Filmmaker Pravin Vitthal Tarde’s Dharmaveer: Mukkam Post Thane (2022), the first film in the series, spoke about the rise and the greatness of the late Shiv Sena leader Anand Dighe, who was from Thane. The film was a good biopic that also worked as a commercial entertainer with a fine act from Prasad Oak as Dighe.

As the protagonist passes away at the end of the first film, one wondered what the film’s sequel, Dharmaveer: Mukkam Post Thane 2, would have in store. As it turns out, the movie is nothing but a 157-minute long campaign for the upcoming assembly polls in Mahahrashtra.

The narrative of Dharmaveer 2 runs two tracks parallel. One is based in 2022 when Eknath Shinde (Kshitish Date) is a minister in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government. The film starts off with the real incident of a gruesome lynching of two sadhus in Palghar. Shinde, along with a number of other MLAs, is disappointed with the way his government has handled this and various other issues in the state.

As Shinde and others wonder what to do next, they recall the life and incidents of their late hero Anand Dighe and how he used to solve various issues in his own way. Hence, the other track is the flashback featuring Dighe.

Right from the initial moments of the film, it becomes clear that this is a sequel made just for the sake of it. This keeps getting confirmed as the film starts moving ahead. The main aim of the narrative is to show Uddhav Thackeray’s then MVA government in a bad light. There are various potshots taken at him and their allies Congress and NCP (Nationalist Congress Party) without taking names.

Once the film moves into the second half, the narrative slowly makes Shinde as the central figure. For example, during the deadly second COVID wave, it is shown that Shinde and his aides alone were responsible for the lack of oxygen cylinders not becoming a problem in the state.

Similarly, the movie touches upon various aspects that would appease their target audience. Right from the utterance of the word ‘Bhagva’ every now and then to featuring scenes based around the staging of plays on Vinayak Damodar Savarkar and Nathuram Godse. In fact, in one scene it is also said that Hindi films are responsible for showing Hinduism in bad light. These are just a few examples.

From the few plusses, Tarde has shown that he knows the art of turning a simple scene in a whistle-worthy moment. But the biggest plusses here are the performances of Prasad Oak and Kshitish Date. Oak continues from where he left in the first film. He once again displays fear and switches onto compassion in a second in an effortless manner. Date gets ample scope this time and he succeeds in portraying the inner turmoil of Shinde, whether it’s through his body language or voice. The rest of the actors have cameos or extended cameos.  

But these points easily get overshadowed by the minuses. Surprisingly, the makers indirectly announce the third part of the series in the end.

Rating: 2 out of 5

Director: Pravin Vitthal Tarde

Producers: Sahil Motion Arts and Zee Studios

Cast: Prasad Oak, Kshitish Date

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