A film on serial killer is always an exciting opportunity for a filmmaker to showcase his potential and for audiences to have a thrilling time. Anurag Kashyap goes one step ahead however. He presents Raman Raghav 2.0, a serial killer film with a difference. And this’difference’ is one of the big reasons why this film is surely worth a watch! The performances are extraordinary too especially by, obviously, Nawazuddin Siddiqui!
The story of the movie: Ramanna(Nawazuddin Siddiqui) is a disturbed individual and a serial killer. He has no pattern and kills people at will. Then he meets Inspector Raghavan(Vicky Kaushal), who’s incidentally also probing his murders. He finds a connection in him which leads to disastrous consequences. Raghavan on the other hand is fighting his own battles and is living in with Simi(Sobhita Dhulipala).
Raman Raghav 2.0 is neatly divided into chapters, which helps the film and the flow because there are separate tracks in the film at few places. With the chapter style, it all flows nicely. The beginning scene is very astonishing as it shows something for which the audiences aren’t prepared. The opening credits, done in the psychedelic style, are impressive. The following scene keep viewers engrossed but the best part of the first half is reserved for the sister’s(Amruta Subhash) track. It is not just violent but it speaks about things that are taboo in our country and quickly brushed under the carpet. But in this sequence, Anurag Kashyap makes it clear that things like these also exist. The choice of words used by the characters here can make viewers squirm but it was important to do so for the impact. In the second half, the cat and mouse chase continues and sometimes, the tables also turn. The pre-climax is again quite a shocker and is bound to keep one at the edge of the seats.
Sadly, the film has its share of blemishes as well. At 140 minutes, it’s quite long and could have been a bit shorter for better impact. There are too many sub plots that should have been done away with or shortened. The drug lord scene is a bit unconvincing. Too many people get killed in fact and after a while, the impact is not the same. The finale tries to be unpredictable but ends up being predictable. It is interesting but one wishes if it was something that the audience had not expected. After all, the whole film is so different and the ending should have followed suit. It’s not a clichéd ending but when one sees the film and especially the climax, one can pre-empt the final scene.
Speaking of performances, Nawazuddin Siddiqui is in top form. If you think he couldn’t go beyond what he did in Badlapur, then well, you are in for a surprise. He goes way ahead of his Badlapur performance and hence one can imagine what he has achieved in this film! He’ll make you laugh, shock, disgust and even squirm with his antics and words. It is outstanding how, within 1 ½ years, he played such diverse roles – from the grey character in Badlapur to the darling in Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Manjhi – The Mountain Man – and he was so convincing in both the avatars! And now he’s rocking and believable as the mad serial killer as well! Nawaz bhai, take a bow! Vicky Kaushal too succeeds in breaking his ‘good boy’ image that he generated with Masaan and the recent Google ad. He plays a badass cop with elan. The clothes and sunglasses along with the stubble make him look extremely dashing! An actor who definitely has a bright future! Sobhita Dhulipala delivers a fine performance but her character doesn’t have much to do until the climax. But she definitely has acting talent and can impress a lot if she gets the correct roles. Amruta Subhash(the sister) creates a tremendous impact in a small performance. Same goes for Ashok Lokhande(sister’s husband). Anuschka Sawhney(Ankita) does a good job. Vipin Sharma(Raghavan’s father) and Mukesh Chhabra(restaurant owner) leave a mark.
Ram Sampath’s music is impressive. Qatl-E-Aam is the best of the lot followed by Behooda. His background score is spellbinding. Jay Oza’s cinematography is gritty. The film has been shot in difficult conditions and kudos to the DOP for not compromising anywhere. In fact, the film has been shot in some never-before-seen locations of Mumbai that gives it a nice touch. Vasan Bala and Anurag Kashyap’s story is unique and quite fresh. Dialogues are simple and sharp. Nawazuddin’s dialogue in his interrogation scene in the beginning is epic! Screenplay is fine but could have been better in the end. Anurag Kashyap’s direction is unconventional, as expected, and he’s in much better control than his previous 2 directorial films – Ugly and Bombay Velvet. It’s not as legendary as his Black Friday too. But he makes an impact. And the chapter idea works very well. Hope he comes up with many such films, without giving a thought about the commerce. Not many popular directors can boast of this fact!
Some of the best scenes:
1. Raghavan goes to meet his chacha
2. Raghavan gets a hammer
3. Ramanna’s interrogation
4. The sister chapter(brilliant)
5. Raghavan threatens Simi
6. The intermission point
7. The last 20 minutes
On the whole, Raman Raghav 2.0 is an entertaining and twisted crime saga. It’s a serial killer film with a difference - from the first sequence itself, it makes it clear that it’s unlike any other films of this genre. Nawazuddin Siddiqui stuns with his extraordinary performance while Vicky Kaushal too springs a surprise. Technically, the film is too good and has been shot in never-before-seen locales of Mumbai. It could have been shorter and the final scene could have been better. But nevertheless, it makes an impact and hence, deserves to be seen by those who can relish such a fare!
My rating -3.5/5!