Film: Drishyam 2

Cast: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Akshaye Khanna, Shriya Saran, Ishita Dutta, Mrunal Jadhav, Rajat Kapoor, Saurabh Shukla, Neha Joshi, Kamlesh Sawant, Yogesh Soman

Director: Abhishek Pathak

Rating: 4 Moons

"Yaad hai na 2 October ko kya hua tha? 2 October ko Vijay Salgaonkar or uski family Panaji gaye the satsang mein or waha pav bhaaji khai aur 3 October ko wapas aa gaye the." This dialogue from Drishyam (2015) has become more than just another dialogue. It continues to be a rage. Now, 7 years after the crime, it is time to know the present status of the Salgaonkar family, a resident of Goa. 

Seven years post the events of Drishyam, Vijay Salgaonkar (Ajay Devgn), a chauthi fail, is now living his dream and owns a cinema hall in his neighbourhood. His undying passion for cinema leads him to the idea of making a film with the help of renowned writer Murad Ali (Saurabh Shukla). However, the dark shadow of the past returns to haunt him, his wife Nandini (Shriya Saran) and daughters Anju (Ishita Dutta) and Anu (Mrunal Jadhav) when former IG Meera Deshmukh (Tabu) and her husband Mahesh (Rajat Kapoor) are back in Goa to perform a special puja for their deceased son Sameer, around whom the entire saga orbits. 

This time, the Salgaonkars have to deal with unknown demons, including the new IG of Goa, Tarun Ahlawat (Akshaye Khanna). While Meera wants closure, Vijay ups his guard to protect his vulnerable family. As the case reopens with Tarun taking charge, suspended sub-inspector Gaitonde returns with full glory to seek revenge from the Salgaonkars for the humiliation caused 7 years ago. 

Drishyam 2 is a continuation of its prequel and a riveting one. It goes without saying that fans of the franchise are excited to watch thrills and twists unfold on the silver screen and director Abhishek Pathak doesn't disappoint. He delivers what is expected - a crisp, engaging and twisty thriller. For those who haven't watched the original Malayalam version, Drishyam 2 will serve some unexpected surprises and will be more impactful. 

The film takes its time to come into its real form. Drishyam 2's first half establishes the characters with a couple of revelations but it is the drama in the second half that takes the narrative several notches higher. Loaded with serpentine twists and turns, there are some applaud-worthy and whistle-worthy moments leading to a satisfactory climax. 

The dialogues of Drishyam 2 are the major highlights. Some of them are as dramatic as the background score and some are hilariously brilliant. Especially all the dialogues related to October 2. The makers allow the audience to enjoy a good laugh by reminding them how often Vijay said the same thing in the prequel and how the dialogue has turned into meme content. A person in the film says, "Yahan main hu, macchhar hai aur yeh humari pawri ho rahi hai." We didn't see this coming, right?

Making Drishyam 2 an unforgettable experience is Devi Sri Prasad's background score. The highs and lows of the narrative are well-defined by DSP's dramatic BGM. Celebrating the larger-than-life personalities of the lead cast, the score plays an important role in bringing the story alive on the big screen. 

Ajay Devgn is Vijay Salgaonkar and there's nobody better than him to carry the character with equal grace, maturity and calmness. Adding weight to the film by playing the role with the depth of his eyes, his representation of the character makes Drishyam a successful franchise. With every frame, Ajay draws the audience closer to him and assures his fans that he will not let anyone step out of the theatre disappointed.  

Akshaye Khanna is a delightful addition to the web of Drishyam. His portrayal of Tarun Ahlawat makes the cat-n-mouse chase even more exciting. He is undoubtedly one of the four pillars of Drishyam 2. There's no need for fancy words to describe Tabu's supremacy. Meera Deshmukh is an iconic character that is a part of history, all thanks to the actress and her brilliance. Even when the focus is on the war between Vijay and Tarun, Meera's character stands her own ground and makes her presence felt. 

Kamlesh Sawant as Gaitonde is brilliant. Shriya Saran does a good job as Nandini, who is more vulnerable this time. Ishita Dutta shines as Anju once again in her scenes. Saurabh Shukla adds loads of spice and flavour to Drishyam 2. Special mention to Neha Joshi for playing Jenny. She is good. Rajat Kapoor is decent whereas Mrunal Jadhav barely gets anything to do as compared to the prequel. 

As mentioned above, Drishyam 2 relies on 4 strong pillars. The first three are Ajay, Akshaye and Tabu whereas the fourth is an almost flawless adaptation of the Malayalam version headlined by Mohanlal. Those who watched the original at home during the pandemic, experience the same magic on the big screen. For the rest, Drishyam 2 is an unpredictable web of truth and lies. 

PeepingMoon.com gives Drishyam 2 4 Moons