SON OF SARDAAR 2 MOVIE REVIEW - A DISAPPOINTING SEQUEL - COMPLETE ANALYSIS

WHEN THE FIRST SON OF SARDAAR RELEASED IN 2012, IT BROUGHT A UNIQUE BLEND OF PUNJABI HUMOR AND OVER-THE-TOP ACTION THAT ENTERTAINED AUDIENCES DESPITE MIXED CRITICAL RECEPTION. NOW, AFTER MORE THAN A DECADE, DIRECTOR ASHWNI DHIR RETURNS WITH SON OF SARDAAR 2, HOPING TO RECAPTURE THAT MAGIC WHILE EXPANDING THE UNIVERSE. UNFORTUNATELY, WHAT WE GET IS A BLOATED, CONFUSED SEQUEL THAT STRUGGLES TO FIND ITS IDENTITY BETWEEN BEING A COMEDY AND AN ACTION SPECTACLE.

AJAY DEVGN REPRISES HIS ROLE AS JASSI, WHILE SANJAY DUTT RETURNS AS THE HOT-HEADED ANTAGONIST WITH A VENDETTA. NEW ADDITION MRUNAL THAKUR STEPS IN AS THE FEMALE LEAD, REPLACING SONAKSHI SINHA FROM THE ORIGINAL. THE FILM PROMISES BIGGER ACTION, MORE LAUGHS, AND ENHANCED PRODUCTION VALUES. BUT DOES IT DELIVER? THE SHORT ANSWER IS: NOT QUITE. WHILE THERE ARE MOMENTS OF GENUINE ENTERTAINMENT SCATTERED THROUGHOUT ITS BLOATED RUNTIME, SON OF SARDAAR 2 ULTIMATELY FEELS LIKE A FILM STUCK BETWEEN WHAT WORKED IN 2012 AND WHAT AUDIENCES EXPECT IN 2024.

PLOT SYNOPSIS

THE FILM PICKS UP YEARS AFTER THE EVENTS OF THE FIRST INSTALLMENT. JASSI HAS NOW SETTLED INTO DOMESTIC LIFE, RUNNING A SUCCESSFUL TRANSPORT BUSINESS IN PUNJAB WHILE TRYING TO KEEP PEACE WITH HIS FORMER ENEMIES. HOWEVER, TRANQUILITY IS SHORT-LIVED WHEN A NEW THREAT EMERGES IN THE FORM OF BILLU'S YOUNGER BROTHER, PLAYED BY SANJAY DUTT IN AN EXTENDED ROLE THAT FEELS SHOEHORNED INTO THE NARRATIVE.

THIS TIME, THE CONFLICT ISN'T JUST ABOUT FAMILY HONOR BUT INVOLVES A PIECE OF ANCESTRAL LAND THAT BOTH PARTIES CLAIM OWNERSHIP OF. THE STAKES ARE RAISED WHEN A POWERFUL POLITICIAN ENTERS THE FRAY, CREATING A THREE-WAY POWER STRUGGLE. JASSI MUST NAVIGATE THIS COMPLEX SITUATION WHILE PROTECTING HIS FAMILY AND MAINTAINING HIS PRINCIPLES. ALONG THE WAY, HE MEETS KHUSHI, PLAYED BY MRUNAL THAKUR, A FEARLESS JOURNALIST WHO BECOMES ENTANGLED IN THE CONFLICT AND EVENTUALLY, A ROMANTIC INTEREST.

THE PLOT ATTEMPTS TO WEAVE MULTIPLE SUBPLOTS INVOLVING FAMILY DYNAMICS, POLITICAL CORRUPTION, AND A TREASURE HUNT ELEMENT THAT FEELS BORROWED FROM BETTER FILMS. WITHOUT GIVING AWAY MAJOR SPOILERS, THE NARRATIVE BECOMES INCREASINGLY CONVOLUTED IN THE SECOND HALF, WITH TWISTS THAT ARE EITHER PREDICTABLE OR DON'T MAKE LOGICAL SENSE. THE CLIMAX INVOLVES AN ELABORATE ACTION SEQUENCE SET DURING A PUNJABI WEDDING, WHICH IS VISUALLY IMPRESSIVE BUT EMOTIONALLY HOLLOW.

PERFORMANCES

AJAY DEVGN DELIVERS EXACTLY WHAT YOU'D EXPECT FROM HIM AT THIS POINT IN HIS CAREER—SOLID ACTION SEQUENCES, DECENT COMIC TIMING, AND A COMMANDING SCREEN PRESENCE. HOWEVER, THERE'S A SENSE OF AUTOPILOT IN HIS PERFORMANCE. HE'S PLAYED VARIATIONS OF THIS CHARACTER NUMEROUS TIMES, AND WHILE HE'S COMFORTABLE IN THE ROLE, THERE'S LITTLE THAT FEELS FRESH OR CHALLENGING. HIS PUNJABI ACCENT COMES AND GOES, WHICH CAN BE DISTRACTING FOR VIEWERS FAMILIAR WITH THE REGION.

SANJAY DUTT SEEMS TO BE HAVING MORE FUN WITH HIS ROLE, BRINGING AN EXAGGERATED MENACE THAT OCCASIONALLY LANDS BUT OFTEN FEELS CARTOONISH. HIS CHARACTER LACKS THE DEPTH THAT MADE THE ANTAGONIST IN THE FIRST FILM SOMEWHAT RELATABLE. INSTEAD, WE GET LOUD SHOUTING AND AGGRESSIVE POSTURING THAT BECOMES TIRESOME BY THE SECOND ACT. HOWEVER, THERE ARE A FEW SCENES WHERE DUTT'S NATURAL CHARISMA SHINES THROUGH, PARTICULARLY IN QUIETER MOMENTS WITH HIS ON-SCREEN FAMILY.

MRUNAL THAKUR IS PERHAPS THE MOST UNDERUTILIZED ASSET IN THE FILM. DESPITE BEING A TALENTED ACTRESS WHO HAS PROVEN HER RANGE IN FILMS LIKE JERSEY AND TOOFAAN, SHE'S RELEGATED TO A STEREOTYPICAL ROLE THAT REQUIRES HER TO LOOK PRETTY, DELIVER EXPOSITION, AND SERVE AS A MOTIVATION DEVICE FOR THE HERO. HER CHARACTER'S JOURNALISM CAREER IS MENTIONED BUT NEVER EXPLORED MEANINGFULLY. THE ROMANTIC CHEMISTRY BETWEEN THAKUR AND DEVGN FEELS FORCED, LACKING THE SPARK THAT COULD HAVE ELEVATED THEIR SCENES TOGETHER.

DIRECTION AND CINEMATOGRAPHY

ASHWNI DHIR RETURNS TO DIRECT BUT SEEMS UNCERTAIN ABOUT WHAT KIND OF FILM HE WANTS TO MAKE. THE TONE SHIFTS JARRINGLY BETWEEN SLAPSTICK COMEDY, SERIOUS FAMILY DRAMA, AND INTENSE ACTION. THESE TRANSITIONS FEEL ABRUPT RATHER THAN ORGANIC, SUGGESTING EITHER UNCLEAR VISION OR PROBLEMATIC EDITING. THE PACING IS ANOTHER MAJOR ISSUE—AT NEARLY 160 MINUTES, THE FILM FEELS AT LEAST 30 MINUTES TOO LONG, WITH SEVERAL SEQUENCES THAT COULD HAVE BEEN TRIMMED OR CUT ENTIRELY.

CINEMATOGRAPHER ASEEM MISHRA CAPTURES THE VIBRANT COLORS AND LANDSCAPES OF PUNJAB BEAUTIFULLY. THE GOLDEN WHEAT FIELDS, TRADITIONAL HAVELIS, AND BUSTLING VILLAGE STREETS ARE PRESENTED WITH WARMTH AND AUTHENTICITY. HOWEVER, DURING ACTION SEQUENCES, THE CAMERA WORK BECOMES CHAOTIC, RELYING TOO HEAVILY ON QUICK CUTS AND SHAKY CAM THAT OBSCURE THE CHOREOGRAPHY RATHER THAN ENHANCE IT.

THERE ARE MOMENTS WHERE DHIR'S DIRECTION SHOWS PROMISE—A PARTICULAR SEQUENCE INVOLVING A TRACTOR CHASE THROUGH NARROW VILLAGE LANES DEMONSTRATES CREATIVITY AND SPATIAL AWARENESS. SIMILARLY, A CONFRONTATION SCENE SHOT DURING SUNSET USES NATURAL LIGHTING EFFECTIVELY TO CREATE MOOD. UNFORTUNATELY, THESE MOMENTS ARE EXCEPTIONS RATHER THAN THE NORM. THE FILM OFTEN RELIES ON CONVENTIONAL SHOT CHOICES AND PREDICTABLE VISUAL STORYTELLING THAT DOES LITTLE TO ELEVATE THE MATERIAL.

SCRIPT AND STORY

THE SCREENPLAY BY ASHWNI DHIR AND YUNUS SAJAWAL IS PERHAPS THE FILM'S WEAKEST ELEMENT. THE DIALOGUE OSCILLATES BETWEEN TRYING TOO HARD TO BE FUNNY AND BEING OVERLY DRAMATIC. MANY JOKES FALL FLAT, RELYING ON DATED HUMOR AND STEREOTYPES THAT MIGHT HAVE WORKED A DECADE AGO BUT FEEL OUT OF TOUCH TODAY. THE "COMEDY OF ERRORS" SITUATIONS THAT WORKED IN THE FIRST FILM ARE REPEATED HERE WITH DIMINISHING RETURNS.

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT IS VIRTUALLY NON-EXISTENT. MOST CHARACTERS ARE ONE-DIMENSIONAL ARCHETYPES—THE HOT-HEADED VILLAIN, THE WISE ELDER, THE COMIC RELIEF SIDEKICK, THE SUPPORTIVE MOTHER. NO ONE UNDERGOES MEANINGFUL TRANSFORMATION OR GROWTH. JASSI BEGINS AND ENDS THE FILM AS ESSENTIALLY THE SAME PERSON, HAVING LEARNED NOTHING FROM HIS EXPERIENCES. THIS MAKES THE EMOTIONAL BEATS RING HOLLOW BECAUSE WE'RE NOT INVESTED IN THESE CHARACTERS AS PEOPLE.

THE PLOT MEANDERS THROUGH FAMILIAR TERRITORY, BORROWING LIBERALLY FROM OTHER PUNJABI ACTION COMEDIES AND HINDI MASALA FILMS. THE LAND DISPUTE ANGLE HAS BEEN DONE COUNTLESS TIMES, AND THE FILM BRINGS NOTHING FRESH TO THIS PREMISE. SUBPLOTS ARE INTRODUCED AND THEN FORGOTTEN, CREATING A DISJOINTED NARRATIVE FLOW. THE ROMANTIC TRACK FEELS PARTICULARLY FORCED, WITH THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN JASSI AND KHUSHI DEVELOPING THROUGH MONTAGES RATHER THAN GENUINE INTERACTION AND CHEMISTRY.

TECHNICAL ELEMENTS

ON THE TECHNICAL FRONT, SON OF SARDAAR 2 PRESENTS A MIXED BAG. THE PRODUCTION DESIGN DESERVES PRAISE FOR CREATING AUTHENTIC-LOOKING PUNJABI SETTINGS. THE TRADITIONAL HOMES, VILLAGE SQUARES, AND AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPES ALL FEEL GENUINE RATHER THAN LIKE BOLLYWOOD'S SANITIZED VERSION OF RURAL INDIA. COSTUME DESIGNER ANAHITA SHROFF DOES COMMENDABLE WORK, ESPECIALLY WITH THE TRADITIONAL PUNJABI ATTIRE WORN DURING WEDDING SEQUENCES.

THE MUSIC BY SACHIN-JIGAR IS FORGETTABLE. NONE OF THE SONGS ARE PARTICULARLY CATCHY OR MEMORABLE, AND THEY OFTEN INTERRUPT THE NARRATIVE FLOW RATHER THAN ENHANCE IT. THE BACKGROUND SCORE RELIES HEAVILY ON LOUD DRUMS AND DHOLS DURING ACTION SCENES, WHICH BECOMES MONOTONOUS. THERE'S A LACK OF MUSICAL IDENTITY THAT COULD HAVE HELPED ESTABLISH THE FILM'S UNIQUE FLAVOR.

ACTION CHOREOGRAPHY BY SUNIL RODRIGUES IS COMPETENT BUT UNSPECTACULAR. THE HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT SCENES LACK INNOVATION, FALLING BACK ON FAMILIAR MOVES WE'VE SEEN IN DOZENS OF AJAY DEVGN FILMS. THE CGI USED IN CERTAIN SEQUENCES IS NOTICEABLY SUBPAR, PARTICULARLY IN A CLIMACTIC EXPLOSION SEQUENCE THAT LOOKS CARTOONISH. THE EDITING BY DHARMENDRA SHARMA IS PROBLEMATIC, WITH AWKWARD TRANSITIONS AND A RUNTIME THAT NEEDED SERIOUS TRIMMING.

THEMES AND SUBTEXT

THE FILM ATTEMPTS TO EXPLORE THEMES OF FAMILY HONOR, FORGIVENESS, AND THE CHANGING DYNAMICS OF RURAL PUNJAB IN A MODERNIZING INDIA. THERE ARE GESTURES TOWARD COMMENTING ON POLITICAL CORRUPTION AND LAND GRABBING, ISSUES THAT ARE GENUINELY RELEVANT. HOWEVER, THESE THEMES ARE HANDLED SUPERFICIALLY, NEVER MOVING BEYOND SURFACE-LEVEL ACKNOWLEDGMENT.

THE PORTRAYAL OF PUNJABI CULTURE WALKS A FINE LINE BETWEEN CELEBRATION AND CARICATURE. WHILE THERE'S CLEAR AFFECTION FOR THE TRADITIONS, FOOD, AND VALUES OF THE COMMUNITY, THE BROAD STROKES CHARACTERIZATION SOMETIMES BORDERS ON STEREOTYPICAL. THE FILM SEEMS TO SUGGEST THAT VIOLENCE AND AGGRESSION ARE INHERENT TO PUNJABI MASCULINITY, A REDUCTIVE VIEW THAT DOES DISSERVICE TO THE CULTURE IT CLAIMS TO HONOR.

THERE'S AN UNDERLYING MESSAGE ABOUT CHOOSING PEACE OVER PERPETUAL CONFLICT, BUT IT'S UNDERCUT BY THE FILM'S OWN CELEBRATION OF VIOLENCE. THE CLIMAX RESOLVES THROUGH A MASSIVE FIGHT SEQUENCE RATHER THAN DIALOGUE OR UNDERSTANDING, CONTRADICTING THE SUPPOSED THEME OF BREAKING CYCLES OF REVENGE. THIS THEMATIC CONFUSION LEAVES THE FILM FEELING IDEOLOGICALLY MUDDLED, UNSURE OF WHAT IT ACTUALLY WANTS TO SAY BEYOND PROVIDING ENTERTAINMENT.

DIRECTED BY ASHWNI DHIR √ STARRING: AJAY DEVGN, SANJAY DUTT, MRUNAL THAKUR √ RELEASE DATE: 2024 √ GENRE: ACTION COMEDY

RATING√ ★★☆☆☆ 2√5}
A DISAPPOINTING SEQUEL THAT FAILS TO JUSTIFY ITS EXISTENCE.

CONCLUSION AND VERDICT

SON OF SARDAAR 2 IS A TEXTBOOK EXAMPLE OF AN UNNECESSARY SEQUEL MADE PRIMARILY FOR COMMERCIAL REASONS RATHER THAN CREATIVE ONES. WHILE THERE ARE SCATTERED MOMENTS OF ENTERTAINMENT—A FEW LAUGHS HERE, AN IMPRESSIVE STUNT THERE—THEY'RE NOT ENOUGH TO SUSTAIN A 160-MINUTE RUNTIME. THE FILM FEELS LIKE A PRODUCT ASSEMBLED FROM FAMILIAR PARTS RATHER THAN A COHESIVE VISION.

THIS MOVIE WILL PRIMARILY APPEAL TO DIE-HARD FANS OF AJAY DEVGN WHO ENJOY HIS ACTION-COMEDY PERSONA, AND AUDIENCES WHO AREN'T PARTICULARLY DEMANDING ABOUT PLOT LOGIC OR CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. IF YOU ENJOYED THE FIRST FILM AND ARE SIMPLY LOOKING FOR MORE OF THE SAME WITHOUT EXPECTING EVOLUTION OR IMPROVEMENT, YOU MIGHT FIND ENOUGH HERE TO PASS THE TIME. HOWEVER, FOR VIEWERS SEEKING SMART COMEDY, COMPELLING DRAMA, OR INNOVATIVE ACTION, THIS FILM WILL PROVE DEEPLY UNSATISFYING.

FINAL AND VERDICT

SKIP IT - UNLESS YOU'RE A COMPLETIST WHO WATCHED THE FIRST FILM AND FEEL OBLIGATED TO SEE THIS ONE, SON OF SARDAAR 2 IS EASILY SKIPPABLE. THE FILM OFFERS NOTHING WE HAVEN'T SEEN DONE BETTER IN OTHER ACTION COMEDIES. IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR QUALITY PUNJABI-THEMED ENTERTAINMENT, REVISIT CLASSICS LIKE JATT AND JULIET OR THE VASTLY SUPERIOR CARRY ON JATTA SERIES. THIS SEQUEL EXISTS IN THAT UNFORTUNATE SPACE WHERE IT'S NEITHER BAD ENOUGH TO BE MEMORABLY TERRIBLE NOR GOOD ENOUGH TO RECOMMEND. IT'S SIMPLY MEDIOCRE, AND IN AN ERA OF ABUNDANT ENTERTAINMENT OPTIONS, MEDIOCRITY IS THE ONE THING AUDIENCES SHOULDN'T SETTLE FOR.

WAIT FOR IT TO STREAM IF CURIOSITY GETS THE BETTER OF YOU, BUT DON'T FEEL COMPELLED TO RUSH TO THEATERS FOR THIS ONE. YOUR TIME AND MONEY ARE BETTER SPENT ELSEWHERE.

OLDER... NEWER...