Reviewed by HOSHANG KATRAK
Even as the country – following the recent heartrending occurrence in Kashmir – discusses raids of a different kind, director Raj Kumar Gupta’s follow-up to his 2018 ‘Raid’ makes it to the screens this week. Films such as ‘Andhadhun’ and ‘Raid’ can always do with a sequel and Raj Kumar Gupta (No One Killed Jessica, Aamir) follows up his fairly successful 2018 ‘Raid’ with a sequel – with Ajay Devgn, Saurabh Shukla and Amit Sial reprising their roles as IRS officer Amay Patnaik, Tauji and Lallan Sudheer respectively.
It’s 1989, in Rajasthan, and with reliable information, Patnaik conducts his 75th raid on the premises of local politician Dada Manohar Bhai (Riteish Deshmukh) – seems there’s no dearth of Bhais in the country. After initial searches result in zilch, Patnaik gets transferred and later suspended for overstepping his authority. How Patnaik manages to outwit his latest foe forms the rest of the story.
After a relatively insipid and stretched first half, the film perks up in the second half with Saurabh Shukla showing his prowess – both as the ex-don and the consummate actor he is – his physical stature belying his towering screen presence. The film’s most engrossing moments occur with the arrival of Lallan Sudheer (Amit Sial), who benefits from some of the best tongue-in-cheek lines. Vaani Kapoor, as Devgn’s better half, fails to impress even in the extended scenes she gets. Riteish Deshmukh, in a departure from his normal slapstick roles, does no harm to his reputation in his debaucherous character. And all Ajay Devgn, as the morally (and physically) upright officer Amay Patnaik, with his trademark Ray-Ban glares, has to do, is replicate his role of the prequel.
The background score seems to be a rehash of the 2018 Raid. Tamannah Bhatia, Jacqueline Fernandez and Yo Yo Honey Singh (or whatever he calls himself) are anything but special in their designated ‘Special Appearances’.
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