Zoya's created a masterpiece yet again. All 9 episodes of Made in Heaven are authentic and beautifully directed.
Layered characters, complex stories, super performances - totally worth the time.
Only thing I wanted was for each episode to be a movie, since it ends right when you start loving the plot!
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rajnidaswani8 March 2019
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pawanpunjabithewriter10 September 2020I recently completed watching this Indian web series for the second timer. It offers something entirely new and out of the box, a rare gem in the vast sea of shows and movies. Upon my initial viewing, I was in awe, taken aback by its underrated brilliance. However, the magic didn't quite resonate as strongly during the second watch. Nevertheless, I'm content enough to rate it a 9 and share this review.
Initially, I was hesitant to continue after the first two episodes, as it seemed excessively female-centric, focusing heavily on women empowerment and what felt like slightly overrated feminism. Yet, my curiosity persisted, and I was delighted to find that the show eventually balanced its purpose by exploring men's issues and challenges as well. It became a fascinating exploration of varied themes, offering a fresh and creative perspective that captivated my interest.
The performances were a mixed bag, with Kalki Koechlin delivering a lackluster portrayal, contrasting with the brilliance of Shashank, Shivan Raghuvanshi, Vijay Raaz, and Jim Sarbh. Sobhita's portrayal was compelling. I loved its unique approach and I'd recommend everyone to watch Zoya's yet another cinematiic brilliance! -
rosunningthemcha11 March 2019Made in Heaven is a Delhi based wedding planning company co-owned by Karan and Tara and this is their story. The last Indian series which kept me awake at night was Sacred Games. MIH is binge-worthy. And that's the best quality of a series, I believe. Writing, direction, cinematography, dialogs, music- all A+. In an obvious Zoya Akhtar-ish style, it shows the upper middle class milieu, lavish weddings, crazy rich Indians in fancy destinations, dressed up like their lives depended on their costumes. Style meets substance though. The writing takes clever jibes at the system, patriarchy, sexism, classism, homophobia and other such social evils. For instance 'ruling party' becomes the euphemism for THE ruling party. Clever! The small side notes on feminism reminds you that several women have written/directed this. I think it was a genius idea to release it on the eve of International women's day. Karan and Tara are not just wedding planners. They are wranglers, dreamers who have been let loose in Delhi. The deconstruction of these characters and their origin story is the core and the best part of the series. These are two deeply flawed people. But in an addictive way. With Karan's charater, Indian film makers have finally matured enough in showing a young gay city man in a realistic environment. It's just refreshing to watch love-making scenes between two men shown without the heteronormative filter that we're so used to till now. No sugar-coating, no sanitisation. (Think Ek Ladki ko dekha to aisa laga) At least I've never seen such a layered, realistic portrayal of an LGBT character in India. The fact that Karan and Tara are played by actors who are not stars works very well in the larger scheme of things, for me at least. They don't have a baggage. (Think Saif in Sacred Games) The rest of the cast is also delectable and everyone brings their A-game. Really, if Prime India is going to come up with such content, they're going to give Netflix India a run for their money! This is a must watch if you love drama.
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andeeshmehdi19 March 2019Quite honestly, the trailer sucked. It doesn't do the series any justice. Made In Heaven is arguably India's finest series yet. It pushes boundaries that traditional cinema has never dared to. It has such well layered parallel stories and beautifully written characters. Everyone is fighting their own demons. Subliminal and direct messages throughout the series. Truly a masterpiece and a step in the right direction for Indian filmmaking. Must watch!!
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mailtodeepalipal18 March 2019It draws attention in the most addicting way possible, to each and every issue in our modern society. If you're thinking it's only about "rich people", you're extremely wrong. This is one of the best series i've come across in years. Please renew it for a season 2!!
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shreyajh9 March 2019I can't believe India has finally created a show which addresses so many social issues...Where do I start... Dowry issue, article 377, extramarital affair from all perspectives, sexual assault and many more superstitions... Wow... Just wow... Hats off to the creatures for addressing all these things... The trailer made it seem like a vain series about high class wedding... But I am impressed... We need to make more serials like this...
