Rana Naidu Season 2 Review: Rana Daggubati and Arjun Rampal lead a guilty pleasure full of flaws and firepower

Rana Daggubati returns in Rana Naidu Season 2

‘Rana Naidu’ returns for a second season and sticks to the same brash, chaotic tone that defined its debut. Once again, the show dives headfirst into a world full of betrayal, backstabbing, family feuds, and stylised violence—with barely a nod to logic or coherence. Rana Daggubati and Venkatesh continue as the dysfunctional father-son duo, constantly circling each other in a web of mistrust and guilt. While the series adds nothing particularly new to the story, it leans fully into its pulpy roots, offering the same guilty-pleasure binge—messy, over-the-top, and oddly compelling. Based on ‘Ray Donovan,’ this Hindi adaptation has fully embraced its own grammar, ditching emotional nuance in favour of pure spectacle.

The season opens with Rana Naidu’s (Rana Daggubati) son Ani being kidnapped, which drags him to Goa and back into the orbit of his crooked father, Naga (Venkatesh). One underground fight and a few beatdowns later, Ani is rescued, but peace doesn’t last. Back in Mumbai, Rana assures his wife, Naina, that he’s out of the “fixing” game, but within minutes he’s sucked into the power circles of business tycoon Viraj Oberoi (Rajat Kapoor) and gangster Rauf Bhai (Arjun Rampal). Aligning himself with Viraj’s sister Alia (Kriti Kharbanda)—who wants to buy into a cricket league—Rana plays both sides to stay ahead. Meanwhile, Rauf is out for blood following the deaths of his men in Goa. The rivalry escalates and ultimately leads to the death of Rana’s morally upright brother Tej (Sushant Singh), making things even more personal.

Despite the storyline occasionally flying off the rails, the performances help anchor the series. Rana Daggubati once again impresses with his screen presence—effortlessly shifting between being a loyal father, ruthless enforcer, and strategic manipulator. Surveen Chawla returns as Naina and adds gravitas even as her arc takes a melodramatic turn. The new cast members inject fresh energy: Arjun Rampal is unhinged as the foul-mouthed Rauf Bhai, Rajat Kapoor is coolly calculating as Viraj Oberoi, and Kriti Kharbanda surprises with her sinister edge. Dino Morea’s track as a determined cop and secret lover of Naina starts off promising but fizzles out by the end. Still, the cast commits fully to the madness, which keeps the engine running.

This season turns the violence up several notches, often pushing believability to its limits. People are bumped off left and right, often in absurd or inventive ways, but no one seems to remember the consequences. Rana is responsible for multiple deaths, yet only one lands him in jail—the rest are either brushed aside or magically forgiven. The writing jumps between arcs with little regard for logic, often contradicting itself. But that chaos becomes part of the charm. The show never tries to be subtle or thoughtful—it knows exactly what it is: a full-throttle, emotionally loud, morally grey soap opera for adults. It’s pulpy, indulgent, and completely self-aware of its own excesses.

‘Rana Naidu’ Season 2 doesn’t aim to be layered or profound—and that’s what makes it easy to watch. It’s fast-paced, exaggerated, and packed with enough action and scandal to keep you hooked, even if you’re rolling your eyes half the time. The emotional core is basic—family above all—but everything else is taken to an extreme level. There’s no attempt at being highbrow, no ambition for awards-season prestige. And strangely, that honesty works. If you’re looking for well-written arcs and character growth, this isn’t it. But if you’re in the mood for slick chaos, family drama, and unapologetic excess, ‘Rana Naidu’ delivers exactly that. Just don’t expect to remember the plot a week later.

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Cast: Rana Daggubati, Venkatesh Daggubati, Surveen Chawla, Abhishek Banerjee, Sushant Singh, Rajat Kapoor, Kriti Kharbanda, Dino Morea, and Arjun Rampal

Director: Karan Anshuman, Abhay Chopra, and Suparn S Varma

Rating: 2.5/5

(‘Rana Naidu’ S2 is streaming on Netflix)