Heaving Bodies and Sturdy Chests

Bridgerton Season 3 | Cast: Nicola Coughlan, Luke Newton | Showrunner: Shonda Rhimes | English | Netflix

MEN LOVE TO explain the world to women,” says the desperate Mrs Featherington to her daughter, Penelope, who has an inordinate interest in reading, and therefore has a sure shot at outsmarting potential suitors. This season it is all about the idea of the culturally acceptable man and woman, and how the public self can be so different from the private self. The question in every socially regimented society is whether as men and women, do we perform for ourselves or for our masters, whoever they may be? In the reimagined Regency era Bridgerton, it is Queen Charlotte, arbiter of all taste and decider of all norms. Every season we find a Bridgerton being let loose on the court and every year Queen Charlotte of the Most Elaborate Hairdo has to pick a winner, or a diamond (yes, like our desi heera). The diamond doesn’t always fall in line with the Queen’s machinations but it doesn’t stop her from trying. This year, a Bridgerton boy returns from his European travels, sturdier and hunkier, ready to take his place in society, which is to say, do nothing except indulge in drink and debauchery. Ah, but our Colin has a long standing friendship with Penelope, she of the embarrassing mother and wicked sisters. Will they, won’t they? There’s a Part 2 to Season 3 but already there has been much bodice ripping and heavy breathing. Quite enough to send Lady Whistledown into paroxyms of panicky pleasure.

Why Watch it? Why watch it? In a world full of ugliness, Coughlan’s ripe beauty and Newton’s thoughtful sexiness is a much-required distraction

Guns and Drugs in Himachal

Undekhi Season 3 | Cast: Harsh Chhaya, Surya Sharma | Director: Ashish R Shukla | Hindi | SonyLIV

SO WHEN SEASON 3 opens, the foul mouthed Punjabi patriarch is back from the dead and full of beans, missing his Scotch and his butter chicken. His sons are engaged in a silent proxy war over his drug business. It is based in Himachal and centred on a beautiful resort so naturally Israelis are involved. There are two sisters-in-law who throw invisible daggers at each other, even as old ghosts resurface. There is a dead photographer, a tribal girl, a Bengali police officer who is in severe depression, and a mysterious hydra-headed business rival. This is familiar territory for Undekhi and a formula followed by Disney+Hotstar’s Aarya. This season has as many twists and turns as the first edition and much more emotion. Things seem to be headed for a finale but of course there is yet another cliffhanger.

Why Watch it? An out-of-the-box performance by Harsh Chhaya as the unscrupulous Papaji who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. And a strong grip on the narrative despite multiple characters

About The Author

Kaveree Bamzai

Kaveree Bamzai is an author and a contributing writer with Open

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