Raid 2 story:

In Raid 2, IRS officer Amay Patnaik returns for his most dangerous mission yet — his 75th raid, targeting the powerful and beloved politician, Dada Manohar Bhai. Beneath the image of public service lies a deep-rooted web of corruption, hidden assets, and criminal collusion. As Amay digs deeper into Bhoj’s power corridors, he risks everything to expose the truth. But in a system where silence is bought and fear rules, will his relentless pursuit of justice survive?

Catch Ajay Devgn at his intense best in gripping crime thrillers like Aakrosh, Company, and Khakee—now streaming on OTTplay Premium.

Raid 2 review:

Seven years ago, when Raid came out, it actually surprised me and also impressed me with the execution of a subject that has not been much explored, despite having vast stories regarding it. A raid is something that happens in the country, and no one is spared who makes sure to hide their black money, like hidden artefacts, wherever possible. After seven years, when Raid 2 was announced for release, I definitely looked forward to it, because any raid is never less than any theatrics.

In the latest films, the stakes are higher and much upgraded, with too many layers added to them. It is believed to be Amay Patnaik's (Ajay Devgn) 75th raid, and it takes place on the premises of a powerful individual who presents himself as a kind Samaritan, known as Dada Manohar Bhai (Riteish Deshmukh). Overcomplications are now the norm, as how else can we show that politicians are more aware of how to hide their corruption?

However, Ritesh Shah, Raj Kumar Gupta, Jaideep Yadav, Karan Vyas, and Akshat Tiwari—five writers—came together to pen the screenplay and did only a little course correction from the previous film, which actually added a slight dip to the story. Both Raid films depend on the second half, with the first half building up to the interval block and preparing you for the rest of the film.

Despite constant transfers, Patnaik maintains a work-life balance and continues to inspire fear among the people. Furthermore, the inclusion of two songs that depict the romantic relationship between Patnaik and his wife, now portrayed by Vaani Kapoor, feels so forced that it almost makes you wish you had a remote control. 

Bollywood films now have many songs in the album but not the screenplay. I wish that had also been the case for Raid 2.

But still that doesn't take away from the fact that the film wasn't an enjoyable watch. The overly dramatised film failed to live up to its potential as a popcorn entertainer, resorting to a preachy tone to evoke an emotional response. We get a sequence of the #MeToo movement set in the late 80s, which doesn't come under the jurisdiction of an income tax officer, but if everything is linked, Patnaik can go to any lengths he wants to to have his raid be successful.

The film is set in 1989, where we also get a glimpse of the then Prime Minister V. P. Singh, who got elected towards the end of the year, though. However, Raid 2 deftly explores the reality of the mob mentality, where a person in power simply displays a sign, and everyone rushes to slaughter others without any logical reasoning. Even after 36 years, things have hardly changed in this country; that's one of the biggest truths shown in the film.

Talking about the raids that supposedly happen in the film, it's almost the same path, but still the lines are crooked because Dada Bhai is a very dangerous man who behaves like one too. To be honest, when people around me see his happy face and charitable attitude, I seriously don't understand why any sort of change in his behaviour while getting worked up didn't bother anyone. 

Raids are complicated and only made by the people who actually go through it, unlike the officers who do thorough research and make sure that it's a foolproof plan and nothing can go wrong. However, in this instance, they fail miserably, only to rise from the ashes in a predictable manner. The first instalment had that gripping suspense about who from the family gave the tip to Patnaik against Rameshwar Singh, aka Tauji (Saurabh Shukla), which became like the longest raid anyone can imagine with walls and ceilings showering with currency notes and gold coins. 

However, the addition of too many layers and upgrades fails to elevate the crime thriller and make it a compelling viewing experience. Probably suspense was not the intention here and it is a straightforward film, but we are in times of coulda, woulda, shoulda and filmmakers in the know choose the convenient path to narrate the story. Which is putting too many twists and turns in order to confuse the audience, and that's where they falter miserably. 

When it comes to the performances, Devgn (watch Gangaajal), known for his ability to portray silent characters, doesn't achieve the same level of impact as he did in his previous films in this genre. It just felt like he was replicating his performances from the Drishyam franchise, in which he portrays a common man with an air of suspense. There was a certain demeanour in Patnaik which was amiss; if it was to show that he is tired of his job after raiding 75 times, then that's an entirely different discussion altogether.

But, here, definitely the show-stealer is Deshmukh, who nails it as a villain and definitely got the assignment right to portray it like he should. The actor first showed that he can mould himself into any character in Ek Villain (2014), not just comedy. The film continues to impress audiences. He portrays himself as a cabinet minister with a solid foundation, earning the townspeople's reverence as if he were God. On the other hand, he considers his mother as his god and washes her feet with milk and rose petals every morning. Of course, all of this is a façade he employs to increase his wealth, intimidate villagers, particularly women, and earn the trust of men who are willing to kill for him. 

The film has too many foot shots, and it does get borderline creepy after a certain point in time.

Regardless, Deshmukh's (watch Double Dhamaal) performance enhances the film, but it doesn't reach its full potential as the franchise loses its charm, primarily due to the lead actor's role. There's also an appearance by Shukla, who is out on parole and lives the rich life but goes back to jail to continue with his live commentary on Patnaik's raids across the country.

Moreover, Amit Sial makes a comeback to the film in the second half, reprising his role as Lallan Sudheer, who shows a hint of corruption. Ha, as if! The film's choice of predictability is just a way to move the plot along and finish it. 

And why would you have a dance number by Tamannaah Bhatia to show Dada Bhai's character? Well, we got a hint in detail, but it was not a desirable watch, either.

As usual, women are just token characters who are there to be a mere presence. Vaani Kapoor plays Devgn's onscreen wife and is shown as a homemaker who supports her husband in every way possible. Just to bring some depth to her character and two extra lines of dialogue, she also brings her own twist to the story. 

The sequence also reintroduces Supriya Pathak Kapur to the scene, albeit with minimal impact. However, an actor of her calibre is capable of performing any role with ease and without hesitation. She deserved better!

Where we were expecting yet another impactful raid after seven years, and all it got was having the audience not leave on the edge of their seats but just guess as the next scene comes with ease and comfort. Because slow motions are back and how!

Raid 2 verdict:

Raid 2 sets out to crack the vault wide open but ends up fumbling with the combination. While Riteish Deshmukh steals the scene and the stash with villainous flair, Ajay Devgn’s Patnaik seems stuck in audit mode, lacking the firepower of his first raid.