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himalaya-2258220 March 2019Who said life is a straight path, dont we keep going in circles between past and future and see deeper meanings of truth. The day i saw the trailer when i went to watch Gully Boy, i knew, something good is arriving on 8th of march. Well watch it and see for yourself that when real artists are given their due artistic freedom they come up with realities that we often consciously refuse to see. From Karan and Tara, the two lead characters and their insecurities, we are taken to a whole bunch of characters, some flawed, some troublesome and others quite innocent like Jazz. All in all there is Joya & Reema vibe to the whole series. Like ZNMD and Dil Dhadkne Do, Zoya utilises vocalising the inner thoughts of a "photographer" this time, who unlike others is aware of the farceness of the world he is living in. Only love for this beautiful series.
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singhaamit12 March 2019One of the best webseries which is ever made in the history of indian web media .... The characters are so real that we can easily relate with them ,,,, specially tara and karan ,,,, karan is just love ... And want more magnificent shows like this from Amazon prime ,,, first time article 377 and homo sexuality is projected with such a big content ,,,, and if u still haven't seen this wonderful show then just do a favour on u and watch it....
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aprajit98 March 2019Probably the most intelligent series that has ever come out of the Indian web series space. Certainly Amazon's best in India. The best part about it are the characters. They engage you from minute 1. You feel like you want to know more and more about them. Why they are, how they are? Each episode has a different premise and that runs along with the central narrative surronding the main characters. The performances from Sobhita Dhulipala and Arjun Mathur are top notch with the latter playing his comparatively tougher character with the utmost nuance and brilliance. Jim Sarbh is the other standout from the main cast!
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gkhadria21 March 2019The characters are amazingly real. The issues are real. It's an achievement for Indian TV.
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What an impressive Series. Hollywood vould learn a lot from that bold storytelling. I couldn't believe my eyes when zi saw how real especially gay lovemaking scenes - and nit shady at all. Great actors as well, espacially the leading characters and the photographer character. The only reason I didn't give the full 10 stars: Delhi might be different from Mumbai or other cities in India, but there is literally no sign at all about slums and rubbish. They try to show the poorness too, but there's such a huge difference between billionairs life and life in slums almost side by side, which has not been captured in it's rare truth. I loved that the forced marriage theme was shown only in one of the letter episodes. If it was european, that've been the first. It has to be shown for sure, but I think it was good not to start with smth wich would come in mind first as a stereotype.
I hope this is getting more then just one season. -
Newyorking11 August 2023I loved season 1 of Made in Heaven. It broke boundaries on a massive scale, and my Latina friend recommended it, showing how many boundaries it had broken. Everyone I knew loved it. I watched it multiple times eagerly awaiting season 2. Did season 2 live up to its hype? It felt like a let-down. For one, season 1's premise of one marriage per season with parallels in the leads' own lives worked quite well and tied it up well. Season 2 seems like a hodgepodge of things trying hard to be consistent. Every single episode is "woke". While I love how this show has touched upon serious topics, season 2 was like being slapped in the face in every single episode how being woke and diverse and different is ok. I like subtleties, I do not like being hit in the face multiple times. It is exhausting.
Karan, Kabir and Jassi keep going round and round in the same cycle, while Tara lands on solid ground but in the process loses her simple boyfriend who is just a good guy, the chemistry everywhere seems quite rushed, the couples all seem very mechanic.
Season 1 had heart; season 2 has moments of it but there is so much going on that the overall heart is completely missing. Season 1 showed us how the couple fell in love, season 2 couples and marriages are revolving around the other characters completely losing its roots. Is season 2 worth it? Yes. Everything - sets, costumes, are all stunning. But it is certainly a let-down from season 1.
Season 2 did not need all the celebrities because then it takes away from the heart of the characters and weddings. The director got too carried away casting her celebrity friends who really have no purpose. -
ashutoshpandey-9030115 August 2023Season 1 was all about emotional depth of the characters and their interactions were well written and directed equally well, blending with Indianess of the different stories.
Season 2 just plays to a foreign audience with poorly sketched characters and a complete lack of depth and absolutely no storyline whatsoever. Sobhita is realistic, Jim and Kalki delight to watch and Arjun is a pain to watch. The entire series has unfortunately been reduced to a propaganda driven LGBTQ and pride parade, which lacks conviction and appears fake and does not reflect the true Delhi where the story is supposedly set. Disappointing and avoidable! -
vijay_bhavsar22 March 2019Perfect combination of modern & traditional India. Strong character building. Phenomenal performances by all actors.
