Dhoom was one of those movies which released in 2004 with the least of hype. After all, it had actors whom the media had labeled as big failures. But surprisingly, the movie connected quite well, particularly with the youth. The peppy music and the fast bikes added to the coolness quotient which ultimately resulted in it being a hit. A sequel was inevitable and so Dhoom 2 arrives which promises to be bigger and better. An ensemble cast consisting of Hrithik Roshan, Aishwarya Rai, Abhishek Bachchan, coupled with some amazing action sequences promise to be the USP of the film.
ACP Jai Dixit(Abhishek Bachchan) and Ali(Uday Chopra) are doing their best to keep the crime level down in the city of Mumbai. Aryan, alias Mr. A(Hrithik Roshan) is the most brilliant thief the world has ever seen. He has an eye for invaluable artifacts and a penchant for conducting the most unbelievable robberies in the most amazing disguises. ACP Shonali Bose(Bipasha Basu) is an expert on Mr. A and she is sent to assist Jai to track down this elusive thief whose next target happens to be Mumbai. Mr. A in one of his heists meets Sunheri(Aishwarya Rai) a daring thief who considers him as her idol. She makes an offer that he can’t refuse-a partnership. It later turns out that she is a police mole.
Is Mr.A successful?
Does he discover Sunheri’s true colours?
Is Jai successful in putting Mr. A behind bars?
These are the questions that the movie answers in the course of daring action scenes, peppy songs and some mindless comedy.
Dhoom 2 is a typical cops and robbers story with all the cool frills. In terms of a story, this movie must have the oldest story in the history of cinema. But what drives Dhoom 2 forward like its predecessor is not the story but the way it is executed. Aryan’s unbelievable robberies and Jai’s futile efforts to nab him is what actually holds the movie together.
The screenplay is what you would expect in a typical Bollywood potboiler. Some action scenes, some comedy, some romance, some songs and voila you have a movie. This formula more or less works for Dhoom 2 except for the placement of the songs which only aid in slackening the pace. Also the track concerning Bipasha Basu’s twin sister is senseless to say the least. Aryan is projected as this emotionless, rigid and perfect thief. him falling for Sunheri blindly doesn’t exactly suit his character. Though the first half is high-octane action, most of the second half is spent in developing the love story between Aryan and Sunheri. The climax again, though satisfying for everybody doesn’t really stand out like the climax of Dhoom.
The cinematography and the action sequences are splendid to say the least. The producers have spent a considerable budget on the development of the action sequences and it shows. The stunt consultant from Hollywood, Vic Armstrong happens to be the second unit director of all the James Bond films and he has also doubled for Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Harrison Ford and many more.The Hollywood class shows and Dhoom 2 has definitely set a new benchmark for action movies in India.
The music is strictly average which is a big minus as compared to the original film. Except for ‘Dhoom Again’ none of the tracks really stand out. It is only Hrithik’s amazing dancing abilities which to an extent save the day. The other problem with the songs is that it only slackens the pace of the movie and acts as nothing but a commercial for Hrithik’s dancing abilities.
On the acting front, Hrithik stands tall among the crowd. Dhoom 2 is all about Hrithik. Some eyebrows were raised when he was chosen as the antagonist but Mr. A is the only person you remember while leaving the theatre. His performance in Dhoom 2 ranks as one of his best till date and is sure to win the appreciation of the critics and the fans alike. Hrithik is a definite contender for the best actor in a negative role award and there wouldn’t be any complaints if he wins. Like a few movies of yesteryears like Sholay and Don, it is the antagonist who walks away with all the accolades and Dhoom 2 is no exception. Abhishek Bachchan simply reprises his role from Dhoom and so is good. Uday Chopra is once again decent. Aishwarya Rai and Bipasha Basu act like glam dolls and so no marks for them. Simply put, Hrithik simply steals the show.
The biggest USP of Dhoom was its fun quotient. Dhoom 2 is no different. Its simply like your favorite roller-coaster, you want to take the ride all over again. And that is its biggest strength; forget all the weaknesses in the script. With tremendous hype and a high repeat value, this flick is a definite winner and is all set to create Dhoom at the box-office.
Dhoom 2 gets 3 out of 5.