Raid 2 review: Ajay Devgn's intense aura fails to salvage this predictable and overstuffed sequel

Directed by Raj Kumar Gupta, Raid 2 sees Ajay Devgn reprising his role as Amay Patnaik, the honest income tax officer determined to expose Dadabhai, an all-powerful and revered politician essayed by Riteish Deshmukh.

Ajay Devgn is an actor you can bank on when it comes to intense dramas. His piercing gaze, no-nonsense attitude, and bold authenticity make him extremely convincing to headline a project of this genre, and the actor too, has rarely disappointed. Be it Gangaajal, Company, Once Upon a Time in Mumbai, or Rajneeti, Devgn’s commanding presence and measured performance coupled with some fine storytelling have often delivered memorable films.

The 2018 crime drama Raid was another notable addition to this roster which offered an exciting cat-and-mouse chase between Ajay and Saurabh Shukla and was lauded for its tight screenplay and entertaining narration. Needless to say, the film laid a respectable ground for the franchise. Now the thing about Bollywood dramas is, you know the hero will triumph at the end and the bad guy will have to pay for his sins, however, it's his journey that you are excited about and that’s all I was looking forward to in Raid 2, but was left disappointed by the sheer predictability and irrelevant elements of the film. 

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Watch the trailer here!

Helmed by Raj Kumar Gupta, who also directed the first film, Raid 2 features Devgn reprising the role of an honest income tax officer, Amay Patnaik with Riteish Deshmukh joining the film as the antagonist this time. He essays the corrupt and powerful politician Dadabhai, who is hailed as a messiah by his people. Patnaik's entry into Dadabhai's territory and the clash between two respected and equally sharp-witted personalities form the base of the film. Besides, Saurabh Shukla returns as the iconic 'Tauji' who's still serving his jail sentence, and Vani Kapoor is conveniently replaced by Iliana D'Souza as Patnaik's wife, because, itna toh chalta hai yaar!

The movie opens with a long shot of the convoy of cars, led by Patnaik, arriving at an extremely powerful royal turned politician’s palace, played by Govind Namdev who not only hoards black money but has also deployed goons to intimidate government officers. Our hero is still shown to somehow get hold of his black money on which he demands a hefty bribe, resulting in his 74th transfer. Yes, the makers wanted us to believe Devgn, the hero, can be comprised! The film then introduces us to Dadabhai’s character, a man devoted to his mother, who washes her feet with milk in a temple and runs a foundation ‘aimed at uplifting and empowering the poor’ for his people. Patnaik and Dadabhai's face-off constitutes the rest of the story - a dramatic chase where the honest officer must expose and recover the illicit wealth from one of the state’s most revered figures, whose people are ready to defend him at all costs. 

Just like other sequels, Raid 2 gets lost in the greed of making it bigger and better and ends up compromising on the thrill aspect of the film. The biggest culprits of this crime are the two songs that have been abruptly inserted in the film, especially an item song. Devgn's Patnaik is another problem. His character lacks nuance and the entire build-up to establish him as a family man holds no relevance to the story. His performance too is another weak point of the film. Yes, he does make use of his charismatic eyes and dashing walk that convey the sincerity of the character but you can’t help but notice that it’s simply Ajay Devgn carrying the raids, not Amay Patnaik. 

Deshmukh is well-cast as Dadabhai. His eyes emote menace and his conniving smile conveys trouble. He isn’t your regular ‘Bahubali’ like Tauji’s character in the first film but a polished and sophisticated villain who is soft-spoken and conceals his dirty side with his polite manners. However, this character too falls prey to bad writing and ends up making the ultimate face-off between Dada and Patniak unengaging. Amit Sial and Yashpal Sharma are the standout performers in the film. They provide some much-needed comedic relief to the otherwise dull screenplay as the cunning and morally grey lawyer and income tax officer respectively. 

The dance number featuring Tammannaah Bhatia and the scenes between Vani, Ajay, and their on-screen daughter also end up reducing the overall impact of the story. The songs and these scenes, like a plethora of other aspects in the films, were completely out of place and conveyed the lack of clarity and confidence in the minds of makers as far as the script was concerned. The climax offers some thrill, anticipation, and entertainment, and saves the film from being a completely forgetful experience but even that is not without its share of flaws and loopholes. One expects a lot more than that from an Ajay Devgn venture and Raid 2 comes as an insincere attempt to cash on its respectful predecessor. 

Raid 2 is now showing in cinema halls near you!

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