The Timeliners’ FLAMES returned for its season 2 on 18 October 2019. And even this time around they have hit it out of the park. The teenage romance built up in the first season blossoms in this one.
Rajat (Ritvik Sahore) and Ishita (Tanya Maniktala) are finally committed and still attending their tuition classes at Sunshine coaching centre. Pandu (Shivam Kakkar) and Anusha (Sunakshi Grover), too, have their romantic cogwheels in sync.
The plot, however, is not simply an ‘all is well’ love story. This season of FLAMES showcases a much deeper analysis of all feelings, negative and positive, which come along with a relationship and their impact on a teenager.
All four lead characters dip their toes in a bit of happiness, trust, jealousy, frustration, ego, anger, and sadness. Being jealous of your girlfriend’s male friend or not sharing everything to avoid being perceived as weak is something very common.
The story is broader this time and also focuses on Rajat’s parents and his life at home. Which, as hinted in season 1, is very restricted. Kaushal sir (Deepesh Sumitra Jagdish) also has his own problems to deal with. However, his narration is still the icing on the cake.
The way he relates everything with chemistry is very entertaining. At one point he says that the most common elements around us are Hydrogen and stupidity which, in a way, is true.
The show also blends in issues of mental health and parental pressure and subtly tells us that it is ok to seek help and stand up for what we feel is right. Rajat and Ishita, too, fall victim to these external pressures and it has a major impact on their relationship.
However, there are some instances where the show gets repetitive and slow. There are moments where it feels forced but they do not linger for long enough to cause a major distraction.
The cast is impeccable in their performances. Ritvik Sahore was good in season 1, but this time he has outdone himself. Neelu Dogra and Purnendu Bhattacharya join the cast as Rajat’s parents and Raj Sharma plays Ishita’s father.
FLAMES Term 2 is now streaming on TVF Play and MX Player. Check out the trailer below: