Review: 'Indian 2' is a disappointing farce of ambition and talent

Indian 2, directed by S. Shankar, was eagerly anticipated as the sequel to the iconic 1996 Tamil vigilante action film, Indian. The original movie, starring Kamal Haasan as the righteous vigilante Senapathy, captured the hearts of audiences with its bold stand against corruption. However, Indian 2 fails to live up to the legacy of its predecessor, becoming a farce of ambition and excess.

The film opens with a promising premise. Actor Siddharth portrays Chitra Aravindhan, a YouTuber who runs a satirical channel called ‘Barking Dogs,’ aiming to expose corrupt politicians. This modern take on activism seemed like a bold and relevant choice, reflecting the current era of social media-driven accountability. Unfortunately, the execution is lacklustre, turning potentially brave ideas into underwhelming parodies.

One of the early sequences introduces a bizarre scene with a man in a golden suit using a golden toilet, followed by him galloping around a golden room like a horse. Similarly, scenes of scantily clad women dancing in a calendar shoot in Taipei and Kamal Haasan dressed as a Kung-Fu master training students in ‘Indian Martial Arts’ feel like random, disjointed elements rather than integral parts of the story.

The narrative becomes increasingly convoluted as Chitra and his friends, Aarthi (Priya Bhavani Shankar) and Thambesh (Jagan), stage a protest against corruption, leading to their arrest. Chitra’s girlfriend, Disha (Rakul Preet Singh), bails them out, sparking a heated discussion on the perils of their activism. Chitra's decision to launch a social media campaign, #ComebackIndian, to find Senapathy in hiding in Taipei, seems like an intriguing plot twist. Yet, the film's attempt to merge this modern-day quest with Senapathy's traditional vigilante justice falls flat.

Senapathy's return to India and his subsequent escape from a CBI officer feels overly dramatic and unconvincing. The film's heavy-handed political commentary lacks nuance, portraying corrupt officials with stereotypical traits that border on caricature.

Shankar's vision, known for its grandeur and extravagance, becomes a double-edged sword in Indian 2. The film's massive scale, elaborate sets, and action sequences are visually impressive but fail to compensate for the lack of a coherent plot. The story meanders, taking nearly 90 minutes to reach any significant point, with poor editing contributing to the confusion. The narrative's back-and-forth nature before the interval leaves the audience struggling to keep up.

In the second half, Kamal Haasan's fight for India's "second independence" from corruption is intended to be the film's core, but it quickly becomes tiresome A particularly troubling scene involves Senapathy reciting a Sanskrit shloka to hypnotize a man, who then starts acting effeminately. At 2 hours and 30 minutes, Indian 2 feels interminable.

Kamal Haasan, a legendary actor, does his best to carry the film, even going shirtless for a stunt scene. However, his performance is hampered by the heavy prosthetic makeup and a role that demands more spectacle than substance. Siddharth, a talented actor, is reduced to banal scenes, while Rakul Preet Singh's character is underutilized.

The film ends with a teaser for Hindustani 3, suggesting more to come. Given the disappointing execution of Indian 2, the prospect of another sequel feels more like a threat than a promise.

The Verdict

Indian 2 is a textbook example of good intentions lost in poor execution. The film’s bizarre visuals, disjointed plot, and over-reliance on spectacle over substance make it a disappointing sequel to the much-loved original. Shankar’s vision, while ambitious, results in a chaotic and unsatisfying experience, ultimately wasting the potential of its star. 

Rating

*1/2 (1.5/5) stars