Aashram Chapter 2 – Trailer Analysis and Predictions

Japnaam. Baba jaane mann ki baat, and our prayers have been answered. The second chapter for Prakash Jha’s web-series ‘Aashram’ is here.

If you didn’t get that reference, you might want to watch Aashram Chapter 1 first, because this article contains spoilers from chapter 1! If you are wondering if you should spend time watching Chapter 1, maybe this spoiler-free review will help you.

Chapter 2 of Aashram is scheduled to be released on November 11th, 2020. What we have now is a bigger, more comprehensive trailer, as compared to the rushed sneak-peek at the end of Chapter 1. This trailer is labelled ‘The Dark Side.’ How much darker can this show become? We saw rapes, murders, drugs, forced castrations, corruption and a war for power. What more awaits? A terror attack?

Trailer Breakdown

The trailer promises the progress of the multiple storylines which all converge at the headquarters of cruelty, the Aashram of Kashipur wale Baba Nirala.

First we get a glimpse of splendid, royal Baba Nirala walking through a horde of his devotees, flanked by security. Later, shining and smiling in Baba’s party is Babita, the same woman who was raped by Babaji in a very disturbing graphic scene. (Oh did I mention Baba also had her husband’s testes removed, and then sent him away?) Later in the trailer we find out that Babita has voluntarily become Baba’s favourite paramouor to gain power, and has risen up the organisation ladder usurping Saadhvi Mata as the queen bee.

We also get a glimpse of Tinka Singh performing at a concert, as Pammi enthusiastically narrates her miraculous encounter with Baba Nirala. The crowd is charged with love, cheering and applauding as the strobe lights dance.

Bhopa Swami is seen pacifying a now disgraced Saadhvi Maata by stating that Baba’s fetish is devouring a new girl every now and then. As alluded by the trailer and the very first episode, Pammi is the new girl after Babita. Her wrestling career seems to be going well -even multi-talented Nirala meets her in the ring. She is felt up, yet she is seen dismissing Kavita’s warning, saying that Babaji will never do such disgusting things. In the next shot, a traumatized Pammi is tearfully telling her reverred godman that she fears she has been raped while unconscious, as he looks at her with a blank expression.

We also see Abhijeet and Dr. Tarika – I mean, Ujagar Singh and Dr. Natasha trying to enter the Aashram. Ujagar and his sidekick Sadhu enter the de-addiction center disguised as weed-smoking hippies, only to discover Baba’s prasad is laced with drugs. Later, Natasha cries in front of a burning pyre.

Satti, who has lost his balls but not his faith in Babaji, is seen smiling eagerly. Presumably, he is still at his new job, away from the aashram headquarters and has no idea what is happening with his wife and his sister. Later we see Bhopa Swami point a gun to his head, and slap him.

The most significant plotline remains Baba’s lust for political power. We see the opposition CM candidate surrender himself to Baba’s feet, repeatedly. We learn that Baba’s influence has reached 50 constituencies, making him a power player who commands thousands of voters. His merchandise is sold alongside pictures of Hindu dieties. A bloody, beaten corpse is seen surrounded by a crowd, hinting at a mob-lynching, possibly orchestrated by Baba’s goons.

Later we see the Chief Minister advise Baba Nirala to save his ass, and warns him that he will end up behind bars. Baba is so high on power he does not care. Bhopa and Baba have an argument at one point, alluding to a possible rift.

Missing from the trailer are Akhwinder Rathee, Sohini and any mentions of the dead woman who was buried by Bhopa and friends. We do see Baba arrive at what looks like the excavation site, and rise high above the crowd on a JCB. Akhwinder’s voiceover is heard as he describes activities in the aashram

Predictions :

• Baba’s control over his henchmen will be undermined. Babita, after replacing Saadhvi Mata, will manipulate and weaken Nirala. She will cause Baba lose caution, and make him reckless. This will anger Bhopa Swami, as he will be unable to clean the mess. He will try to warn his boss, only to be dismissed nonchalantly. Eventually, Saadhvi or Bhopa will turn against him, shaking the foundation of the aashram.

• The drug racket will be discovered by Satti, and Bhopa will try to silence him. Meanwhile, Sadhu and Ujagar Singh will find out that the aashram is full of addicts, who have been forced into the habit with drug-laced laddoos. They will collect evidence, using the camera handed over by Dr. Natasha.

• All this intel will be passed on to Akhwinder Rathee who will do a story about it on his news channel. Akhwinder Rathee will expose drugs and the heinous cruelty against women inside the aashram. This will result in his murder and the complete erasure of his news agency, but it will raise questions. (The pyre shown in the trailer is probably his.)

• The news will reach the CM, who will waste no time using it against Baba and seize power. He will try to bring Baba Nirala on his side in order to use his vote bank, but Baba will refuse. It is evident that they will lock horns, as the trailer shows the CM warning him with a ‘thorough investigation’ inside his aashram, followed by a SWAT team raiding his concert/satsang.

• Pammi will find out Baba is a monster and try to escape. She will succeed but will be caught and tortured. She will finally escape after murdering the warden, as seen in the very first episode. It is likely that she will team up with Ujagar Singh and Sadhu at some point.

In Conclusion

I am looking forward to this chapter, and if you have finished reading this, you are probably excited as well. Comment below what you feel.

XOXO.