Indian 2 Review - FDFS Review

28 years after the release of Indian, the problems in society remain the same. The scale of corruption has only grown larger. Indian Thaatha's approach this time involves a two-track mission. Indian independence was achieved through a similar two-track approach adopted by Mahatma Gandhi and Subash Chandra Bose. That is the crux of Indian 2. With corruption being more deep-rooted and widely accepted among citizens, is this remotely possible?

The himsa track evokes déjà vu due to its extension of the original Indian, Anniyan, and other movies by Shankar. Countless movies have been made since then, including the recent hit, Jawan.

Kamal's prosthetic makeup is not any better than it was 28 years ago. As a result, it doesn't feel like you are experiencing Kamal Haasan. It could have been Vikram behind those heavy prosthetics, and it wouldn't have made any difference.

The ahimsa track is more interesting because of the ethical, moral, and emotional dilemmas it poses. The movie explores an interesting angle of citizens fighting corruption at home.

Writing and Direction

Shankar has explored a fitting concept for the sequel. The execution is a bit jaded and repetitive in places, even though he makes superficial adjustments to keep up with the times. Shankar has taken a bold stance without doubting if the current generation of audiences will be willing to set logic aside.

Cast

Kamal Haasan's screen time is mostly in fight sequences. It is difficult to see Senapathy beyond the layers of prosthetics. Siddharth's portion is the most engaging, highlighting the real-world challenges of fighting corruption at home. Samuthirakani, Rakul Preet Singh, Priya Bhavani Shankar, Bobby Simha, Jagan, and Nedumudi Venu all share limited screen time. Indian 2 is the last time we get to see Vivek, Mano Bala, and Marimuthu.

Music and Crew Anirudh's background track is mostly in 'zaga zaga' mode throughout due to the script not giving enough scope. The camera work by Ravi Varman is swift but exposes the weakness in inconsistent prosthetics. Thaatha's stunts and action sequences are over the top.

Final Word Everyone loves Indian Thaatha because of his uncompromising righteousness and his battle with his own physical and emotional vulnerabilities. This new edition of Thaatha is less relatable as he is younger, muscular, and invincible. Still Indian 2 is watchable for the second track approach which is ethical, moral, and emotional dilemmas it poses.

Rating: 2.75

PS: Don't miss Indian 3 Trailer at the end, the glimpse are fantastic.