Lust Stories 2

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.^[2][3][4][5] It was released on Netflix on 29 June 2023.^[6][7]

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).

Veda and Arjun are set to be married through their parents. Though they have made out before, they are yet to have sex. Both believe this is taboo in an arranged marriage, but Veda's grandmother disagrees. At a meeting of the families, she announces that sexual compatibility should be 'tested' before marriage. Taking heed, Veda and Arjun engage in intercourse before they can commit to the wedding. Veda says she enjoys the intimacy, but is yet to orgasm with Arjun. Her grandmother is displeased to hear this, so the couple have sex numerous times, until they both can satisfy the other in bed. They convey this 'good news' to Veda's grandmother, who consents to their union. To show her pleasure, she offers her room to them for using as their marriage night bridal suite.

Ishita is a middle-aged, single woman, who lives by herself in a large apartment. One day, she sees her maid, Seema, having sex with her husband in the bedroom. Too shocked to respond, Ishita hides herself in a closet. She masturbates herself to sleep that night, and starts spying on the unassuming couple daily in their private moements. Seema is alerted to Ishita's presence as well, but fears losing her job so says nothing. Both carry on with their acts unabashedly, knowing this is a mutually beneficial arrangement for them. One afternoon, Ishita is forced to reveal herself from her hiding place. Both women accuse the other of impropriety and Seema is fired. They return to their otherwise dull lives, until bumping into each other while shopping. Seema casually enquires if she can rejoin, Ishita agrees, and the next day, their 'arrangement' resumes.

Vijay is a successful CEO, who has a strained relationship with wife, Anu. While videocalling from his car, he crashes into a tree. Unable to use his phone, he seeks help in a village. He hears a familiar song, and follows it to a woman in a red saree, Shanti, his first wife, who disappeared ten years ago. Shanti keeps asking Vijay to leave, that it 'might be too late', but he stays back. They discuss her disappearance. Vijay reveals he married Anu and became CEO of her father's company. They have sex, and while lying together, Shanti mentions the pregnancy test she took before her disappearance. It comes to light that Vijay planned her disappearance for a better life with Anu. When Shanti confronts him, he kills her, then escapes. Back at his car, people are pulling out his body from the crash. Shanti appears and says he should have returned when he had the chance. Vijay, apparently dead from the crash, starts to scream.

Suraj is a sexual predator, whose wife Devyani, a former prostitute, is plotting to get rid of him. Devyani hopes to inherit Suraj's vast wealth and move abroad with her son, Ankur, of another partner. Suraj sets his sights on the recently-hired nubile maid, Rekha. He lures Rekha to his room, but is disturbed before the act by Ankur. That night, Devyani hears Rekha screaming with pleasure inside the palace. Assuming Suraj is with her, Devyani goes to enquire. At the same moment, Suraj stumbles into the house from a night of heavy drinking and passes out in the courtyard. Realisation dawns on Devyani that Ankur, not Suraj, is with Rekha tonight. Unknown to anyone else, Rekha is a former prostitute who has HIV. Devyani hired her to teach Suraj a lesson, hoping the disease would pass onto him. As the moaning sounds grow louder, Devyani reacts in anguish that her ill-conceived plan has ruined Ankur's life instead.

The film was released on Netflix on 29 June 2023.^[8]

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 60% of 10 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.5/10.^[9]

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.^[10] 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 exercise with the captivating performances of leads, who bring chemistry and intrigue to their roles as a woman who vanished mysteriously and her one-time husband, while "Tilchatta" provides a fitting end with Kajol's solid performance. Overall, Chatterjee felt that the show offers a range of narratives, delivering occasional passionate storytelling.^[11]

Shubhra Gupta writing for The Indian Express found Konkona Sen Sharma's segment, "The Mirror," to be the most complex and satisfying. Gupta criticized the lack of passion and avoidance of intimacy in the first episode. The third episode left the reviewer confused about its genre. Gupta praised the performances in the fourth episode but noted the smaller impact of the marquee name, Kajol. Overall, Gupta appreciated the exploration of class and desire in "The Mirror" but criticized the lack of representation of marginalized communities in the anthology.^[12] The anthology exploring desi sexuality, receives positive feedback from Monika Rawal Kukreja of Hindustan Times. She highlights the engaging nature of anthologies and praises the four filmmakers for their different perspectives on female sexuality. Kukreja particularly enjoys Konkona Sen Sharma's segment and appreciates the performances of Tillotama Shome and Amruta Subhash. While she finds Sujoy Ghosh's segment to be the weakest, she credits Amit Sharma's segment for its twist in the climax. Overall, Kukreja recommends Lust Stories 2 for its brilliant performances and the message it portrays.^[13]

• List of Netflix India originals

• Lust Stories 2 at IMDb
• Lust Stories 2 on Netflix