Raid 2 film review: Ajay Devgn's Amay Patnaik’s epic clash with Riteish Deshmukh's Dadabhai takes franchise to new level, makes it worthy sequel

Director: Raj Kumar Gupta

Star cast: Ajay Devgn, Riteish Deshmukh, Vaani Kapoor, Amit Sial

Runtime: 2hr 19mins

Where to watch: In cinemas

Rating: 4 stars

Income tax officer Amay Patnaik (Ajay Devgn) gets transferred to Bhoj, and he crosses paths with politician Manohar Dhankar aka Dadabhai (Riteish Deshmukh), who the people worship. Dadabhai's 'whiter-than-white' reign comes under Amay's scanner, which leads to his 75th raid, with a new team. Will it be easy for Amay to expose Dadabhai? How Amay will tackle Dadabhai's smart schemes forms the crux of Raid 2. 

Raid 2 is the direct sequel of Raid (2018), set seven years after the first instalment. Usually, we expect the sequel to go a notch higher than its previous instalment. The expectations are high from a movie that kept us on the edge of our seats. Thankfully, Raid 2 is the sequel the franchise deserves, and it does up the ante. However, the developments or the events that unfold in the film do test your patience, and the gripping screenplay of Raid does linger while watching Raid 2. 

Raid 2 is certainly an improvement in many aspects. The scale, or in Amay's case, the stakes are higher. The world building of the antogonist is more fascinating than the previous part. Unlike Tauji (Sourabh Shukla from Raid), Amay Patnaik has to strive hard to crack the first evidence against Dadabhai, which keeps you engaged. Raid 2 is written by Raj Kumar Gupta, Ritesh Shah, Karan Vyas, and Jaideep Yadav. The team has made sure to keep the audience engrossed. The script has several twists and turns, which make the narrative more gripping. 

Watch the trailer of Raid 2

Speaking about performances, Ajay Devgn, as usual, carries the film on his shoulders. Though in the initial portions of the first half, Ajay looks dull, tired, and a bit disinterested. However, the narrative quickly gives him a good spin, which brings him back in true form. Riteish Deshmukh as Dadabhai shines throughout. In some sequences, he overpowers Ajay Devgn. His arc from being a family man and hiding his sinister, morally corrupt persona is well-sketched and convincingly performed by him. Riteish effortlessly gets into the skin of a politician, and that's because he has put his personal observation into the character. Vaani Kapoor as Malini Patnaik is decent. Her character has more scope than in the previous instalment, and she does justice to it, despite limited screen space. 

Sourabh Shukla as Rameshwar Singh aka Tauji is a scene-stealer. At some instances, his presence, his dialogue delivery, and subtle humour remind you what made Raid better. Supriya Pathak is effortlessly good, and even in little screen time, she provides able support to the narrative and Dadabhai. Special mention to Amit Sial, the guy who brought laughter to this gripping crime thriller. Amit's witty dialogues and unpredictable nuances add more value to the script. Other than that, Shruti Pandey as Geeta Devi was something to watch out for. Bijendra Kala and Yashpal Sharma were good. Tamannaah Bhatia in a special appearance with the song Nasha is dazzlingly beautiful. Usually, an item song irks in such a film, but Nasha stands out because of Bhatia's beauty. 

Watch Riteish Deshmukh and Raj Kumar Gupta discussing Raid 2, Ek Villain, Aamir, ban on Pakistani actors in India

Speaking about shortcomings, the twists become predictable. A few developments take too much time, and Amay's constant defeat will disappoint you at some places. The music is forgettable. Except for Nasha, no song stays with you after the film ends. Honey Singh's Money Money is well-placed in the credits and brings down the curtain on a high note. At some point, Dadabhai looks vulnerable, and Tauji looks more menacing as a villain. Even though Raid 2 is 2 hours and 19 minutes, it does feel a little stretched. Despite the shortcomings, Raid 2 does take the franchise to new heights, and it's a film that should be watched in cinemas only. The franchise has ample growth, and you'll get a hint about it towards the end, leaving you waiting for the next instalment.