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Drishyam 2 Movie Review : A gripping sequel with ample twists, turns and drama

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Drishyam 2 review: Ajay Devgn-starrer surprises you with intelligent twists in a masala thriller

Drishyam 2 movie review: ajay devgn and tabu-starrer ticks most of the boxes in the checklist of bollywood audiences and makes for a great watch..

From a 4th fail, middle-class cable operator who is obsessed with Bollywood films, Vijay Salgaonkar ( Ajay Devgn ) is now a theatre owner who wants to produce a film and even has the script ready. But what hasn't changed in these seven years is his passion for films, storytelling and love for twisted plots. So, when his case file in a murder case reopens in Goa police station, you can only expect this mystery to get more intriguing, interesting and exciting. A remake of Malayalam film by the same name that released in 2021, Drishyam 2 is a sequel to the 2015 crime thriller that left everyone guessing what really happened on October 2 and 3, a tale which all of us now remember by heart after listening to the members of Salgaonkar family some 100 times over during investigation. But the truth is yet to be uncovered. Also read: Drishyam 2 collects ₹ 3 crore in advance booking, shows promise for day 1

Directed by Abhishek Pathak, the film is riding on the plot of its prequel that generated a lot of buzz. There are ample references that one keeps hearing throughout in the sequel, which remind them of how good the first film was. Vijay Salgaonkar lives in Goa with his wife Nandini (Shriya Saran) and daughters Anju (Ishita Dutta) and Annu (Mrunal Jadhav). After Nandini and Anju accidently kill a young boy, Sam, who happens to be Goa IG Meera Deshmukh's ( Tabu ) son, Vijay is devising new ideas every day to guard his family and ends up saying a 100 lies to hide one. Drishyam ends with the case being closed and it being established that Sam is dead. The sequel introduces us to a new IG in town, Tarun Ahlawat (Akhaye Khanna), who reopens this file and wants to find Sam's body along with all other lose ends that would help him put Vijay behind bars. Does Drishyam 2 solve this puzzle? Will Vijay throw himself under the bus to save his family? Will his wife and daughters follow Vijay's ideas and fool the police officers again?

Jeethu Joseph, who has written and directed the Malayalam original, gets full credit for the genius story. Loaded with ingredients of a commercial potboiler — be it dialogues, punchlines, expressions, and even subtly placed humour — Drishyam 2 doesn't disappoint. Each track opens a new can of worms and goes beyond you can comprehend. Justifying the story, an equally captivating screenplay by Aamil Keeyan Khan and Pathak gives Drishyam 2 an edge and doesn't let it go off track. The slo-mo and close-up shots of characters build the tension, and the momentum never breaks. While the first half does have some slow patches, the second half picks up pace and the last 30 minutes makes you clap, cheer, and even blow a few whistles. Drishyam 2 unapologetically throws fully filmy dialogues one after the another and you don't complain, for they just never look off.

Ajay is in full form, and I liked how realistic makers kept his character. Given that he's not playing a cop here but a regular middle-class man, he seems to have put on weight in these seven years and looks effortlessly convincing in all those brooding scenes. Honestly, you don't miss him not giving too many expressions. Just that one look is enough. Shriya's character hasn't changed much, and she continues to be that scared wife. Salgaonkar's younger daughter is a grown-up girl now and unlike the first part, doesn't have much to in the sequel. I can barely remember any lines she was given. Ishita's Anju has developed epilepsy because of the traumatic events. She delivers a decent performance. Akshaye Khanna makes an impressive comeback on the big screen after Section 375 (2019), though I couldn't look past his wooden expression in most scenes. Sadly, Tabu, I felt, was reduced to merely a cameo in the sequel and I wish her role had more weight. Laxmikant Gaitonde (Kamlesh Sawant) returns and continues to make you hate him. Saurabh Shukla as the new addition makes an appearance in the beginning and then vanishes to return in the climax with the big reveal.

While Drishyam 2 justifies the seven years leap with story moving forward, characters ageing, it seems certain things didn't change one bit. For instance, I expected Martin's canteen to at least get a makeover in all these years and be a slightly posh cafeteria. Another thing I found unsettling is how the biggest of departments like Forensics still don't have CCTVs installed. Imagine, even Vijay now has access to multiple CCTV footage inside his theatre office and on road outside the police station. Also, did Salgaonkar family never think of telling police the truth that Sam was blackmailing them, and it was an accident. Maybe a trial would have given them justice.

Nevertheless, Drishyam 2 ticks most of the boxes in the checklist of Bollywood audiences and makes for a great watch. Only if you don't ask too many questions, this is your typical masala film that you would love to enjoy on the big screen.

