Stepping into the shoes of a transgender activist, Shreegauri Sawant, Sushmita Sen, has undoubtedly elevated Ravi Jadhav’s Taali. Predominantly a biographical drama series, Taali efficaciously plays with the strings of its viewer’s hearts. It delivers what could only be described as an emotional punch warped in a sheathe of desolation and inspiration. The series unequivocally treads the fine line between preachy and practical and ends up becoming a six-episode delight that’s deserving of the millions of fans it garnered.
This biographical drama has surpassed the creators’ expectations and emerged as Sushmita’s best project so far. Since it has been declared as a miniseries right from its production, fans are curious to know whether the success of the season has propelled the creators to give the sequel a chance. So, now, if you’re wondering whether Taali Season 2 has been greenlit by Jadhav and JioCinema, jump in.
Taali Season 2 Release Date
Ever since JioCinema released the trailer of the Sushmita Sen starrer, anticipation has been soaring high. Previously, the Indian cinema has witnessed multiple films aiming to highlight the injustice and struggle endured by transgenders. But unlike Kanchana and Ardhnaari, the two most notorious transgender-based dramas, Taali doesn’t try to overdramatize the plot. It is due to this approach that the series, despite its flaws, has managed to secure a firm spot in the viewers’ hearts.
Taali: Bajaunji Nahi, Bajwaungi (I Won’t Clap, I’ll Make You Clap) has witnessed several altercations and controversies right from its production. Even the director was initially sceptical to conjure the story of Gauri, who is hailed as a messenger in the transgender community. However, with enough dedication and support from the eponymous celebrity, Taali was finally made available to the viewers on the eve of Independence Day, 15 August 2023.
Now that it has been over a month since the series made its grand debut, questions and speculations regarding the sequel have been flourishing incessantly. However, the makers are yet to open up about their plans regarding the sequel. If the creators approve the sequel, Taali Season 2 could be released in late 2024. Though the debut series has tied all the cliffhangers, the plausibility of a sequel couldn’t be denied.
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Sushmita Sen Opens Up On The Creation Of Taali
Sen seamlessly adapted Gauri’s persona and justified the latter’s arched eyebrows, stern facial expression and bold voice. Be it Gauri’s vibrant attire or nuanced commentary, Sushmita left no aspect of the former’s personality untouched. She delivered what’s perceived to be the best role of her entire life without making it look like an exaggerated caricature. However, the former Miss Universe didn’t jump on the role as the audience initially believed. Instead, similar to Jadhav, Sushmita was initially a bit incredulous about committing to portraying Gauri’s torment-encrusted journey.
She reportedly met the creators a couple of times but she wasn’t convinced yet. “It was after meeting Gauri that I knew a lot of people can do this role but I would do it with the most amount of love,” Sushmita confessed in an interview. Her journey of adapting Sawant’s personality, with the help of Atul Mongia began after a one-on-one session with the latter. The duo worked relentlessly to adapt Sushmita’s feminine finesse into brazen boldness, keeping every little aspect of Gauri’s personality in mind.
When asked about her opinion on a transgender actor picking on the role, Sen quickly enunciated her honesty and amount of love towards portraying Gauri. She concluded by appraising Gauri’s “way with words” and emphasized on how deeply invested she was in the concluding scene of Taali. Though the actress refrained from elaborating on her intentions and opinions on the sequel, it seems like Sen wouldn’t back down from taking on the role of Gauri once again.
Taali Series Overview
Taali commences with its infamous tagline, “Bajaungi nahi, bajwaungi (I won’t clap, I’ll make you clap)”. The dialogue is a satirical punch and a brazen challenge all juggled in one wherein Gauri (Sushmita) vows to never wander around the streets once again. The series jumps back and forth between Gauri’s past life and present scenarios to chronicle her tale right from her childhood. Sawant was born as Ganesh to a police officer, Dinkar, and had endured a seemingly normal childhood until teenage knocked down all hope for him.
