“Revenge is a dish best served cold,” goes the popular saying. Aditya Dhar, however, thinks otherwise. Just over 90 days after the release of Dhurandhar 1, Dhar and his team serve the “Revenge” part piping hot. Is this part served so hot, best? Read on.
Part 1 ended with the killing of the Lyari ganglord Rahman Dakait, but many loose ends remained. It was clear that this part would focus on revenge and unresolved issues. However, in a clever screenplay move, the sequel begins by revealing Hamza Mazari’s past, the spy handpicked to infiltrate Pakistan. Dhar, who also wrote the screenplay, demonstrates exceptional skill in creating a layered script filled with intrigue, twists, and, of course, “peak detailing.” The sharpness of the writing is evident right from the first sequences, when our protagonist travels from Punjab to UP and meets a character to obtain weapons. This character appears later in a different context, but showing him earlier helps reinforce the film’s narrative. This is just one example of Dhar’s clever storytelling. The film is packed with such plot points, but discussing even a few would be a spoiler!
Looking at the film purely as cinema in the spy thriller genre, like the first part, this part too has its high moments that elevate the hero as a spy. But the sequel also features many emotional moments. Jaskirat’s (Hamza’s original identity) interaction with his friend after he is sentenced, Hamza’s scenes with his troubled wife, and, towards the end, the scene in his hometown are all wrapped in high emotion and conceived and executed very well. These are also scenes where Ranveer shines as a performer. Throughout the film, he displays a range previously unseen, and it would be disappointing if Ranveer misses out on the National Award for this performance. Ranveer’s portrayal in this film sets a new benchmark for the “Angry Young Man” in Indian cinema.
Talking about performances, Madhavan, who plays Ajay Sanyal, is simply brilliant. For a character expected to be composed, sharp, and tough, yet filled with pent-up scarred emotions from the past, Madhavan gets more screen time in this part, and he hits it out of the park. It helps that Dhar reserves some mass-hero-elevation scenes for Madhavan, who doesn’t miss the chance to show some “mass”! His make up artist deserves a shout out as well. Rakesh Bedi, as the wily Pakistani politician, continues from where he left off in Part 1.
The attention to detail is evident throughout the film, whether in casting, production design, the naming of fictional characters, or even a few small things. How did they find such a perfect look-alike for Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif’s character? How interesting it is when Yami Gautam’s cameo character is named “Shazia Bano”! How much detailing goes into it when you see Ranveer posing for a family picture with a stiff posture, as young boys in small towns normally would, those days? Or how Sanyal, being from the Intelligence background, not even leaving his cigarette butt in his hotel room in Dubai! The Dhurandhar films have set new standards for craft.
Vikash Nowlakha’s camera work is stunning, to say the least. Combined with the action choreography and production design, the camera showcases a RAW (pun intended) edginess and dynamism throughout the film. In cinema, a visual scene is elevated by the background score and sound design, and both need to be in sync to achieve the ideal result. In Dhurandhar 2, however, both departments compete, resulting in an overdose of background noise and effects. I am not a big fan of old songs being rehashed in new films, but I enjoy it when it happens occasionally. While in Dhurandhar 1, it came across as novel and interesting, in Dhurandhar 2, it becomes a convenient tool. Even within a single scene, the BGM shifts from Bhangra to classical to rap to rock to whatnot.
Coming back to the screenplay and writing, which make this and its prequel stand out, it is clear that a lot of effort has gone into the research. You have a set of real-life events and characters. You then creatively envision the behind-the-scenes happenings and closures so well that for the viewer it is difficult to separate fact from fiction. That’s what Dhar and his team have done. In doing so, if the films unabashedly end up batting for the ruling establishment, it is intentional.
When the revenge sequel was announced at the end of Dhurandhar 1, the assumption was that it would focus on the revenge saga, having set the stage extensively in the first part. However, even in this part, almost the entire first half is spent further setting the context. As a result, the first half feels stretched and repetitive in its portrayal of Lyari politics. We eagerly await Ranveer’s revenge saga to unfold. Because the proceedings mirror real-life events and characters, the first half remains engaging, although it could have been shorter. The film is therefore long, but thankfully not arduous.
When we think we’ve reached the climax with the action sequence involving Ranveer and Arjun Rampal in the chapter titled Revenge, the film continues with three more scenes that are potential climaxes. If only social media had spared us from spoilers, the end reveals would have delivered a better shock-and-awe effect.
The entire film has too much gore and violence, to my liking. I doubt the film would have been negatively affected if the action scenes had been less crude and gruesome. Just like the first part, the action scenes go on and on. Rampal, who is the main villain in the film, doesn’t kill Ranveer when he gets an easy chance, and instead gives Ranveer a long rope, only to get killed towards the end. I didn’t expect this usual Indian-cinema trope to be used by Aditya Dhar! Also, the scenes involving Rampal’s father would not have made any difference to the script had they been chopped off at the editing table. Rampal incidentally gives a layered performance with his character written in a nuanced way. He is the main villain, and he is out to kill the hero, an Indian spy, but even in his painful and gory death, he is shown saluting his country, Pakistan.
Kudos to the making team for releasing the sequel quickly. The expectations were sky-high after the first part. Fortunately, Dhurandhar – The Revenge escapes the sequel curse by meeting the hype. Dhurandhar – The Revenge that has been served fiery hot, is good, and I recommend it as a must-watch. It is not the best, though.
If you haven’t read My Flash Review of Dhurandhar 1, please read here.
AnandKumarRSonFilms 
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