Latest news with #SpecialOps2.0
Scroll.in
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scroll.in
‘Special Ops 2.0' review: Kay Kay Menon-led suspense thriller often resists momentum
The second season of Special Ops returns to JioHotstar five years after creator Neeraj Pandey first introduced Research and Analysis Wing agent Himmat Singh (Kay Kay Menon). In 2021, Pandey presented Himmat's origin story in Special Ops 1.5: The Himmat Story. Special Ops 2.0 – a true sequel – picks up the story of the senior operative and his hand-picked team of spies as they find themselves caught up in a complex issue that threatens national security. Directed by Pandey and Shivam Nair, Special Ops 2.0 moves away from traditional field operations towards the unseen battleground of cyberwarfare. The new season turns its focus to digital threats, artificial intelligence conspiracies, financial fraud and the murky web of political-corporate collusion. Episode one is a sprawling one-hour introduction that sets up the kidnapping of Bhargava (Arif Zakaria), a tech entrepreneur tied to a classified government project. At the same time, a RAW officer (Tota Roy Chowdhury) who was monitoring Bhargava's movements at a summit in Budapest is attacked in Delhi. While this premise has potential, Bhargava never leverages his supposed genius to contribute meaningfully to the narrative, remaining strangely passive for someone with the nation's future in his hands. Himmat and his team are tasked with tracking down Bhargava and ensuring his safe return. But the enemy is always one step ahead of Himmat's field agents. The narrative unfolds over seven days (and seven episodes), a structural choice that promises urgency but doesn't always deliver. There are also echoes of Pandey's film A Wednesday! (2008), with a common man, traumatically affected by institutional corruption, threatening the system. The show's attempt to offer a cautionary take on the implications of AI and next-generation technologies is both timely and effective. A subplot involving a banking scam and fraudulent loans occupies a large part of Himmat's bandwidth. There's commentary on the uneasy nexus between politics, big business and tech – where personal and corporate interests distort national priorities. However, the screenplay by Pandey, Deepak Kingrani and Benazir Ali Fida lacks tautness. Entire sequences are bogged down by unnecessary visual fillers – cars making full U-turns after being instructed to, endless walking shots, numerous drone views that serve little narrative purpose. It's a suspense thriller that often resists momentum. Kay Kay Menon remains the show's anchor. His portrayal of Himmat Singh exudes intelligence, resolve and quick thinking in a time of crisis. Menon rarely misses a beat as he portrays a professional nearing retirement while dealing with emotional upheaval in his personal life. The show also features returning characters such as Farooq (Karan Tacker), Avinash (Muzzamil Ibrahim), Juhi (Saiyami Kher), Ruhani (Shikha Talsania), Abbas (Vinay Pathak), Chadha (Parmeet Sethi) and Banerjee (Kali Prasad Mukherjee). Gautami Kapoor plays Himmat's wife Saroj, while Revathi Pillai plays their daughter Pari. Among the new cast, Tahir Raj Bhasin is a mixed bag. As the sinister Sudheer Awasthi, his backstory lacks narrative punch, and Bhasin underplays the menace and unpredictability the role requires. Prakash Raj, however, delivers one of the stronger performances as a bureaucrat grappling with his wife's illness and a broken system. Some supporting performances fall short, particularly the foreign actresses, including an Austrian girlfriend and a Russian honey trap. The fight scenes are long and often excessive. At times, Special Ops 2.0 seems more invested in presenting itself as an international espionage epic than in telling a focused, compelling story. Still, Himmat's emotional vulnerability this season adds depth to a character who has otherwise been defined by duty and stoicism. Special Ops 2.0 is an ambitious follow-up that leans more on visual style and fight choreography than on pace and spycraft. Kay Kay Menon's steady presence, along with strong support from the senior cast, give 2.0 a solid foundation, but the new season stumbles under the weight of padding. Play
India.com
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Special Ops 2 Trailer: Kay Kay Menon is back as RAW officer Himmat Singh to prevent cyber-terrorism, Watch
