‘The show gave rise to many conversations’

Now, screenwriter Niranjan Iyengar, who was the executive producer and head writer on the show, has addressed the criticism it received. When asked how he views claims that the show was indulgent and polarising, he said in a chat with Variety India, “I don’t look at it as criticism at all. The show would have to be indulgent because, in the end, it’s two big stars interviewing other big stars who belong to the same world. There was bound to be an element of indulgence. As for being polarizing, I think that’s the best response any chat show can expect. The show was spoken about a lot and gave rise to many conversations, that’s what most chat shows aim for, I presume.”

Several opinions expressed by the hosts drew sharp criticism online. When asked if audiences were too harsh, Iyengar responded, “I don’t think so. It may have felt that way because, in the past, Kajol and Twinkle have revealed very little of their actual personalities. We have rarely seen them unfiltered, as themselves, on camera, except in brief bytes. So, to watch them for 45 minutes in each episode revealed parts of their personalities that no one had seen before, including their opinions.” He added, “And as is the case with every human being, there were people who liked those opinions and people who didn’t. Besides, Two Much ended up being the most-watched non-fiction show on Prime Video India, so clearly, the response wasn’t all that harsh.”

‘Some parts of the show were scripted’

On how much of the show was scripted, Iyengar explained that while some elements were planned initially, the format evolved as the hosts grew more comfortable. “The show was born to explore the interesting chemistry between Kajol and Twinkle. Because they are unpredictable, they are interesting. Some parts of the show are scripted, of course, like the broad segments or even the topics covered during the conversations, but the actual dialogue between the hosts and guests was completely organic. In the first season, we had to script a little more because Kajol and Twinkle’s little or no hosting experience. But by about the third episode, they had got the hang of it.”

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In the same conversation, he also addressed the possibility of a second season, remaining cautious in his response: “We can only speak about the second season after it is greenlit. Chat shows essentially work when they are topical, anecdotal, and entertaining. There are a lot of variables in the mix, and hopefully, they will all align soon.”

‘Physical infidelity is not a deal breaker’

One of the most controversial moments from the show came when Twinkle Khanna defended infidelity during a conversation with Janhvi Kapoor, who was strongly against physical cheating. Twinkle remarked, “We’re in our 50s, she’s in her 20s, and she will get into this circle soon. She hasn’t seen the things we have seen. “The night was gayi baat gayi.” Even Karan Johar, who was a guest on the show, agreed with her, saying, “Physical infidelity is not a deal breaker.”

In the same episode, Kajol argued that love cannot survive without compatibility, stating, “Love is actually the first thing that ceases to exist once you get married if you don’t have enough compatibility.”