Drishyam 2 REVIEW: Ajay Devgn, Akshaye Khanna, Tabu starrer is a gripping sequel that delivers everything it is expected to

Film: Drishyam 2

Directed by: Abhishek Pathak

Star Cast: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Akshaye Khanna, Shriya Saran, Ishita Dutta, Mrunal Jadhav, and Rajat Kapoor.

Bollywood Bubble ratings: 3.5/5 stars

Drishyam 2 Movie Review 

To be honest, the climax of Drishyam left me upset! My only question was, after an interesting plot filled with twists and turns, why would Vijay Salgaonkar (Ajay Devgn) tell Meera Deshmukh (Tabu) and her husband, Mahesh Deshmukh (Rajat Kapoor), in a gist, how the family killed Sam Deshmukh, in an unfortunate turn of events. I mean, as the Drishyam 2 trailer says “Case Reopens” and the truth will be out, in only a matter of a few hours, my mind was flooded with a plethora of questions. ‘Will the police discover the truth behind Sam’s death?’, ‘Will the police uncover the truth behind the crime committed by the Salgaonkars?’, Meera’s return and many other questions raced through my mind. Amidst all the chaos, the excitement of watching Drishyam 2 unfold was a notch higher. However, while Drishyam 2 left me gobsmacked at the beginning, the movie was a tad bit slow for my palette.

The Abhishek Pathak directorial opens with the biggest surprise element. And, I must say, this element in the plot just speaks of the writer’s experience. The film starts with a scene between two drug dealers. In an unfortunate turn of events, one dealer lands up killing the other. The Goa Police manage to arrive at the location on time and chase the killer. While on a run, the drug dealer witnesses Vijay burying Sam’s mortal remains. Eventually, the drug dealer gets caught that night.

 

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With this cliffhanger, the movie moves forward to the present time. Seven years have passed! And, Vijay and his family get richer, successful, but continue to live in fear. As the plot moves forward, the story unfolds. Exactly at this time, Meera and Mahesh return to Goa to perform a prayer meeting for their late son. The plot intensifies. Akshaye Khanna, who plays Tarun Ahlawat-Inspector General of Police Goa and Meera’s colleague is hell-bent on investigating the case and ensuring justice is served.

While the movie starts with a bang, the movie tends to get slow until the interval. Vijay Salgaonkar saves the day when he confesses his crimes. However, one continues to wonder how the plot might go along without a smashing climax. In the second half then, eventually, the plot intensifies and the movie once again picks its pace.

Story 

In an interesting turn of events, the case against the Salgaonkar family is reopened seven years later. As the Salgaonkar family battle against fear, they once again get embroiled in the nasty police investigation which not only brings the truth to light but also threatens to change everything for them.

Star Performances 

Ajay Devgn as Vijay Salgaonkar stays true to his character. He is much sharper, better, and more intelligent. Ajay, who plays Vijay in the movie is the same as in the prequel. Not one bit about the actor and his acting has changed. And, with that, there’s nothing to even complain about. He plays his character duly with no chance whatsoever.

Akshaye Khanna as IG Tarun Ahlawat delivers a stellar performance. He is enticing and sharp and his performance is faultless. Be it when he tries to scare off the Salgaonkar women, his cockiness with Gaitonde, or his aura in all, Khanna blends perfectly into his character of IG Ahlawat. Like every plot needs that one person with a tadka, Akshaye adds it to this freshly brewed broth by Pathak.

For me, this was not Tabu’s greatest performance. While her character continues to seek vengeance over the death of her son, Tabu was ‘okay’ in the movie. Speaking of Rajat Kapoor, he stays the same as the innocent Mahesh, trying to not be inhumane.

Shriya Saran, playing Nandini Salgaonkar remains the same timid and loving mother. Her worry for her family is evident and she stays true to her character. Ishita Dutta as Anju, on the other hand, continues to impress with her acting skills. In the sequel, Ishita is diagnosed with Epilepsy and her performance is clap-worthy. Mrunal Jadhav, who plays Anu is not the same bubbly little one, but she manages to make her mature self likable enough.

Direction/Screenplay

Drishyam 2 is a well-executed and written movie, however, it tends to lack pace at certain points. As the plot unfolds, one might tend to lose attention from the movie, leaving you not focused on the turn of events. The pace of the movie was one big drawback for me. However, when it comes to the script, plot or execution, Drishyam 2 is a top-notch sequel that delivers everything it was expected to.

Getting into the details of the plot, for me, the part where IG Ahlawat visits the Salgaonkar residence, and sips a cup of hot tea like he’s some person from another planet didn’t go well. The logic was missing for me. Apart from just two nooks, I could manage to find in the screenplay, the scene where Jenny addresses Nandini as Didi in front of Meera and Deshmukh intervenes, was smart.

As much as there is to praise for Drishyam 2’s screenplay, especially in the story and climax, in comparison to Drishyam, the sequel delivers what’s needed. But, when we talk about the late Nishikant Kamat’s Drishyam, Abhishek Pathak does a fair job.

Conclusion

A perfect plot with interesting twists and turns, Drishyam 2 was a thorough entertainer and has the power to keep you hooked on to your seat. While you continue to unfold the truths of the Salgaonkar through the police investigation, the ‘chauthi fail aam admi’ just gets better at his game, despite all odds, in a quest to protect his family. With a gripping script, the well-knitted plot of Drishyam 2 makes it a must-watch! Drishyam 2 is a gripping sequel that only gets better.

Watch the trailer of Drishyam 2, after the review below: 

 

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Also Read: Ajay Devgn to Tabu: The whopping amount Drishyam 2 cast got paid as fees