Ganesh began experiencing internal debacle from his early teenage. Instead of understanding his situation, Dinkar began inflicting both, physical and mental torture on him. While Ganesh’s mother was his sole confidante, he soon lost her and eloped from his house later on to wander around the streets.
Ganesh then stumbled across multiple activists from the Humsafar Trust including Nargis (Sheetal Kale), who helped him undergo a gender change surgery. Ganesh then transformed himself into Shreegauri and left a life of misery and begging to fight for justice. She became the first person to advocate for the rights of transgenders and filed a petition in the Supreme Court to attain legal recognition for her community in 2014.
Does Gauri Succeed In Her Mission?
It took Gauri several years to weave through the heartache, insults and accusations to finally acquire the rights her community deserves. Later on, she went on to adopt a young teenager Gayatri, whose mother passed away due to HIV. In an interview, Sawant claimed that her journey towards motherhood began long before Gayatri scrambled her way in her life. Due to circumstantial issues, Gauri sent off Gaaytri to a hostel and aspired to help her make something of herself.
The writer, Kshitij Patwardhan, maintains a nuanced pacing throughout the six episodes, without infusing the plot with unnecessary dramatic tones. The biographical drama chronicles each aspect of Gauri’s life and climaxes on an upbeat note, celebrating the success of her efforts. It is due to Gauri’s relentless efforts that transgenders can now be proud of their orientation. The Indian government has now recognized them as a third gender, allowing them every right they were once deprived of.
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Taali Season 2 Storyline
The debut series wraps all loose ends and weaves Gauri’s entire lifestyle into a six-episode series. It doesn’t shy away from addressing all the harsh aspects of Sawant’s lifestyle. Taali eventually portrays the inspiring biography of the 37-year-old activist. Gauri has dedicated all her life to salvaging transgenders and people struck in human trafficking rings. Her adopted daughter, Gayatri, was also about to be sold.
Fortunately, Gauri seized the day and protected her from getting caught in the trap. In an interview, Gauri affirmed that watching Gayatri grow up is as much of a challenge as a delight. Since the latter is as opinionated as they come, Gayatri, the now 15-year-old, has developed a knack for questioning everything around her.
If Taali Season 2 receives the green light, it could portray Gauri’s struggle raising Gayatri, as a single transgender parent. Though nothing has been officialized yet, the creators, Arjun Singgh Baran and Kartik D Nishandar could also pick up a different storyline for the sequel. It remains to be seen whether the sequel will be approved and what storyline the creators pick up.
Who Could Be In The Taali Season 2 Cast List?
The debut season boasts of a dozen cast members, led by the Nirbaak’s actress, Sushmita Sen as Shreegauri Sawant. Right from Gauri’s metallic ring to her inside-out watch, Sen hasn’t only picked up the former’s attire. Instead, she has transformed her entire personality and has adapted Gauri’s fierce personality in a commendable and often unrecognizable manner. Similarly, Krutika Deo portrays the younger Ganesh Sawant and picks up on the little details of his persona.
Sheetal Kale as Nargis, an activist, complements Sushmita’s near-flawless acting. She portrays a confidante Ganesh found in his time of desolation as he was homeless and hopeless then. Nargis held Ganesh’s hands and helped him transform into Gauri, uplifting his morale at the time he needed the most.
The series also stars Aishwarya Narkar and Nandu Madhav as the Sawant couple alongside Ankur Bhatia, Hemangi Kavi and Suvrat Joshi. If Taali returns for a sequel, Sushmita is expected to return alongside Kale and some fresh faces, of course.
Taali Season 2 Release Date: FAQs
It is a biographical drama series centred around a transgender activist, Shreegauri Sawant. It chronicles Sawant’s tale of struggling for justice and recognition her community deserves.
Taali was written by Kshitij Patwardhan and created by Arjun Singgh Baran and Kartik D Nishandar.
Yes, Taali is based on a true story.
No, the Taali Season 2 release date isn’t confirmed yet.
No, there is no trailer available yet.
You can stream the series on JioCinema.
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