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I love Zoya's work. It's a different concept that people aren't used to in India. People want violence and abusive language for selling. This is a very unique concept with good characters and the direction of scenes and wedding scenes are amazing. Story is engaging and you should give it a shot.
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kalikperme22 March 2019First ever Indian series I wish had more episodes. Please come up with season 2
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ashitsingh-855178 March 2019This show was awesome with everything you need.The way it was expressed was amazing . This show talks every issues in our society which suprised me because it's difficult to express these many issues in one series.. when you deeply analysis it you will see small details that will touch your heart. It's not just a story about rich and all..this show has so many different perspective that it will take so much time me to explain whether it's was relegion, love,self realisation, loving yourself, speaking for your yourself,doing something against the injustice system, being confident, single parent hood, love don't have age , money is not everything, self realisation,not bending your life for others,karma, etc .. lol 😂 there's more, this is what this show teached me and have great moral behind it.. thanks to the makers it was an amazing ride.. hoping to see 2 season soon ...
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nikita_nov15 March 2019Made in Heaven plays with and then blows your mind. The reason it is a great series is because it tricks you. You start watching it believing you'll be seeing some 'crazy rich people getting married' and a lot of sex but what you binge on instead, is intriguing yet a non-depressing complexity. Every episode, the plot evolves as the characters evolve. You are eased into this world with a slight superficial knowledge of the characters who need to make money and are willing to use not very fair tactics to get things done for selfish reasons. The same characters, later use the very same tactics for getting shadier but courageous stuff done. The 'gay' and the 'gray' area is treated with such sensitivity that homophobic people who are tricked into watching it, come out with an altered set of ideas. Challenging AND changing mindsets in a patriarchal Indian society, is what this series has achieved. It has set a benchmark which will be tough to match up to. It will keep coming back to you, after you have watched it, in the form of one character or the other. While no character is right, none is wrong either.
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hemantshurma9 March 2019Totally loved and binge watched entire series in a day. Characters are richly in accordance with script. Shades of grey in each one is vividly appreciable.
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hbashv14 August 2023S1: 8/10
- Too depressing
S2: 6/10- Every episode feels like a chapter being studied out of a textbook (Ch.1: colorism, Ch.2: domestic abuse, etc.). It becomes tiresome and predictable.
- The depiction of Karan's drug addiction was so cliche, I felt very bored watching him go to a club, gamble, etc. We didn't need 4 -5 sequences of him getting high.
- Jazz and Kabir's relationship seriously lacked chemistry. Super boring.
- The Jauhari family plot line was very poorly executed. Felt very choppy. None of the characters and their belief systems were believable, and the dialogues felt like a fever dream.
- I am losing track of Karan and Meher's many romances and partners, I felt my head spinning trying to remember whom they met where and when.
- Faiza was a very interesting character but her constantly bringing up the divorce didn't build tension like it should have.
- The addition of Gauri to the show could've been more interesting.
- Wanted more of the Khanna family drama and more of Tara's divorce.
- Overall theme of the show felt very preachy, which would've been fine if done better.
- I don't feel invested in any of the sad storylines, like Karan's mom, Jazz's brother, Adil's dad's death, etc. Not enough emotional connection built.
- Kabir's character is very irritating, and his storyline was just not necessary (gf breakup, career struggle, etc)
- I don't get the hype around Mona Singh's acting as Bulbul Jauhari. She was introduced as a change maker at the office, but she never really estaished herself as a powerful part of the team or a force to be reckoned with. She was brought in with cheery music in the background a jump in her step but I never witnessed her actual cheery personality.
- I liked how Tara became more morally ambiguous as she tried to make weddings happen for the benefit of their company even at the cost of the bride.
- I liked the wedding plot of episode 3, could've made it more dangerous though. Episodes 4 and 5 were boring.
- I didn't get to see much of the tiny luxurious details of the lives of the rich when it comes to wedding planning.
- A lot of the actual wedding planning parts had a lot of shouting, complaining and hassle and that was it.
- Raghav doesn't feel like an interesting rebound for Tara. Too tame, doesn't challenge her in a way that's interesting on the screen (other than his demure personality contrasting her coldness).
- Tara's scenes with the purse, cab, helping Adil's mom and her niece, going to the art exhibition, etc felt nice but not cohesive.
