Streaming Platform: Netflix
Release Date: June 13, 2025
Rating: 3/5
Rana Naidu Season 2 is back, and it’s like jumping into a wild Bollywood family drama with guns, betrayals, and plenty of heart-tugging moments. This Indian take on Ray Donovan stars Rana Daggubati, Venkatesh Daggubati, Surveen Chawla, Arjun Rampal, and Kriti Kharbanda, with Karan Anshuman, Suparna S Varma, and Abhay Chopra behind the camera. The eight episodes are chaotic, flashy, and a bit all over the place, but the killer cast and pulpy vibe make it tough to stop watching, even when it trips over its own ambitious plot.
What’s the Deal?
Season 2 kicks off right after R, with Rana Naidu (Rana Daggubati), Mumbai’s go-to guy for fixing rich people’s problems, trying to go straight after his son Ani (Madhav Dhingra) gets snatched. But of course, his plan to leave the shady life gets derailed fast. He’s pulled back into a mess of family drama with his dad, Naga Naidu (Venkatesh Daggubati), who’s broke and stirring up trouble, and faces off against new bad guys like gangster Rauf Mirza (Arjun Rampal) and slick tycoon Viraj Oberoi (Rajat Kapoor). There’s also a side story about a cricket franchise deal with Viraj’s daughter Alia (Kriti Kharbanda) and some political scheming, but those feel a bit tacked-on.
It’s all about family—loyalty, screw-ups, and trying to make things right. Rana’s juggling his wife Naina (Surveen Chawla), daughter Nitya (Afrah Sayed), and brothers Tej (Sushant Singh) and Jaffa (Abhishek Banerjee). Compared to Season 1’s in-your-face shocks, this one dials back the cussing, blood, and spicy scenes to focus on the feels. But the writing’s a bit shaky sometimes, so not every emotional moment lands like it should.
The Cast
The cast totally carries this show. Rana Daggubati is intense as ever, brooding his way through as Rana, though he’s a tad stuck in tough-guy mode. Venkatesh Daggubati is a blast as Naga, all reckless and charming, but he doesn’t get enough screen time, which is a bit of a bummer after his Season 1 chaos. Arjun Rampal is straight-up chilling as Rauf, owning every scene with that icy glare. Kriti Kharbanda’s web debut as Alia is solid—she’s sharp and holds her own in this dude-heavy story. Surveen Chawla, Afrah Sayed, and Aditi Shetty (playing Jaffa’s girlfriend) bring a lot to their roles, shining in quieter moments. Abhishek Banerjee’s Jaffa is the heart of the show, dealing with his past and dad duties, while Sushant Singh’s Tej breaks your heart with his struggles.
What’s Cool?
The show’s got a better handle on character arcs this time, especially for Jaffa and Tej, who give it some real soul. The visuals, shot by John Schmidt, are slick, showing off Mumbai’s underbelly and fancy high-rises, with John Stewart Eduri’s score keeping the vibe electric. It’s got that over-the-top, pulpy energy—think massy one-liners and stylized fights—that makes it a total guilty pleasure. Scenes like Jaffa opening up about being a dad or Rana’s soft moments with his kids really hit home, balancing the madness. Toning down the raunchy stuff makes it a bit more chill to watch, though it loses a little of Season 1’s wild streak.
What’s Not So Great?
The story’s a bit of a mess. With all the subplots—cricket, politics, family fights—it feels like the writers bit off more than they could chew. Things get rushed or dropped, and some threads, like a character just vanishing, leave you scratching your head. The Rana-Naga father-son stuff was gold in Season 1, but it’s barely here, which sucks the spark out of the show. The writing, by Karan Anshuman and crew, leans on old-school tropes, and doesn’t always connect the dots. dots that make it feel cohesive. Dialing back the gritty edge also makes it feel a smidge tamer, like it’s playing it safe compared to the first season.
Final Take
Rana Naidu Season 2 is a wild, messy ride that’s held together by its awesome cast and fun, pulpy vibe. It’s got more heart than Season 1 but doesn’t quite stick the landing with its sprawling story. If you dug the first season’s drama or love a crime thriller with big action and bigger emotions, it’s a solid weekend binge. binge for a weekend. But if you’re looking for something tighter or deeper, it might feel a bit short. With some loose ends hinting a Season 3, the Naidu clan’s drama is still a bingeable guilty pleasure—flawed but hard to look away from.
Watch It If: You’re down for action-packed crime dramas, love the Daggubati duo, or want a fun, dramatic thrill ride.