We discuss whether Shantaram will get a second season on Apple TV+ and whether it will be renewed or canceled.
Shantaram, based on the 2003 novel of the same name by Gregory David Roberts, is an Apple TV+ original. In this drama, as in the novel, the heroin addict and bank robber escapes from an Australian prison in the 1980s and takes refuge in Bombay.
In this version, Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy) plays the fugitive and the main character of the series. The twelve-part series was created by Eric Warren Singer (Top Gun: Maverick) and Steve Lightfoot (Hannibal).
When the wanted man, who goes by the name of Lin Ford, lands in Bombay, he befriends a vivacious tour guide named Prabhu (Shubham Saraf). This guide finds Lin food and shelter in this dangerous city, and they soon become friends and develop a commercial relationship.
Lin befriends many other criminals while on the run from the law and develops a passionate love for them. While Lin’s quest for forgiveness takes up most of the show, there are other subplots. Two rival criminal bosses are involved in a land battle, while another plot involves two Italian pimps and their prostitute Lisa (Elektra Kilbey).
Despite mixed reviews, the series holds a 56% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Although more people liked it, the film scored 7.56 IMDb. I thought the show was kind of boring because it had a long running time and way too many episodes for the basic plot it was trying to portray.
Lin is portrayed as a haunted hero, who quickly becomes annoying and clichéd. The program also has plenty of poorly written characters that are incredibly unpleasant and stereotypes of flaws and aimlessness. A glimmer of hope could be found in Prabhu, the humorous sidekick of the show, who stars in this otherwise depressing drama.
Will there be Shantaram season 2?
Apple TV+ has not yet confirmed or canceled Shantaram Season 2. With a follow-up novel by the same author, it’s not unreasonable to believe Season 2 will pick up, especially with Charlie Hunnam as the lead.
Even the actors and crew (including Hunnam) want a second season. Hunnam told The Hollywood Reporter during the world premiere of Season 1 of Shantaram:
“We did our best in the first season, against sometimes insurmountable odds. We did some things really, really well and captured some magic.
“There are some things we could do better if we had the chance to go back to season two and we hope we can continue to tell the story the way it wants to be told, whether that’s 10, 20 or 30 hours from now . One thing is clear: this text has an energy of its own and asks to be told the way it wants to be told.”
Although that may be easier said than done. As I’ve noted, Season 1 reviews have been, to say the least, mixed, and Hunnam’s current medical condition – he simply hurt his back while practicing for his role in the upcoming Zak Snyder movie Rebel Moon – could delay any future production by at least two years. He said the following in the same THR interview:
“I have a totally exploded S1 and S2 ripped wide open, 100 percent dried out. It will take two years to heal, and I have a 40 percent tear in the ligament on the right side that holds my spine in place.
Do you think that’s wrong? How did he feel while Shantaram was being filmed? Hunnam seemed to have had a terrible time finishing the first season of the action series:
“When I was in India, I got a bacterial intestinal infection, a viral intestinal infection, an acute respiratory infection. I had conjunctivitis in both eyes, an ear infection and dengue fever from a mosquito bite.”
Plus, the whole ordeal seems to have caused the protagonist to lose some of his enthusiasm for the show. It turns out that the duration of production of season 1 has reached seven years:
“I feel really numb tonight, maybe a little emotionless. I’m excited for the world to see it, but after seven years I think I’m saying it’s more personal to me than sharing it with the outside world, and I suppose it hasn’t really sunk in yet.
Shantaram Season 2 Renewal or Cancellation?
Apple hasn’t yet confirmed where Shantaram’s season 2 will be coming.
Apple usually avoids the ugly word of the moment – canceling – by renewing a series or classifying it as a miniseries if they don’t see the need to produce additional episodes. Their cunning strategy has meant they’ve mostly avoided criticism in recent years, unlike Netflix and Prime Video, which suffered from fans hoping their priceless episodes would air a little longer.
Currently, Shantaram is in an awkward position, with mixed reviews from reviewers and lukewarm reception from viewers in general. Apple might classify this as a one-off, limited series and call it a day, but stranger things have happened.
There was a sequel novel and the series is a largely faithful adaptation of the original work. Therefore, more of this story can be told if the audience is interested. I’d be very shocked if Shantaram got a second season renewal, but the companion book, The Mountain Shadow, might convince the streaming service to change its mind. As always, we’ll let you know if there are any developments regarding Shantaram’s upcoming revamp.
December 16, 2022, update – Shantaram will not be renewed for season 2, according to Apple. The TV show was cancelled. follow us on ledaily.com for more latest updates.