- Pallavi's brother's hesitations weren't ever resolved?
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Fella_shibby15 October 2019Got enticed into seeing this after watching the sultry babe Shobita in Bard of Blood. Arjun Mathur gave a terrific performance n the chemistry between him n Shobita as friends is top notch. Jim Sarbh has got good screen presence but his acting is a bit weak. In some scenes one can make out that he is trying to control his laughter. The show dealt with many issues but got dragged at times with too many characters. The ending is not conclusive.
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As they say, "marriages are made in heaven" but how true is this? Made in heaven gives the appropriate answer to the question. Crafted with beautiful scenes and more beautiful cast, the 9 episodes series shows 9 different stories that are full of wedding vibes - beautiful people, colourful, fancy, ethnic clothes, and lots of music. But the show doesn't only shows the beautiful side but takes you to the back door and shows the ugly face of beautiful elite Indian weddings. Each episode shows the different story with the episodic cast and an issue that we don't want to face. Life of the lead characters, apart from the episodic cast, runs throughout the show, and this works as a push to viewers to play the next episode. The shows also displays the homosexuality through its male lead. And I am delighted and content after watching the treatment done with character. Unlike many other shows and movies where gay characters were either reduced to joke or nonsense love angle, Made In Heaven keeps the the character authentic and real. The ensemble is brilliant and everyone has done justice to their part. I have personally enjoyed the roles of Shashank Arora and Shivani Raghuvanshi and the epilogues in each episodes. The show has a talented episodic cast of actors like Deepti Naval, Neena Gupta, Rasika Duggal, Manvi Gagroo, Vikrant Massey, and many others. The show doesn't only have an ensemble cast but an ensemble of directors as well. Zoya Akhtar, Nitya Mehra, Prashant Nair, and Alankrita Shrivastava have done their work so well that the story doesn't feel going low at any second of the show. Equal credit should be given to the writers' team - Zoya Akhtar, Reema Kagti, and Alankrita Shrivastava. Music is soothing and suits the scenes. The show is absolutely binge worthy and it will leave you to crave for more. With almost no flaws in the show I have it 10 stars.
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av1rup20 August 2023S1: 8.5/10 S2: 6.5/10
S1: Overall amazing season with sporadic acts of mediocrity.
S2: Overall mediocre with sporadic acts of brilliance.
Was really impressed with season 1 when it started, it brought forward some harsh realities and truths about our prejudiced society. It never really felt to impose anything or sound preachy about the messages it imparted. The concluding monologues by Kabir used to be the icing on the cake to each episodes. Each episode gave an anthological feel to the series with arcs of the main characters just presented as snippets progressing through the episodes to culminate at the finale.
Fast forward to 4 years, the second season failed to capitalise on the magic the 1st one had. The monologues seemed rather ordinary with the actual marriage arcs taking mostly backseat and the main characters taking the centre stage with almost 7-10 mins of unnecessary drama in each episode. But it did excel in soe parts , some even overshadowing the 1sr season, but the flames were too short lived to carry the season forward. The Jauhari storyline was the best part of S2 and carried the show forward. The episodes specially those ft Diya Mirza, Mrunal Thakur and Radhika Apte (in that order) were the breath of fresh air. -
We're not progressing, we're regressing just in a different direction.
Any tv show/movie that I've watched that has group of women as leads or is written by a women, it mostly focus on hating men or being vulgar.
The show is amazing, such strong storyline, great acting and social awareness but one thing I notices without fail is in every episode, only the men are shown in bad light whereas women are always the victim or right.
In the episode where bride & groom's dad & mom elope, kriti's husband was shown in bad light while gulshan's wife was shown a saint and a victim at the end. This is to justify Kriti's action of leaving her husband while being sympathetic towards gulshan's wife.
This storyline reflects so much how women actually think. They want no guilt, no accountability for their actions and want to be treated above men and that just sucks.
No storyline actually showed that straight men also face any issues in their life.
Sorry but the perspective of the writer/director is so wide yet so small.
I feel sad.
I'll repeat We're not progressing, we're regressing just in a different direction. -
abhi-642009 March 2019I come from a small town down South and we always wonder what would be the lifestyle of the riches from metropolitans. Zoya ji.. you did a great job depicting the same in Dil dhadakne do and again you nailed it with this webseries. A big hug from our family.