‘Halla Bol’ Season 2 epitomises the fighting spirit of women

The pilot episode begins with the host, Karan Tacker, elucidating the various facets of the show. The episode begins with the story of a young girl, Sunaina from Ambala, whose only dream in life is to become a national level boxing champ and make her father, also a boxer proud. However, the father doesn’t support Sunaina’s dream and vehemently stops her from pursuing it.

He reasons with her that because of her gender she will be incapable of excelling at the ‘manly’ sport. Extremely parochial in his thinking, he wants his daughter to conform to the norms of the society and indulge in pursuits like dancing, cooking that will help in her to become a good home-maker after she marries. He wants his son, who is not interested in boxing to carry forth his legacy. Sunaina, who does not bow down to the pressure, starts training on the sly with the help of her college coach. However, she has to fight not only the authorities who create obstacles in her path, but also her father who is not very happy with Sunaina going against his wishes. Eventually, however when he notices her passion for the sport, he provides the much needed support to her daughter.

The stories not only intrigue, but also inspire the viewer. The USP of this show is that it moves beyond the normal perception and portrayal of women on television. Depicting women in an extremely strong light, it manages to balance the narrative with a realistic portrayal— a far cry from what tele-viewers are subjected to in most Hindi soaps.

The show however falls short on various fronts. Especially, where cinematography, dialogues and acting are concerned. The show rambles on at times, owing to repetitive flashbacks, when everyone treats Sunaina with disdain. Agreed, that emphasis on a certain aspect helps to highlight the issue, but if done in excess, mars the very purpose of the show. If the makers work on these issues, Halla Bol 2 looks promising as compared to other shows on social issues. The purpose to highlight women’s cause and influence the mindset of the society is noble, but the makers should support it with good production values.

Verdict: An average watch.