Ab Tak Chhappan (2004) is a movie that stands all by itself; it doesn't need a sequel nor can a proper sequel be made out of what was left at the end of the film. So even if this is a daunting effort, the tediousness will bore you.
Now, the plot of this much-anticipated sequel is hauntingly similar to its prequel. All-star encounter specialist Sadhu Agashe (Patekar) comes out of retirement and rebuilds his reputation as a maverick. The sidekicks are new, though the attention-seeker that was played by Yashpal Sharma then is now played by Ashutosh Rana in a seemingly absurd role. The same phone conversations with an overseas gangster, collateral damage, raw language, camera work, and Patekar's distinct talking style are all reminiscent of the brilliant movie we adored a decade ago, but twenty minutes later, the narration fails to arrest our senses. Slowly though, the tension picks up, but soon fades away. We end up feeling displeased.
Had most of the previous cast brought back, this could have been made into a much better thriller, but given that Agashe is fighting the bureaucracy this time, all is built on stinking stones of predictability. The scattered sequences and bad editing further adds to the damage done to the original film. Moreover, the climax goes slightly overboard, dealing and being priggish about the current state of politics.
Patekar is brilliant as always, and he does a splendid work. Rana is wasted and I wonder what Gul Panag as a crime reporter was doing in the film. She barely had a role to play and is only found shouting.
BOTTOM LINE: If you loved the 2004 film, you may give it a try, for it is an average thriller. Otherwise, skipping wouldn't be harmful.
Can be watched with a typical Indian family? NO
Profanity/Vulgarity: Medium
