Language: HINDI
Genre: Action, Thriller
Director: Sanjay Gadhvi
Producer: Aditya Chopra
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, Bipasha Basu, Uday Chopra
Music: Pritam
Lyrics: Sameer
Cinematography: Vikas Sivaraman, Nirav Shah
Editing: Rameshwar S. Bhagat
Screenplay: Vijay Krishna Acharya
Story/Writer: Aditya Chopra
Art Direction: Guruj Brothers, Rachna Rastogi, K.K Muralidharan
Action: Allan Aman
Bollywood is in the midst of sequel mania. The surprising aspect of this is nearly all the sequels attempted thus far have been stupendous successes. Dhoom 2 aims to follow this trend, and thus looks to nail the box office with a bigger star cast, bigger budget, huge canvas and film shooting on a scale to that of Hollywood. This film has been shot all over the world (Goa, Namibia etc), and with a talented production team the resulting effect can be seen. Story in brief is that Abhishek and Uday/Bipasha are on the trail of a ‘Mr A’ who is Hrithik Roshan. He is cunning and has pulled off some dastardly robberies. Abhishek plants a mole (Ash), who sadly for the cops falls in love with Roshan and the two continue thieving. The rest of the film is about how Abhishek catches up with Roshan.
The one aspect of this movie that straight away reaches out and grabs you by the throat is the glamour and slickness of the product (no surprise as nearly 45Cr was spent). Sometimes this can be a bad thing, as seen with Don. The remake of that particular film was hollow, and style over content. Is this the case also with D2?
Thankfully no. The film fizzes along and at a good pace, and is interspersed with fun filled comic and romantic moments. It is a pure masala film, and the emphasis is on fun, fun and some more fun. The locations are wonderful, and mostly different. The story is actually quite simple, and has the odd twist here and there. Nothing mind-bendingly stupid, or path breaking but it’s concise, to the point and provides decent scope for the actors to display their talents.
All the stars perform well enough. What is clear though that this is a Hrithik Roshan movie, and he shines in the main role. Barring some laughable use of English and the odd weird expression he commands good screen presence, is dynamic in the action scenes and has some profound chemistry with Aishwarya Rai. This isn’t a film to base good acting skills on, but Mr Roshan has performed the role in a way that will be lapped up by the masses.
Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai do well in their roles. It’s nice to see Aishwarya Rai in a negative role again, and she displays her usual array of dancing skills, expressive eyes all with a dash of the femme fatale overdose. One of her best scenes involves the teamwork that she and Roshan do to fool the chasing cops (she shoots Roshan at the top of the cliff). It’s well executed and leaves the viewer eager to see what happens next. Abhishek is good, but not at his very best. He displays good comic timing (in particular with Uday Chopra in the phone conversations they have). Uday Chopra is woeful, but at least this time he is given less screen time, and some witty lines. It’s beyond understanding why this person can be cast, when far better comic actors exist like Saif Ali Khan. The director’s emphasis was on the youth factor, and that does come across but I feel that it would have been better if Abhishek was teamed with a female instead of lumbered with Uday Chopra. Ms Basu does ok, but she really didn’t need to expose as much as she did. Acting was as per the restrictions of her role, and the dance number was performed well. These two were the weak link, and whenever Mr Roshan was off screen it felt as if the pace slowed down.
Direction is good, editing above average, cinematography was some of the best this year. In particular kudos’ to the new Dhoom song, and the masti of the action scenes such as the chase with the bikes, and speedboats. Dialogues are ok, but the English used is horrible. In particular in the songs. Thus the music is rendered below average and strictly time pass. Lots of special effects in this film, such as the opening ’steal’ off the train in Rajasthan. The coin theft is also good, and for some reason the film reminds you of Beverly Hills Cop 2.
Negatives
1. Too much exposing just for the sake of it. May put off the family audiences, but the youth will lap it up of course.
2. Uday Chopra. Disgraceful in the songs he is in with donkey expressions and movements as if he has messed his pants. His is too eager, and does not suit the part of a promoted cop.
3. Blatant opening left for a third instalment. The director could have been bolder, but leaving Roshan to escape was a bit much for the audience as Abhishek had actually tracked him down.
4. Music was very very poor. What in Sam Hills are songs like ‘My Name is Ali’ and ‘Touch me’. Thankfully Roshan and Rai (or R&R) save the song Crazy Kiya Re with good chemistry.
5. No real explanation why R&R fall in love, but its Bollywood and a masala film so……..Abhishek’s role is a bit short, and HR wanting to die by the bullet was typical Bollywood cliché.
6. Aishwarya Rai looks a bit funny in the get up as a thief. Bipasha Basu was not needed in a double role. She also plays a simpleton as well as a cop.
7. Ash Rai only comes into the film just before the interval. She has a good role.
Positives
1. Hrithik Roshan and his showdowns with Abhishek Bachchan, his chemistry with Ms Rai and the many different get ups. The best was the train robbery. May get him some awards as best villain, but he has tough competition from Saif Ali Khan.
2. Gadgets were very good, such as the sticky feet.
3. Great dances such as Dhoom which Roshan performs well. Crazy Kiya Re also has some interesting dance moves, and Ash Rai does look different.
4. Action scenes are better than the first movie and not as thick.
5. Pure masala film in the old sense. You get a bit of everything.
Verdict: This is surprisingly one of Hrithik Roshan’s best achievements. He has overshadowed the rest of the cast and delivers. The film is all about him, and because of that it succeeds. The pace is good, the tension is there, and the Dhoom level of the movie is high. Entertaining, though music lets it down. Word of warning you will have to suspend some logic for this film otherwise you’ll be tearing your hair out. Above average. Better than Don. R&R are the highlights of this film.
RS RATING: 6/10
REVIEWED BY YEH KYA HO RAHA HAI (MEMBER OF TALK BOLLYWOOD FORUM)
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third rate movie all the way up.
ekdum bakwas movie hai. avoid it like the plague guys waste of money. no story just crap. after watching casino royale you will think this is a joke movie so watch casino royale again.
Guys this guy don’t even know how to review movie. This was the worst action hindi movie, it has no story, no great acting, is just a waste money. Yea it has great cast Hrithik Roshan, Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, but is stupid movie. Theres noway this movie could be better than Don, I’ll watch Don again & again but noway I could watch Dhoom2 again..
DON rocks.don is far better than dhoom 2
The guy who wrote the positive review must have been paid off.
By far, the worst movie of 2006. Hilarious acting, poor dialogue, no sense in the script.
Excreable.