Director: Abhishek Pathak

Cast: Ajay Devgn, Akshaye Khanna, Tabu, Shriya Saran, Ishita Dutta, Rajat Kapoor, Saurabh Shukla

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'drishyam 2' review: a meaty thriller that dares to trust itself, 'drishyam 2', starring ajay devgn, tabu, shriya saran, and akshaye khanna, released in theatres on 18 november..

(Minor spoilers for Drishyam 1)

Where do you go from a (seemingly) perfect crime? What (or rather whose) story do you tell next after you’ve served a thrilling investigation in a neatly wrapped package? I’ll be the first to admit that I was skeptical about Drishyam 2, the sequel to Nishikant Kamat’s Drishyam .

When the first film seemed to end with all threads convening, why make more? I was naive.

Drishyam 2 takes place a few years after the events of the first film. Vijay Salgaonkar (Ajay Devgn) and his family seem to have adjusted to a new normal, putting Sam’s death and the following harrowing events behind them, for the most part. Vijay now has a theater of his own and is producing a film based on his life’s story. 

But all is not as calm as it seems, since Sam’s mother (former Inspector General of Police) Meera Deshmukh is still searching for answers and closure. Once again, Vijay prepares to do anything to protect his family. 

The film’s first half is slow-paced and unhurried. It teeters on being boring but the anticipation for what is to come next and the plot points director Abhishek Pathak is trying to set up keep you interested. 

The second half picks up rapidly, both in speed and intensity, creating a gripping thriller made with an almost scientific dedication. It’s easy to want to find loopholes in a thriller and you might find some miniscule faults but the big picture is so compelling that the rest is easy to ignore. 

Shriya Saran as Vijay’s wife Nandini and Ishita Dutta as their daughter Anju both portray their characters beautifully – finding a way to express their concerns and fears related Sam’s death and the threat to their family in their own ways even when they share the screen. 

With these characters, the film refuses to stray away from its reality. Ajay Devgn as Vijay commands every scene he is in. While Saran and Dutta do well to meld into their surroundings, Devgn as Vijay is a looming presence in his own family’s life – detached from their reality by the simple fact that he ‘knows things’. 

While an unforgettable Tabu as the stoic and determined Meera is still the story’s catalyst, this time Vijay is directly facing off officer Tarun Ahlawat (played admirably by Akshaye Khanna) who seems to match wit with Vijay. Drishyam 2 is believable enough to be impressive and that’s perhaps all that matters.

The film also doesn’t make the error of drawing flashbacks from its prequel, relying instead on a new facet of an old investigation. 

However, one aspect that feels unsettling is the idea of creating antagonists who exist in a dichotomy of black and white; the idea seems rather outdated and is perhaps one of the film’s only glaring flaws. It is, however, nice that the commentary about police brutality extends to the sequel as well, no matter how cursory. 

The background score by Devi Sri Prasad is a quintessential masala thriller score but in places it becomes overbearing. In several high octave sequences, the music seems to overpower the visuals, affecting the overall effect the scenes could have had – perhaps with the use of a leitmotif or silence (and more restrain with the use of slow motion).

Sudhir Kumar Chaudhary as the director of photography uses every trick in the book to create an immersive experience – it’s up shots and POVs galore. The scenes shot even in the dark are lit brilliantly, making them easier to follow. 

While some reveals might be expected, there are some that a viewer might not see coming (unless they’ve watched the Malayalam original starring Mohanlal). The film remains, at the end of it all, a battle of wits akin to a chess match.

The one that makes the winning move wins all and the other is left with nothing but boxes on a board and moves that amounted to nothing.

As a thriller, Drishyam 2 is a powerful premise held together by the makers and the cast’s commitment to the plot. 

(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)

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Drishyam 2 Movie Review: DRISHYAM 2 gives a paisavasool experience thanks to the performances & applauseworthy climax.

Drishyam 2 is a justified sequel and gives a paisa-vasool experience thanks to the performances, script and applause-worthy climax., drishyam 2 review {4.0/5} & review rating.