Ace filmmaker Neeraj Pandey is gearing up for the release of the second season of his hit show ' Special Ops' . On Monday, he treated the audience to an intriguing trailer of the upcoming season, which stars Kay Kay Menon, Prakash Raj, Vinay Pathak, Karan Tacker, Saiyami Kher, Muzammil Ibrahim, Gautami Kapoor, Parmeet Sethi, and Kali Prasad Mukherjee. With Kay Kay Menon reprising his iconic role as R&AW officer Himmat Singh, the makers promise a deeper, darker, and more urgent mission than ever before. This time, he fights to prevent cyber-terrorism, led by Tahir Raj Bhasin, who will be seen as the antagonist. Cyber-Terrorism vs. Himmat Singh in Special Ops 2 On what fans can expect from 'Special Ops 2', Neeraj Pandey, in a press note, said, 'This season reflects the times we live in, where the enemy doesn't announce their arrival. The new-age warfare has altered everything we know about threat, security, and sacrifice. Special Ops 2 is about the war we don't see, until it hits home. It's a reminder that in today's world, the greatest battles are fought without a single bullet fired, but the damage runs just as deep.' Kay Kay Menon also opened up about reprising his iconic character of Himmat Singh. 'Himmat Singh has always fought with grit, intellect, and instinct. But this time, the war isn't visible. The stakes are bigger, the threats more unpredictable and that made this season both relevant and deeply personal to portray. There's a quiet burden Himmat carries of duty, of sacrifice, of knowing more than he can say. This chapter allowed me to explore not just the strategist, but the man behind the mission, the father, the patriot, the constant protector.' Director Shivam Nair added, 'With Special Ops 2.0, we've truly raised the bar–in scale, storytelling, and intensity. This season dives into a world where intelligence operations collide with the fast-changing landscape of AI, digital warfare, and cybersecurity. It's not just thrilling–it's timely. Reuniting with Neeraj Pandey has been creatively rewarding, and together, we've built something that feels both urgent and cinematic.'Karan Tacker also shared how his character of Farooq Ali has evolved over the years.'Farooq has evolved and so has the mission. This season forced us to think beyond guns and disguises. The tension lies in not knowing where the next hit will come from because the enemy is invisible. I'm incredibly proud to be back'. Tahir Raj Bashin, who will be seen as an antagonist in the show, said, 'Joining the world of Special Ops has been an electricfying adrenalin rush. This role pushed me emotionally and physically. Speaking of the character, what makes this antagonist exciting to portray is how layered and rooted in the real world he is. He doesn't need guns, he uses code, data, and people's blind trust. That's what makes him truly dangerous! He doesn't belong to fiction, he exists in the world we live in today'. 'Special Ops 2' will be out out on JioHotstar on July 11.
Time of India
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Special Ops 2: Release date, trailer, cast, plot, and more about Kay Kay Menon's hit series
Special Ops 2 release date: Special Ops 2 is gearing up for a thrilling return, with Kay Kay Menon stepping back into the role of the astute and determined Himmat Singh. The upcoming season promises even more intense action and suspense. With the trailer already released, anticipation is running high among fans, here's everything you need to know about the release date, cast, and other key details. Special Ops 2 trailer Special Ops 2 trailer was released on the JioHotstar social media pages. The intriguing clip showed the comeback of Kay Kay Menon in his iconic role. Watch Special Ops 2 trailer here: Reacting to the trailer, one wrote, 'One of the most realistic and underrated show.' A second added, 'Oh, finally, after a long wait, our most favourite Indian espionage series is back.' A third went on to add, 'Legend is back. Can't wait to watch KK Menon Sir's performance.' Special Ops 2 cast The espionage thriller serves as a sequel to Special Ops and continues the narrative from the spin-off Special Ops 1.5: The Himmat Story (2021). Kay Kay Menon returns as the beloved lead, alongside familiar faces like Karan Tacker, Vinay Pathak, Muzammil Ibrahim, Saiyami Kher, and Meher Vij. New additions to the cast include Tahir Raj Bhasin and Prakash Raj. The series has been shot across global locations including Budapest, Turkey, and Georgia. Special Ops 2 plot Special Ops 2.0 focuses on the growing menace of cyber-terrorism, with Himmat Singh taking on a new-age digital threat. As artificial intelligence becomes a major point of conflict, India, being the largest user of UPI, faces the risk of a massive global data breach. Himmat reunites his trusted team to take on this invisible enemy, but in this mission, no one is safe and everyone is a potential target. Special Ops 2 release date Special Ops 2 will be released on 11th July 2025 on JioHotstar.
