Abhiroop Das
Co-created by Neeraj Pandey and Vipul K. Rawal, Netflix’s ‘Taskaree: The Smuggler’s Web,’ also known as ‘Smuggling: The Smuggler’s Web,’ dramatizes the inner workings of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, where customs officers work tirelessly day in and out to put an end to international smuggling. Arjun Meena, a down-on-his-luck customs officer, is reunited with his friends, Gujjar and Mitali, when their suspension is lifted by Prakash Kumar, their new boss in customs. Together, they craft a team that is not only fiercely competent but also incorruptible, and thus begins a long, gruelling battle with the smuggling syndicate run by Bada Choudhary. Season 1 of this Hindi drama series ends with the reveal that Prakash Kumar, the seeming face of honesty in the show, is himself a corrupted officer.
Against all odds, however, Arjun catches wind of a gold smuggling deal development just in time and puts a dramatic stop to it. Elsewhere, customs intelligence agents nab Bada Choudhary in Al-Dera, bringing down his syndicate for good. While the story is largely over, fans are curious as to whether the show will add a sequel to its belt. As of writing, Netflix has not indicated any such development, but in the best-case scenario, season 2 can be expected to release sometime in early 2028.
Taskaree Season 2 Might Level up Arjun’s Fight Against Smuggling Syndicates
While season 1 of ‘Taskaree’ wraps up most of its plot threads, the show’s premise lends itself to an unlimited storytelling potential, as Arjun’s goal to crack down on the global smuggling network is far from being fully realized. With Bada Chaudhary behind bars, a power vacuum now exists in the entire smuggling industry, and a potential season 2 might see new players join the mix. Another major development is the reveal of Prakash Kumar as a corrupt officer. While Arjun and his team are now aware of this farce, whether they are able to prove it to the authorities is a different story. Prakash notably claims that the diplomatic cargo could not be screened, and that is why the gold inside them went unchecked. As such, there is no direct evidence against him, and he might continue as the leader in season 2.
The ongoing clash between Arjun and Prakash can go either way in a potential sequel to the story, as we already know that Arjun has been suspended before and is generally on bad terms with the higher-ups. To that end, Prakash might climb up the ranks even further and become the true antagonist of the narrative, forcing the customs officers to fight a battle within the system. On the personal front, the trajectory of Arjun and Priya’s dynamic also remains to be seen. While there are clear signs of a romantic development between the two, neither has made an actual move just yet. However, given her successful track record, a second season might also see Priya return to the world of covert operations and customs intelligence, maintaining the high-risk factor in this relationship.
Taskaree Season 2 Will Likely Introduce a New Antagonist
With the ending of ‘Taskaree’ season 1 in mind, the potential cast for the next season is bound to have a number of major changes, despite much of the core cast likely staying back. Emran Hashmi can be expected to reprise his role as the protagonist, Arjun Meena, with Amruta Khanvilkar and Zoya Afroz most likely reprising their roles as Mitali Kamath and Priya Khubchandani, respectively. However, a major departure in the cast going forward might be that of Nandish Sandhu, who plays Ravinder Gujjar. While the character may be dead, future storylines might integrate flashbacks or even continue with Gujjar acting as Arjun’s spirit guide, as we saw in the season 1 finale. To that end, Sandhu has a slim chance of reappearing in a sequel, but likely not in a major capacity as before.
The conclusions of Prakash Kumar and Bada Choudhary are steeped in ambiguity by the time the curtains roll on season one. As such, whether or not actors Anurag Sinha and Sharad Kelkar will return in a potential continuation of the show remains a mystery. The same goes for actor Anuja Sathe, who plays the role of Meenakshi, Gujjar’s former partner. Given his death, Sathe’s role in the narrative is bound to be limited, and we may not see her reprising the role going forward. On the other hand, season 2 might greet a number of fresh faces in the cast, as almost all the major antagonists of the season 1 are arrested in the finale. This gives the creative team an opportunity to bring more talent to the story and create yet another fiery ensemble of actors working in perfect sync with each other.
Taskaree Season 2 Could Return to Arjun, Gujjar, and Mitali’s Past
A major aspect of Arjun, Mitali, and Gujjar’s character arc that is teased but never explained in the first season is the reason why they were suspended in the first place. Based on both Arjun and Prakash’s comments, this backstory appears to be significant in one way or another, and a potential continuation of the story might shed more light on their past. This can also retroactively flesh out Gujjar’s character even further, especially after his tragic, but heroic, demise towards the end of season 1. A sequel also has the chance to flesh out Mitali’s character further, as, despite being a member of the core trio, we hardly get much insight into who she is, unlike Arjun and Gujjar. In the same vein, several other supporting characters can be fleshed out to create a more compelling final team.
While Arjun is headed towards a wider recognition in the world of customs, his relationship with Priya is still up in the air. After narrowly saving Suresh Kaka’s life and escaping Al-Dera, she must make her way back to Mumbai, where Arjun is waiting for her. However, the scene intentionally cuts before any romantic development can actually take place on-screen, which makes it possible that the crew is holding off on that angle for now and might bring it back for season 2. This, in turn, can serve as a springboard for a deeper dive into the thematic question of this show: whether a commitment to honesty can actually triumph over personal fears and setbacks, a lot of which are expected to show up in Arjun’s journey going forward.
Read More: Is Taskaree a True Story? Is the Chaudhary Syndicate Based on a Real Smuggling Ring?
