Director: Ram Gopal Verma
Cast: Vivek Oberoi, Surya, Sudeep, Shatrughan Sinha, Zarina Wahab
Rating: Four ( **** )
Advice: It’s an ace. Expect more and get more! Far more gripping and far less gory than the first installment.
Ram Gopal Verma is back in the driving seat and he has a firm grip on the creative gears this time. He serves another volley of rural vendetta awash with bloodbath and gunfire through the sequel to Raktacharitra. He spins an engaging tale this time – that keeps the viewer totally at the edge-of-the-seat.
Raktacharitra ended at a promising note with the entry of Surya, the avenger and the sequel lives up to that promise and more. The film begins with a rapid recap and then takes off where it had left off unfinished business of vendetta. Both the films proclaim to be based on a true story, evidently inspired by the rise and sheen of NTR in Andhra Pradesh politics and his right hand man Paritala Ravindra – a thug from a lower caste. This role is essayed by Vivek Oberoi as Pratap. As Pratap rips off his father’s murderer with a scythe, he gets picked up by superstar-turned-politico, Shivaji Rao (Shatrughan Sinha) and he in turn vests powers in his assistants who end up misusing it. They plant a TV bomb in Surya’s house which wipes out his entire family. Surya who had earlier vouched to move his family away from the bloody ways of his village – is now consumed with fury. He is hell bent on getting even with Pratap and so he flings a bomb at Pratap’s car. But as luck would have it, Pratap escapes miraculously and Surya is on the run with smart cop Sudeep, hot on his trail.
Surya is forced to surrender himself to the Police when he is threatened about the safety of his wife Bhawani and his infant son. In a sweet scene, top cop Sudeep confesses candidly to Surya that he wouldn’t have given himself up for a wife! Also the court scene where Surya surrenders himself and despite heavy police protection is attacked by a hit man in the guise of an old woman is absolutely nail biting.
The revenge saga continues unabated even in the jail as Pratap and his cronies conspire with some inmates to target Surya. However, Surya is too determined and strong to lose out so easily. Meanwhile political players decide to field Surya’s wife Bhawani to contest elections against Pratap. In a desperate bid to regain his position of power, Pratap tries to have Bhawani assassinated. But ends being gunned down him self, leaving behind a pregnant widow and a grieving mother (Zarina Wahab).
The most laudable aspect about RGV’s this film is that he doesn’t try to glorify violence, instead he concludes by appealing in earnest to the perpetrators of violence that it won’t get them anywhere. Kudos to the peacenik effort!
The director injects the right dose of emotion and gritty vengeance in the film. Writer Prashant Pande weaves in a very convincing plot as to how the protagonists become victims of mindless violence owing to a series of strange misunderstandings. Editor Nipun Ashok Gupta crafts the narrative into an easy flowing tale. High praise for cinematographer Amol Rathod’s innovative camera angles – from extreme close ups to topsy turvy frames that add to the drama of the proceedings and the jerky hand held chase and fight sequences that lend an air of authenticity to the story.
Sound design by Debashish Mishra is also noteworthy with poignant silences and effective cacophony at the right junctures. Realistic fight sequences by action directors Javed Aejaz spice up the film further. All in all, RGV’s tech team comes up aces this time. Vivek Oberoi executes his role with requisite efficiency but this time the film belongs to southern stars Surya and Sudeep who are in top form. Veterans Shatru and Zarina hardly have much to do this time. Priyamani as Surya’s wife is impressive in her brief role.
On the whole, this is the director’s film where he asserts his creative supremacy and wins back fans after a long time.
Cast: Vivek Oberoi, Surya, Sudeep, Shatrughan Sinha, Zarina Wahab
Rating: Four ( **** )
Advice: It’s an ace. Expect more and get more! Far more gripping and far less gory than the first installment.
Ram Gopal Verma is back in the driving seat and he has a firm grip on the creative gears this time. He serves another volley of rural vendetta awash with bloodbath and gunfire through the sequel to Raktacharitra. He spins an engaging tale this time – that keeps the viewer totally at the edge-of-the-seat.
Raktacharitra ended at a promising note with the entry of Surya, the avenger and the sequel lives up to that promise and more. The film begins with a rapid recap and then takes off where it had left off unfinished business of vendetta. Both the films proclaim to be based on a true story, evidently inspired by the rise and sheen of NTR in Andhra Pradesh politics and his right hand man Paritala Ravindra – a thug from a lower caste. This role is essayed by Vivek Oberoi as Pratap. As Pratap rips off his father’s murderer with a scythe, he gets picked up by superstar-turned-politico, Shivaji Rao (Shatrughan Sinha) and he in turn vests powers in his assistants who end up misusing it. They plant a TV bomb in Surya’s house which wipes out his entire family. Surya who had earlier vouched to move his family away from the bloody ways of his village – is now consumed with fury. He is hell bent on getting even with Pratap and so he flings a bomb at Pratap’s car. But as luck would have it, Pratap escapes miraculously and Surya is on the run with smart cop Sudeep, hot on his trail.
Surya is forced to surrender himself to the Police when he is threatened about the safety of his wife Bhawani and his infant son. In a sweet scene, top cop Sudeep confesses candidly to Surya that he wouldn’t have given himself up for a wife! Also the court scene where Surya surrenders himself and despite heavy police protection is attacked by a hit man in the guise of an old woman is absolutely nail biting.
The revenge saga continues unabated even in the jail as Pratap and his cronies conspire with some inmates to target Surya. However, Surya is too determined and strong to lose out so easily. Meanwhile political players decide to field Surya’s wife Bhawani to contest elections against Pratap. In a desperate bid to regain his position of power, Pratap tries to have Bhawani assassinated. But ends being gunned down him self, leaving behind a pregnant widow and a grieving mother (Zarina Wahab).
The most laudable aspect about RGV’s this film is that he doesn’t try to glorify violence, instead he concludes by appealing in earnest to the perpetrators of violence that it won’t get them anywhere. Kudos to the peacenik effort!
The director injects the right dose of emotion and gritty vengeance in the film. Writer Prashant Pande weaves in a very convincing plot as to how the protagonists become victims of mindless violence owing to a series of strange misunderstandings. Editor Nipun Ashok Gupta crafts the narrative into an easy flowing tale. High praise for cinematographer Amol Rathod’s innovative camera angles – from extreme close ups to topsy turvy frames that add to the drama of the proceedings and the jerky hand held chase and fight sequences that lend an air of authenticity to the story.
Sound design by Debashish Mishra is also noteworthy with poignant silences and effective cacophony at the right junctures. Realistic fight sequences by action directors Javed Aejaz spice up the film further. All in all, RGV’s tech team comes up aces this time. Vivek Oberoi executes his role with requisite efficiency but this time the film belongs to southern stars Surya and Sudeep who are in top form. Veterans Shatru and Zarina hardly have much to do this time. Priyamani as Surya’s wife is impressive in her brief role.
On the whole, this is the director’s film where he asserts his creative supremacy and wins back fans after a long time.
