Unstoppable with NBK Season 2 Episode 1 Review: A hearfelt chat exploring the humane side to Chandrababu Naidu, Nara Lokesh

3.5/5

When Balakrishna takes centre stage in a frame, it’s hard to look at anyone else, but the Telugu OTT platform aha has done the impossible with the premiere episode of the second season of the star’s talk show Unstoppable with NBK. Half the battle was won when it was official that Balakrishna’s brother-in-law and son-in-law and politicians Nara Chandrababu Naidu and (his son) Nara Lokesh were to make an appearance on the show. The rest, as they say, is history and this couldn’t have begun better.

As a host, Balakrishna’s strength is his ability to extract unfiltered responses from his guests, irrespective of whether they are from the film industry or politics. While Chandrababu Naidu and Nara Lokesh are identified as serious, intense politicians on the field, it takes some effort to bring their light-hearted side to the fore in front of the camera, even if it’s by their family member. Telugu viewers get everything they expect from an episode featuring the Nandamuri and Nara clans - drama, humour, cinema and politics.

Chandrababu is a politician known to keep his emotions under check, when in public and it’s not every day that you get a glimpse of his life beyond politics. The bonhomie between Balakrishna and Chandrababu sealed the deal initially and helped the latter drop his guard. The former AP CM was apparently a huge fan of NTR and ANR and he added that movies were an integral part of his growing years. The focus soon shifted to Chandrababu’s forethought in bringing the IT industry to Hyderabad.

There are memorable insights on how Chandrababu convinced Bill Gates to set up a Microsoft office in Hyderabad. He also remembered days when everything beyond Jubilee Hills was considered city outskirts and how he refused to build his house in a remote location in the 80s where commuting was a basic hassle. Many took a dig at the politician’s policies on communication, technology and Chandrababu reminds them how it’s possible to live without a family but impossible to live without a mobile now.

Balakrishna and Chandrababu took a dig at the current AP government in connection with the controversy surrounding the name-changing of the health university in the State (it was named after NTR earlier, now changed to YSR). He cited examples of how he retained the public spots named after Congress leaders in Hyderabad, even as he was in power in AP. Chandrababu expressed his sadness at petty politics taking over AP and rues how changemakers aren’t getting their due, owing to their party affiliation.

The former AP CM called himself a true romantic, even more than Balakrishna. He reminded viewers of the days when he and his friends removed the silencers from their bikes and accelerated their two-wheelers to woo women. There were three options in front of Chandrababu in terms of career choices then, from studying for UPSC to doing a university job to becoming an MLA. He was so confident of his political career that he convinced his father to give him Rs 1 lakh ahead of an election in his constituency in the 70s.

When asked to comment on the biggest alliance in his career, Chandrababu spoke of his marriage with NTR’s daughter and Balakrishna’s sister Bhuvaneswari. While talking of his biggest mistake, he mentioned his decision to dissolve the assembly and advance the elections in 2004 that changed the political landscape of the country. He stated that he fears none and is never scared about anything in life. Leading the internal coup within the TDP in 1995 is the biggest decision in my career, Chandrababu shared.

Both Chandrababu and NTR agreed that it was necessary to take charge of the party from external forces in 1995 before it was too late. Balakrishna mentioned that the actor in (his father) NTR took over the director in him in films and something similar happened in the political arena too, where personal priorities came in the way of his leadership. It’s interesting how the host and guest while celebrating NTR’s life didn’t shy away from discussing his problematic spots.

Moving on from politics, Balakrishna even got Chandrababu to say ‘I like you’ to his wife over the phone and also had him converse with daughter-in-law Brahmani, whom he called the pride of his family. The presence of Lokesh invited enthusiasm to the episode and it was great to see Balakrishna and him sharing their challenges of moving beyond the shadows of their illustrious fathers. Lokesh also spoke of his loss in Mangalagiri in 2019 and how he’s looking to change his fortunes in the upcoming election.

Chandrababu and Lokesh spoke of several aspects that completed their lives - their marriage, their controversies, their friendships, and mischief. The trio minced no words and their conversation was relatable, life-like and informative at the same time. The thoughtful gesture to honour the blood cancer survivor and fitness instructor Farzana, in the end, provided the motivational dose for the episode.

As a long-term goal, Chandrababu mentioned that he’d leave no stone unturned to make India a global power when it completes 100 years of Independence in 2047. The first episode of the second season has begun with a bang and it’s undoubtedly the best thing to have happened to the show on the whole. The presence of politicians who’re family to the host added a new dimension to the 80-minute episode and it was all worth the wait. So, what if it’s a talk show? Watch Unstoppable with a popcorn tub by your side.