The bug of sequels hit mainstream Hindi cinema over a decade ago and it has remained till now and there is no reason why it would disappear in the near future. The latest to join the bandwagon is filmmaker Raj Kumar Gupta’s Raid 2, a sequel to its interesting and well-made Raid (2018). Although there has been a long list of sequels, most of them have not been able to justify their existence. Raid 2, thankfully, isn’t one of them.

The corrupt minister Rameshwar Singh aka Tauji (Saurabh Shukla) is sentenced to jail after being exposed of corruption by the honest Income Tax Commissioner Amay Patnaik (Ajay Devgn) at the end of the first film. Raid 2 starts seven years later in 1989. By this time, Patnaik has faced numerous transfers for troubling the powerful. He is now posted in a town in Rajasthan where he exposes the royal Raja Kunwar (Govind Namdeo).

This ensures that Patnaik gets transferred to a city called Bhoj. But this time, the reason for his transfer is also asking for a bribe of Rs. 2 crores. Once, he lands in the new place with his family, he realizes that the local politician Manohar Dhankar aka Dada Bhai (Riteish Deshmukh) is ruling Bhoj and the masses over there literally worship him for the kind deeds he does for the poor and needy. Dada Bhai, on the other hand, worships his mother (Supriya Pathak Kapur), who also loves him no ends.

But after doing his own investigation, Patnaik realizes that Dada Bhai is only pretending to be a messiah of the masses and is, in fact, thoroughly corrupt. Patnaik gets proof of this and gets his senior (Rajat Kapoor) to issue a search warrant against Dada Bhai. However, once Patnaik and his team reach Dada Bhai’s residence and other properties, they don’t find any illegal money or wealth. What will he do now?  

What works the most in the favour of Raid 2 is that, although this film is also about an honest IT Commissioner wanting to expose a corrupt figure, the story is much different from the first part. The character of Dada Bhai and the scenario of his kingdom and his deep love for his mother makes for an interesting villain and premise. The screenplay also ensures no dull moment as it keeps you gripped, except during one song.

Ritesh Deshmukh’s casting also plays an important role and so does his performance. He makes a complex character of Dada Bhai alive and provides one of his finest acts. Ajay Devgn is the backbone of the film as the protagonist. He continues from where he left in the first film and is always on point. His act is especially noteworthy when things aren’t going his way.

Amit Sial is a surprise package. This actor has been giving quality acts in web shows for years. It is heartening to see him score very high in a theatrical venture. Supriya Pathak Kapur gives a moving act as the villain’s mother. Shruti Pandey is another talent to watch out for as Patnaik’s subordinate. Rajat Kapoor is, as always, reliable. Saurabh Shukla and Govind Namdeo score as antagonists. Yashpal Sharma and Brijendra Kala are memorable despite limited screen time. Vaani Kapoor doesn’t have much to do.

But Raid 2 doesn’t rise as much as Raid. The predecessor had a number of thrilling and exciting moments. The second part is not devoid of interesting incidents but it doesn’t provide the kind of kick one expects after watching the first film. Also, this being a sequel of a film where the hero wins, the proceedings in the end don’t take you by surprise. Plus, the angle of Patnaik asking for a bribe leaves behind questions unanswered.

Overall: Raid 2 is a one-time watch anti-corruption saga with fine performances. At the box office, the film will score well till Sunday, after which it will mostly face some struggle.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Director: Raj Kumar Gupta

Producers: T Series and Panorama Studios

Writers: Ritesh Shah, Raj Kumar Gupta, Jaideep Yadav and Karan Vyas

Cast: Ajay Devgn, Riteish Deshmukh, Vaani Kapoor, Supriya Pathak Kapur, Amit Sial, Rajat Kapoor

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