Kota Factory Season 2, was the most anticipated Web show of India. Season 1 did wonders at every level, the concept was fresh for the screen, their take on the city of Kota as a factory was interesting, direction & writing was so strong and the actors were the hero of this tasteful dish. The expectations for season 2 were so very high and let’s say it ‘Strived’ to match it.
Season 1 left us with new hope as when Vaibhav reaches his new hostel for Maheshwari classes and meets a Naive Sushrut the frame gets colored. Season 2 begins with such a happy and hopeful note but turns pale Black and white as Vaibhav attends the orientation of Maheshwari Class given by the boss himself Mr.Maheshwari. His orientation monologue took me to 3 Idiots Life is a race scene. The Jeetu bhaiya`s classes looked like a dream of students but this time Vaibhav`s lectures at Maheshwari class literally looked like a factory`s operation where “the teacher” is Supervisor and students are working to make products within a given time-bound. The sound of flipping paper in sync and Vaibhav still trying to catch what happened earlier is one of the clever nuances that the creators have spun.We saw growing friendships amongst friends and attraction turning into relationships this season.
1st to 4th episode majorly showed us the lifestyle of students at Kota, their daily life struggles, the confusions, their crisis, their bond with friends and family, the classes, and of course the one with the magic wand Jeetu Bhaiya, until when he hears the news of his student Vaidehi`s suicide.We see Vaidehi`s ambulance running to the hospital, crossing the boards of the achievers, running under those big hoardings of toppers. It seems so small and unnoticeable. Just as the news of her suicide was inaudible to the city under Noise of celebrations and that’s where the season ends.
The second season was good, but couldn`t give us the feel as the first. It seemed like an attempt to reach where the show was in 2019. Just like the IIT colleges females in this show are shown less, with minimum screen time. The actors were amazing, the main problem was its writing that strived to maybe replicate the same magic as before. Jeetu bhaiya`s magic wand in every episode made all the conflicts look like a regular deal. We know that the 3rd season will come, but the creators could have done better for season2. As most of it seemed like a bridge to take us towards the roads of Season3.
This season`s narrative tried exploring Jeetu Bhaiya`s life as well, but just professional aspects. We see him struggling to open his own Academy. Although he himself is in a fuss, all of our protagonists’ problems have a one-stop solution. Each and every episode commences with a conflict, in the end, to be resolved by Student’s agony aunt Jeetu Bhaiya!. Right from money matters, sickness, hormonal lochas, existential crisis, and of course studies, Jeetu Bhaiya has it all covered.
As we clearly understand that we are watching this series mostly from a lens of aspiring students who want to crack IIT the creators do not tell us the evils of that environment blatantly, But slowly, in season 2, we hear this question for the first time “IIT hi kyun? “.
This slow scraping of that shiny layer of success through IIT selection is slowly being scratched frame by frame in this season, but still not “literally” until the last episode.
The last episode is where this rusty surface comes out clearly. The time when the Results come! Results are always a big day in people’s lives but in Kota, it’s called Kota ki Diwali. The AIR 1 is celebrated with dhols, dance, rangoli and there are hoardings of him all over the City, meanwhile, there are people who`ve failed, neglected, hiding in their cocoons. Where the city celebrated the rankers, Jeetu Bhaiya consoled and celebrated with failed ones, or his warriors as he called them.
