Published 22:33 IST, January 18th 2025
Paatal Lok 2 Review: : Gripping Procedural Starring Jaideep Ahlawat Toes The Line, But Hits Bullseye
It's rooted in the dark reality of our times, that one can't turn a blind eye to. Paatal Lok is not the netherworld, but it's what's here, amongst us.

Paatal Lok 2 Review: "Main paatal Lok ka niwasi hoon," says Hathiram Chaudhary (Jaideep Ahlawat), hot on the trail of a political and financial conspiracy unfolding in the heart of Nagaland. Hathiram's assertion rings true for Jaideep in the thrilling world of Paatal Lok, the series, as he anchors the newest crime and corruption tale without missing a beat. Show creator Sudip Sharma has arguably delivered a season 2 that does justice to the show's maiden outing, four years back. While one grasps the beat of this universe by now, often predicting what's to follow, the twists and turns hit home, making Paatal Lok 2 a worthy follow-up.

While in season 1, Hathiram was in his backyard, the dark underbelly of Delhi and the marginalised festered, came up and perished around him, the newer episodes take him out in the North-East, a hotbed of militancy, power politics and corruption. He crosses paths with Imran Ansari (Ishwak Singh) again, who is now his senior. The tables have turned, but have they? Ansari and Hathiram's buddy-cop scenes are some of the best portions of Paatal Lok season 2.

Ansari's personal revelation to Hathiram is a tear-jerker, and the latter's reaction to it will certainly leave the viewers asking for more. Paatal Lok essentially weaves the stories of the marginalised, surviving not thriving. Here, Hathiram becomes one. Thrown into a new territory, he struggles to find his footing. His investigation is hampered by the system, but as the show progresses, he comes into his own.
The makers of the show have cracked the anthology formula. While the storyline progresses on similar lines and one can see where the investigation is headed, the endearing characters make it worth a watch. The high points of the first season, like Hathiram's outburst and his clever dialogue play, are missing. Still, Paatal Lok 2 holds up. The procedural portions make it a slow burn and one expecting a thrilling and fast-paced watch from beginning to end should be patient as it intrigues throughout its 8-episode run.

The show has politically charged undertones, with subtle commentaries on powerplay and politics, much like the first season. While Hathiram moves out of the gritty lanes of Delhi, the shady drug mafia and gangs don't leave his side. Crime has cast a shadow over the state of affairs in the nation, even on the far side of the country, and the show does justice to its title and theme in that regard.
Paatal Lok 2 is engrossing and denser. It focuses more on the investigation angle while projecting Hathiram, a down-and-out cop at the start, to an adept officer and an honest cop working within a murky system. It's rooted in the dark reality of our times, that one can't turn a blind eye to. Paatal Lok is not the netherworld, but it's what's here, amongst us.
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
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Updated 22:33 IST, January 18th 2025