Silence 2 REVIEW: Manoj Bajpayee starrer is more than a shootout; it’s unexpected twists will keep you glued to the very end

Film:
Silence 2: The Night Owl Bar Shootout

Director: Aban Bharucha Deohans

Star cast: Manoj Bajpayee, Prachi Desai, Sahil Vaid, Vaquar Shaikh, Dinker Sharma, Parul Gulati, Chetan Sharma, Shruti Bapna, Neena Kulkarni, Randheer Rai

Runtime: 2 hours 22 mins

Platform: ZEE5

Silence 2: The Night Owl Bar Shootout Review

Silence 2: The Night Owl Bar Shootout isn’t what it seems. The Manoj Bajpayee-Prachi Desai thriller film follows ACP Avinash Verma (Bajpayee) and his Special Crime Unit as they attempt to figure out the cause behind the death of 8 people at The Night Owl Bar in Mumbai. But is the film all about solving these eight murders only? No. It’s much more than that. The film will take you on a rollercoaster as Manoj and his team of diligent officers go over and beyond their duty to see justice delivered.

The film takes place over a couple of days – with a couple of flashbacks. It sees ACP Verma and his team – Inspector Sanjana Bhatia (Prachi Desai), Inspector Amit Chauhan (Sahil Vaid) and Inspector Raj Gupta (Vaqar Shaikh) cross state borders to find out the truth behind the eight murders at The Night Owl Bar and who was the actual target in the shootout and why. Will ACP Avinash and his team succeed in unearthing the complexities of the seemingly straightforward case in time? To know the answer, you need to head to ZEE5.

What Works

The main thing that works for Silence 2: The Night Owl Bar Shootout is its story. While you begin watching the film wanting to know why these eight people were randomly killed at a Mumbai bar, you will be on the end of your seat in the final 15-20 minutes for a whole other reason. What is the reason? The unmasking of the mastermind responsible for killing 8 people to cover up their tracks and lead the police astray.

What Doesn’t Work

The makers have tried to keep the film as real as possible but there are instances you pick up on the loopholes. Aside from this, the extensive use of abuses may put you off – we know the language is to stay true to the character but still… A tad bit less would be good.

Technical Analysis

Direction & Cinematography 

Aban Bharucha Deohans has done a good job on Silence 2: The Night Owl Bar Shootout, but doesn’t get top marks for it as these are scenes that if zoomed in would hold one’s attention better. The blurs in the foreground can distract and unfortunately, it successfully did that in the Manoj Bajpayee film at certain points.

The cinematography team, led by Director of Photography Pooja Gupte is impressive. The makers manage to capture the realness of the locations – bars, chawls, flats and havelis, beautifully and will let you get lost in its beauty. You may want to plan a trip to a palace in Jaipur after seeing the haveli used in Silence 2.

Editing, Music & Action

Editing by Sandeep Kumar Sethy is crisp and doesn’t include unwanted scenes/blank spaces. The pace is slow but the details they convey through the slowness help retain one’s attention. The film’s original score by composer Gaurav Godkhindi helps keep the tempo of the film steady. The background score gives off an eerie feel. Action director Vicky Arora has choreographed good sequences that not only have Manoj Bajpayee landing some slaps, punches and kicks, but Prachi Desai too gets to show off her skills. 

Silence 2 Star Performances

When it comes to performances, the first person we have to talk about is Manoj Bajpayee’s performance as ACP Avinash Verma. Manoj will make you feel the rage his character feels when he comes to a dead end in the case or interacts with people who are wrong to an extent that will make your blood boil. His dialogue delivery, talking with the perfect accent and embodying the physical traits of a special official is what Manoj does with perfection.

Prachi Desai has a meaty role but her character lacks the conviction you would expect from an Inspector in the special unit. Not only her body language but also her dialogue delivery and tone seem too mild for the seriousness of the situation. While we agree she needs to have a soft side, this was a little too close to how she was as Bani in Kasam Se.

Parul Gulati as Arti Singh is a sleeper hit in the film. She has very minimal screen time – only featuring in the latter half, but will leave an impact. Her personality, the way her mind works and the complexity of her relationships are all beautifully essayed. Dinker Sharma as Arjun Chouhan is killer! He owns every scene he is in – even if he’s sharing it with other actors, including Manoj Bajpayee. He’s got the potential to land great roles with this performance.

Conclusion

Silence 2: The Night Owl Bar Shootout is a great watch to know how a neglected childhood can impact and alter the thought process of individuals and make them insensitive to others. It beautifully shows how people become sociopaths and how it impacts their relationships. Watch the film to be impressed by the incredible performances of talents like Manoj Bajpayee, Dinker Sharma and Parul Gulati. Each of these stars will leave you wanting to see them more on screen.

Watch Silence 2: The Night Owl Bar Shootout trailer here

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