited episodes, however, the fast-paced whodunit in which red herrings and twists tumble out of the closet from time to time will satisfy the average viewer.