Taxing sequel of an income-tax raid

Logically, a sequel ought to be bigger and better, a feat rarely achieved. Indeed, ‘Raid 2’ ups the scale on the execution front. But in terms of treatment, as it tries to marry the realistic with the dramatic, it is a tough balancing act. From the ‘No One Killed Jessica’ director Raj Kumar Gupta, who directed the prequel ‘Raid’ too, you do not expect the same old wine in a new bottle. If we lauded ‘Raid’, based on a real-life incident, for fleshing out a full-fledged movie out of an income-tax raid, ‘Raid 2’ can’t possibly be just more of the same. For, how much surprise can you pack in the crevices of where and how the corrupt hide their money?

Mercifully, ‘Raid 2’ is not a spiritual sequel, as has become the norm today. Rather, it is still the tale of the upright income-tax officer Amay Patnaik. Ajay Devgn reprises his part of the prequel with similar understated intensity and passion of the righteous. Early scenes belie us into believing he has digressed from his path: “Meri garibi aur meri imaandari ka banwas khatam hua.” But if a leopard can’t change his spots, our scrupulous income-tax officer is unlikely to grow new ones either.

In the spirit of Hindi cinema and the conventional battle of good versus bad, ‘Raid 2’ is more of a face-off between our hero Amay and the villain. No doubt, ‘Ek Villain’ Riteish Deshmukh is a perfect fit for this diabolical part of Manohar Dhankar alias Dada Manohar Bhai. He is introduced as a devoted son, washing Amma’s feet in full public glory. The mother being loved to the point of reverence is none other than Supriya Pathak. Her presence is indication enough that she would not be just another token mother, but crucial to the storyline.

The writers’ room is a crowded one, what with Raj Kumar Gupta, Akshat Tiwari, Ritesh Shah, Jaideep Vyas and Karan Vyas figuring on the credit list. The narrative plays largely on the one-upmanship between the protagonist and the antagonist, each egging the other to take him on, throwing open challenges, as it happens in a zillion other masala films.

Only, ‘Raid 2’ is not your regular commercial fanfare. Apart from a customary item number (Tamannaah Bhatia becoming a pro in this department), the corrupt politician’s evil deeds are on familiar lines. There might be nothing novel about the fact that he is a wolf wearing sheep’s skin. But Riteish plays this ‘Good Samaritan’, a benefactor who the public swears by, not as the formulaic vile guy, but with equanimity. Take the scene where he loses his balance and quickly gains control even when alone. His sparring with Devgn is the film’s strength. It may not have the frisson to ignite our screens, but is interesting enough to take us to the inevitable triumph of our hero.

Tax evasion, benami holdings, the veneer of corruption might run the same distance. The womanising angle introduced to complete the abhorrent picture of Manohar Bhai is unwarranted; as is the intervention of the heroine Malini Patnaik (Vaani Kapoor) to undo his wrongdoings. Actually, it’s the unfolding of the clash between the lead players (more of mental games) which holds our attention. Action in this thriller is restricted to official cars zooming in and out. Then we see the sadharan janta, whose steadfast belief in their neta’s demigod virtues forces them to take the law into their own hands.

The beauty of ‘Raid 2’ lies in how Gupta utilises the battery of fine actors. Each one, from Brijendra Kala to Yashpal Sharma, gets a moment. Saurabh Shukla, who was pitch-perfect in ‘Raid’ as the irrepressible Tauji, too, gets to play his part once more with characteristic cheekiness. The equally audacious Amit Sial might make a late entry, but truly shines as the corrupt officer Lallan Sudheer. His chameleon-like fawning act is superb, with some crackling one-liners.

Dialogues uttered in shuddh Hindi remain the high point of the film anyway. “Pandav kab se chakravyuh rachne lage…” and the riposte, “Main Pandav nahi main poori ki poori Mahabharat hoon”, hint at the drama of intrigue and conspiracy created by our hero.

Indeed, his game of deception is not even half as fascinating as the great epic. But the actors are. Supriya Pathak makes herself count in the climax and proves how a consummate actor only needs one solid scene to leave a lasting impact. The film, however, needs more than entertaining dialogues and good acting to become a must-watch. A host of music composers, including Honey Singh, are in the fray, but the songs are a washout. ‘Raid 2’ isn’t a complete disappointment, but isn’t a zinger either. It’s watchable, nevertheless.

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