The teenage romance web series on TVF Play, Flames had an impact on me in the second season, but failed to impress me in the first season.

The first season of Flames is like a last option for me, when I have nothing else to see. The simplicity of a young love and innocent efforts of Rajat and Ishita in a relationship is nicely portrayed in Flames. But I think it would have been better if the director had gone more in depth of the lives of the lead characters. The episodes in the first season were too short to cover the beautiful moments of the two couple's stories.

But, this table turns in the second season. We not only get to explore Rajat and Ishita's love life, but also take a deeper dive into their familial relationships. The struggles of a student, parental pressure and their emotional unavailability towards the children is something I could totally relate to. I believe many of us can feel what these characters are going through. 

One thing worth appreciating is the friendship of the four characters (Rajat, Gaurav, Anusha and Ishita). The way they value and stand by each other in the darkest of times is worth noting. We all crave for friendships like these. It's so cute to see Gaurav and Anusha's continuous planning to make Rajat and Ishita come together. Like every friend circle, these four also have a hangout spot, Mr. Momos. Oh, how I miss my school days right now!

The series can be binged on days when we want to lighten our mood. But, the first season was not very engrossing for me. I feel that it could have been more enjoyable and the direction is not very satisfactory.

The acting of Shivam Kakar as Gaurav Pande has all my heart. His goofy character has been performed well on screen! Ritvik Sahore as Rajat and Tanya Maniktala as Ishita also gave good performances. But, Sunakshi Grover as Anusha disappointed me. She over acted in the entire series.

Overall, the series is average. It has some really good scenes which will bring a smile to your face, but often the episodes are quite boring. A note to the creators of the show - get your pacing right and you’ll be elevating this show up several notches. 

Rating 3/5