‘Raman Raghav 2.0’ movie review: Nawazuddin shines in the dark world of Anurag Kashyap

Directed by: Anurag Kashyap
Produced by: Anurag Kashyap, Vikas Bahl, Vikramaditya Motwane, Madhu Mantena
Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Vicky Kaushal, Sobhita Dhulipala
Duration: 2 hours 07 minute
Bollywood Bubble Rating: 3/5

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap’s fascination with all things dark has become common knowledge now. His latest film, the Nawazuddin Siddiqui-Vicky Kaushal-starrer, ‘Raman Raghav 2.0‘ is no different. Anurag’s new version of director Sriram Raghavan’s student film based on the serial killer Psycho Raman is set in today’s age, and it is two times darker this time around. The reason behind the added darkness is that Sriram’s film dealt with one psycho, but Kashyap has thrown in another psycho in the form of the character Raghav, played by Vicky Kaushal.

Nawaz as Raman and Vicky as Raghav have sunk their teeth into the meaty portions that feel as if it has been tailor-written for them. In the last few years Nawaz has emerged as an actor who can pull off any role thrown at him, just like Irrfan Khan. Now that the initial euphoria has settled, here’s some more insight into what to expect from ‘Raman Raghav 2.0’. Just like Abhishek Chaubey’s ‘Udta Punjab,’ Kashyap’s ‘RR2.0’ is not an easy watch. One has to have an appetite for this genre – a story about a serial killer’s life would obviously involve many killings, so if you don’t mind the few sights and many sounds of people being killed, go for it.

‘RR2.0’ starts off on a very high note with Ram Sampath’s composition, ‘Qatl-e-aam’ almost like how ‘Udta Punjab’ starts off with the title song, but here onwards the pace slows down. After all it would be a challenge to settle the viewers into the wretched world of Raman, a man with so many issues with the world, but nobody to share it with. Raghav on the other hand has his own wretched journey, as a drug addict who has issues with his relationships with his father and girlfriend. The wretched lives of Raman and Raghav are the fodder for this film which feels part documentary, part fiction.

Alike almost all characters in Anurag Kashyap’s films, the men are losers with almost little or no respect for the women they love or seem to be in love with. In one of the opening scenes in ‘RR 2.0’, Raghav is seen having an animated conversation on the phone, while his girlfriend / living in partner is shown taking off his shoes. This particular scene might not go down well with those who have been actively ranting against Salman Khan comparing himself with a rape victim. There are many more such scenes in ‘RR 2.0’ that might tick off the people who are standing for the cause of gender equality, but no spoilers here.

Kudos to Nawaz for playing the role of a serial killer and some how bring some weird likeability to a character who one would naturally despise – he brings in the comic moments despite the utter tragedy of his character. Vicky has his moments, but his character comes across way more miserable than that of Nawaz’s, almost similar to how Abhay Deol’s character, Dev Dhillon in Kashyap’s own breakout film, ‘Dev.D’. The girl who plays Raghav’s girlfriend, debutante, Sobhita Dhulipala does have screen presence, but has very little to do, but it wasn’t her film in the first place, hence she deserves another film for herself.

At best ‘Raman Raghav 2.0’ is Kashyap’s return to his comfort zone – a deep and dark story about brooding characters with some quirks thrown in for effect, trippy music, too much smoking, snorting, blood spilling, people dying, and tributes to the doyens of world cinema. As Kashyap himself suggested, watch it alone. Come to terms with your evil side – we all have one, only that we never let it surface – or something to that effect. All the concerns aside, this film is way better than the ones audiences suffer almost every other weekend. Kashyap is pushing the envelope, but one can’t say for good or bad.

P.S. 1: The smoking and substance abuse disclaimers in almost every frame are distracting and annoying; wish we could get rid of them.

P.S. 2: Enough of the chase sequences.

WATCH TRAILER: