Raid 2 review: Ajay Devgn’s film falls flat, fails to impress

Ajay Devgn repeats his role as Amay Patnaik, a no-nonsense income tax official, in Raid 2. The movie begins with Patnaik’s convoy reaching the palace of a influential politician, indicating a game of cat-and-mouse between the upright officer and the politician Dadabhai, played by Riteish Deshmukh. Dadabhai is a multi-dimensional personality – a mama’s boy who is ethically flawed but never compromises on his mother’s blessings.

The plot is about Patnaik’s confrontation with Dadabhai, a well-liked leader with his dark, corrupt side. With the interesting premise, the movie fails through weak story structure, music at improper places, and characters not contributing to the story.The first half raises hopes of Patnaik’s intelligence and work ethic but also introduces a love interest subplot involving Vani Kapoor, which doesn’t belong there.

Ajay Devgn carries the movie on his brooding intensity and purposeful walk, but he is not rooted to the role of Patnaik. Riteish is aptly cast in the role of Dadabhai, but the villain is not menacing and deep. The dialogue is a strong point with lines such as “Maine kab kaha main Pandav hoon, main toh puri ki puri Mahabharat Hoon” and “Sarkaar koi bhi chalaye, department toh aapke aur mere jaise log chalate gain” that provide some respite.

The climax does offer some closure and entertainment, but overall the film seems half-baked and short of flavors. Had the development been improved and done in a more complex manner, Raid 2 might have had greater impact. The film keeps you interested despite its shortcomings due to Devgn’s performance and the interesting concept.