Lust Stories 2

About the film

Lust Stories 2 is a 2023 Indian Hindi-language anthology film, and second installment of Lust Stories, consisting of four short film segments directed by R. Balki, Konkona Sen Sharma, Amit Ravindernath Sharma and Sujoy Ghosh. Co-produced by Ronnie Screwvala of RSVP and Ashi Dua Sara of Flying Unicorn Entertainment, the film has an ensemble cast including Tamannaah Bhatia, Mrunal Thakur, Kumud Mishra, Amruta Subhash, Angad Bedi, Neena Gupta, Kajol, Tillotama Shome, Vijay Varma, Jeniffer Piccinato and others. It was released on Netflix on 29 June 2023.

At the 2023 Filmfare OTT Awards, Lust Stories 2 received 5 nominations, including Best Web Original Film and Best Director in a Web Original Film (Sen Sharma), and won 2 awards – Best Web Original Film (Critics) and Best Supporting Actress in a Web Original Film (Subhash).

Plot

On paper, Arjun and Veda are the perfect couple. They share the same goals and ambitions, and come from similar professional and family backgrounds. Their parents happily meet to arrange their match, but Veda's grandmother (dadi) refuses their union. She wants the couple to have sex first - despite premarital sex historically being taboo in India - so that they can be sure they have sexual chemistry. Dadi says their marriage will fall apart without it. Arjun and Veda kiss in his car, and after a night of clubbing, have sex in a hotel. Veda confesses to dadi in the morning that she did not orgasm. Dadi encourages Veda to keep trying, and after many nights together, both Arjun and Veda claim to have successfully attained climax. They believe they are now ready for marriage. Dadi is pleased with this news, and consents to their union.

Isihita lives alone in a large apartment. One afternoon, she comes home to find her maid, Seema, having sex with her husband in her bed. Rather than confront them, Ishita hides in a closet. She masturbates herself to sleep that night. Realising she gets pleasure from being a voyeur, she 'joins' their daily ritual and observes them having sex everyday. Seema is alerted to Ishita's spying habit through a mirror, but says nothing to her or her husband. She starts taking pleasure in being watched. One afternoon, both women are forced to confront each other in the apartment. They argue wildly, and Seema is fired. On a grocery run, both women bump into each other. Neither has successfully moved on from their arrangement. Unspoken words are exchanged, and the 'ritual' resumes the next day as Seema is re-hired.

Vijay has a strained relationship with his wife, Anu. While videocalling from his car, he crashes. He seeks help in a nearby village, where he hears a familiar voice - his ex-wife, Shanti's - who mysteriously disappeared many years ago. Shanti suggests Vijay should leave or it might "get late", but he refuses. They discuss her disappearance, and Vijay reveals he married Anu soon after, also inheriting his new father-in-law's company. He and Shanti have sex, and she mentions the pregnancy test she took before her disappearance. It comes to light that Vijay planned her death/disappearance for a better life with Anu. Shanti confronts him, but he kills her again, then escapes to his car. Outside, onlookers are removing his limp body from the crash. Shanti (her ghost) reappears; Vijay realises he has died, and starts to scream.

Release

The film was released on Netflix on 29 June 2023.

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 60% of 10 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.5/10.

Sukanya Verma from Rediff.com reviewed Lust Stories 2 as a diverse anthology that explores lust beyond sexual aspects, gave a rating of 3 out of 5 stars. She praised Konkona Sen Sharma's segment for its intimate storytelling and social context. The segment delves into the primal nature of lust between two characters, portrayed by Tillotama Shome and Amruta Subhash. Verma further discusses Sujoy Ghosh's segment, which explores the encounters of Vijay Varma and Tamannaah Bhatia, delving into the subconscious and guilt. She mentions the fanciful visuals and eerie atmosphere of the segment, which focuses less on explicit representations of sex and more on the toxic nature of lust within an individual. She appreciated the enigmatic and imperfect nature of Amit Ravindernath Sharma's concluding segment, addressing domestic violence and casteism. Verma expressed disappointment in the anthology's lack of queer narratives but acknowledged its potential as a streaming franchise. Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV rated the film 3/5 and she described it as a mixed bag of stories and themes. While bursts of passion are present, Chatterjee felt that they are not the main focus. The opening story is criticized for its sterile approach, but Neena Gupta's performance stands out. "The Mirror" is highlighted as the turning point, exploring female desire in a complex manner. "Sex with Ex" is a genre exerci…

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