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).
Plot
Made for Each Other
Veda's grandmother is progressive. While Veda and Arjun's parents gather to discuss their marriage, Veda's grandmother asks the important question: have you two had sex yet? She believes that a 'test drive' before marriage is essential to ensure sexual compatibility, and thereby a long, happy marriage. Veda tells her one day that they did the deed and are happy, but her grandmother is not satisfied. She feels Arjun's ego will hurt him when he figures out he does not please Veda in bed. While the parents discuss traditional matters such as horoscopes and dates, Veda and Arjun continue exploring each other. They visit Veda's grandmother again. She keeps them waiting, and sensing their impatience, realises they have 'better things' to do. Pleased that they are having good sex and will have a good marriage, she gives her approval to their marriage.
The Mirror
Ishita's housemad, Seema, lives in a small shanty. When Ishita is not home, she uses her time cleaning the apartment to also secretly have sex with her husband. Unknown to her, Ishita knows their secret but has found she is turned on watching them. Ishita hides in a closet each day to watch Seema and her husband get it on. Seema is alerted to Ishita's presence one day, but says nothing out of fear of losing her job. She comes to accept the fact that she is being watched, but starts enjoying it. When Ishita accidentally knocks over a lamp, she is forced to reveal herself. The women hurl accusations at each other, and Seema is fired. After a few weeks, the women cross paths again. They miss their taboo arrangement, and Ishita hires Seema again to work for her. The next afternoon, Seema's husband comes to the apartment as usual, while Ishita is 'out'.
Sex with the Ex
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.
Tilchatta
Suraj owns a palace in rural Rajasthan. He is a sexual predator, who not only assaults his wife, Devyani, but every maid who works at their house. Devyani wishes to be free of Suraj and move abroad with her son, Ankur. When the last maid stops coming to work, she hires a young prostitute, Rekha, from the neighbouring village, who contracted HIV while servicing a client. She expects Suraj will get the disease when he inevitably rapes Rekha, as he has been doing all along. Suraj eyes Rekha from the day she joins, and tries to get her drunk while she is in hs room. However, Ankur walks in at the same time and disturbs Suraj's plans. At night, Devyani hears sounds of moaning coming from another room. Believing it to be Suraj and Rekha, she goes to confirm if her plan has succeeded. At that moment, Suraj stumbles into the house from a night of drinking out. The sounds continue emanating, and Devyani realises in horror that they belong to Rekha, who is having sex with the only other male in the house, Ankur.
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]
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