Cast: Kamal Haasan, Siddharth, Rakul Preet Singh
Director: Shankar
Rating: 2.5/5
Shankar’s ‘Indian’ is widely regarded as one of Tamil cinema’s finest films as it featured an action-packed yet highly emotional narrative that clicked with one and all. Moreover, the mass elements felt natural rather than over the top. ‘Indian 2’, which hit screens on July 12, tries to continue its legacy but fails to meet the standards set by the yesteryear classic.
The film centres on Chithra (Siddharth), a YouTuber who uses social media to highlight corruption. He tries to fight against the heatless system but comes up short. This set the stage for Senapathy (Kamal Haasan) to return to India and punish the country’s enemies.
The basic storyline, much like the one seen in ‘Indian’, revolves around the fight between “good” and “evil”. Moreover, it explores how the biggest battles are often fought against the ones we love the most.
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However, ‘Indian 2’ lacks the emotional depth that helped the prequel floor fans. The sequel’s screenplay feels outdated and rushed for the most part. The majority of the characters haven’t been fleshed out properly, which makes it difficult for viewers to connect their journeys.
‘Indian 2’ begins with a series of sequences that highlight the prevalence of corruption in society and build the film’s world. Sadly, they feel outdated and predictable. They are similar to scenes from previous Shankar movies, which further dilutes their impact.
‘Indian 2’ finally picks up steam with Kamal Haasan’s entry. Ulaganayagan’s intro sequence isn’t as spectacular as the one seen in Rajinikanth’s Sivaji. It, however, has enough masala to satisfy his ardent fans.
Kamal Haasan also shines in a sequence where his character punishes a corrupt official and encourages the youth to wage a war against corruption The rest of the first half, sadly, just ends up being a collection of mildly engaging sequences that make a limited impact.
‘Indian 2’, in trademark Shankar style, features a few political references. These, however, don’t really pack a punch. There are also a few comic punches but most of them don’t add much to the narrative. This is particularly disappointing as Shankar’s previous films were synonymous with situational humour that took the story forward.
The second half is better than the first one. The track involving Chithra and his father (Samuthirakani) is quite emotionally charged and adds depth to the narrative. However, it would have made a stronger impact had the characters been well-fleshed out. There’s a heartbreaking twist towards the end, which adds a new layer to one of the characters and results in an unexpected situation. The payoff, however, just doesn’t feel satisfying enough in the grander scheme of things. The climax too feels abrupt but manages to set the stage the stage for ‘Indian 3’.
Coming to the performances, Kamal Haasan is the heart and soul of ‘Indian 2’. The veteran actor excels in the scenes where Senapathy addresses the public. He also manages to make some highly over-top-scenes action sequences feel believable. This is particularly true for the monocycle sequence. This also applies to the one where a shirtless Senapathy bashes up his foes.
Siddharth makes his presence felt despite the limited screen time. Samuthirakani is at his visceral best in a scene where his character hits Chitra following a tragedy. Rakul Preet Singh and Priya Bhavani Shankar have virtually nothing to do on the big screen. The supporting cast, which includes the likes of Gulshan Grover and the late Vivekh, serves its purpose,
The action sequences, as mentioned previously, are too over-the-top for their own and fail to satisfy those fond of the prequel. Moreover, they don’t do justice to Kamal Haasan’s reel image.
Anirudh’s tunes fail to impress as none of the songs, barring ‘Come Back Indian’, have any recall value. The editing too isn’t up to the mark as certain portions in the first half drag.
To sum up, ‘Indian 2’ isn’t an unwatchable mess. It, however, is simply not good enough to be called a worthy successor to ‘Indian’