Pitchers 2 review: TVF show’s second season fails to replicate disruption of first

This time, the show milks enough drama from the professional lives of Pragati founders, and rarely gets into their personal lives. Naveen, Mandal and Yogi want to keep their tech-company relevant and make it grow amid cut-throat competition. Writers Arunabh Kumar, Shubham Sharma, Talha Siddiqui and Prashant Kumar provide insight into how corporate businesses functions. For anyone, who has is a part of the start-up ecosystem, Pitchers 2 must be highly relatable as owners of Pragati try to save their fledgling company from teething issues and bankruptcy. It can also be a reality check for those who are planning to leave their monotonous jobs to start something of their own. But, for those who do not belong to either of these categories, Pitchers 2 can be exhausting.

Watch the trailer of Pitchers 2 here:

For those who do not understand the technical nitty-gritty of the corporate world, it would have been good to watch how the three guys maintain a work-life balance or how they deal with burnout. The first season worked better on this front as Jeetu juggled between his married life, his tyrant father, and hilariously, the escalating price of babycorn. Naveen also had a girlfriend and we saw him taking the tough decision of choosing between love and career.

It is only towards the end of the third episode that you start getting invested in the story of Pitchers 2. The makers finally try to show how the struggle to succeed breeds unrest and unsettles the once-united team. The group dynamics shift too. But, isn’t it too late for a five-episode series to catch up pace in the third episode?

Certainly, the heart of the series is Mandal. He is the nerd who is forced out of his comfort zone by the demands of his work. He tries to be the problem-solver when Naveen fumbles. He understands his employees’ emotions when Naveen only cares about numbers and becomes self-centred. You would find yourself rooting for him as he values loyalty and retains his innocence amid the push and pull of a corporate setting.

In terms of performance, all the characters, big and small, are spot-on. Naveen, Abhay and Arunabh bring the same old charm to the series, it’s just that the story disrupts their chemistry. The new additions, Sikander Kher, Vipul Goyal, Riddhi Dogra, Ashish Vidyarthi and Rohini Chakraborty, though underutilised, look convincing in their respective characters.

We are left with a happy ending as Pragati finds a rare moment of success. There is a sweet surprise in the end too, which sure will leave you smiling. I just hope if they plan to make the third season, they bring back the essence of the show which made its first season a runaway hit.