DRISHYAM 2 is the story of a family in crisis. The year is 2021. 7 years have passed since the events of the first part. Vijay Salgaonkar ( Ajay Devgn ) has fulfilled his dream of opening a cinema hall. He still runs a cable network and resides in the same house at Pondolem, Goa. His elder daughter Anju ( Ishita Dutta ) is still traumatized over what unfolded 7 years ago and is seeking medical help. Vijay's wife Nandini ( Shriya Saran ) is quite concerned and fears that things can go wrong anytime. She finds a confidante in her neighbour, Jenny (Neha Joshi). Meanwhile, Tarun Ahlawat ( Akshaye Khanna ) is appointed as the new IG in Goa. He's a good friend of Meera Deshmukh ( Tabu ). She had settled in London and she and her husband Mahesh (Rajat Kapoor) return to Goa for their son's death anniversary. Tarun meets Meera; he also studies Vijay Salgaonkar's case and concludes that he's lying through his teeth. Of course, without concrete evidence, the police can't take any action. This is when Tarun chances upon an important clue. Soon, they get more information. Tarun and Meera are confident that this time, it’s time for Vijay Salgaonkar and his family to go to jail. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

DRISHYAM 2 is a remake of the 2021 Malayalam movie of the same name. Jeethu Joseph's story is incredible as it does total justice and takes the story forward very well. Aamil Keeyan Khan and Abhishek Pathak's screenplay is gripping and raises tension levels considerably. However, it’s too slow, especially in the initial and middle portions. Aamil Keeyan Khan's dialogues are simple but sharp.

Abhishek Pathak's direction is quite good, and he has improved a lot, compared to his last film, UJDA CHAMAN [2019]. He has added the required thrill, tension, and exhilaration in adequate doses. As a result, viewers will be glued to their seats from start to finish. He shows his brilliance in the climax.

On the flipside, the film suffers on account of the length. Nothing much happens in the first half. The intermission point comes too soon, and one might wonder if the film has anything worthwhile to offer after all. Secondly, a few cinematic liberties are hard to digest. Lastly, it’s very similar to the original version though thankfully, many haven't seen it.

DRISHYAM 2 begins on an intriguing note. The problems faced by Vijay and how residents of the town believe that he is the murderer is well depicted. A few scenes stand out in the first half like Anju's epilepsy episode, Anju confiding to Jenny, and Tarun's entry. The intermission point is unexpected and gives some indication that this film also is a roller coaster ride. Post interval, Tarun meeting Nandini and his daughters is memorable. But the best is reserved for the last 30 minutes. The turn of events is completely unpredictable and will induce claps and whistles in cinemas.

Ajay Devgn, as expected, delivers a stupendous performance. He nicely gets back into the skin of the character of Vijay and gives no reason to complain. Akshaye Khanna is a great addition to the franchise. He is a scene-stealer thanks to his characterization and performance. Tabu is restrained and very impressive. Shriya Saran, Ishita Dutta, and Mrunal Jadhav (Anu) are dependable. Kamlesh Sawant (Gaitonde) and Siddharth Bodke (David) leave a huge mark. Saurabh Shukla (Murad Ali) is damn good in a cameo. Rajat Kapoor, Neha Joshi, Nishant Kulkarni (Shiv; Jenny’s husband), Yogesh Soman (Inspector Vinayak), Sharad Bhutadia (Martin), Ashmita Jaggi (Mary) and others are decent.

Drishyam 2 – Official Trailer | Ajay Devgn, Akshaye Khanna, Tabu, Shriya Saran | Abhishek Pathak

Devi Sri Prasad's music is in sync with the film’s mood. The title track is great, followed by  'Sahi Galat'. 'Saath Hum Rahein'  is forgettable. Devi Sri Prasad's background score is cinematic and exciting.

Sudhir Kumar Chaudhary's cinematography is creative and neat. Tarpan Shrivastava's production design is realistic. Navin Shetty, Sanam Ratansi, and Tanya Oak's costumes are straight out of life. Amin Khatib's action is not disturbing. Sandeep Francis's editing could have been crisper. The 142-minute-long film should have been shorter by 15-20 minutes.

On the whole, DRISHYAM 2 is a justified sequel and gives a  paisa-vasool  experience thanks to the performances, script, and applause-worthy climax. At the box office, it has the potential to open in double digits due to the tremendous anticipation amongst the viewers to find out what happens next in the life of Vijay Salgaonkar. In fact, an entry into the Rs. 100 crore club cannot be ruled out. Recommended!

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Drishyam 2 Movie Review

Drishyam 2 Devesh Sharma , Nov 18, 2022, 22:11 IST

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Drishyam 2 Review: A Good Story Trapped in an Average Film and a Passive Ajay Devgn

Director : Abhishek Pathak

Writers : Aamil Keeyan Khan, Abhishek Pathak, Jeethu Joseph

Cast : Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Akshaye Khanna, Shriya Saran, Ishita Dutta, Rajat Kapoor

It’s not difficult to discern why the Drishyam franchise – across languages – is so commercially successful. It’s not the storytelling; it’s the story. Beneath its cheap narrative thrills lies the quiet endorsement of middle-class morality. All the bases are covered. A father and husband protects his family at all costs. A half-educated man outwits a system designed to prey on people like him. Privilege is the villain: A parent of a good girl defeats the parent of an entitled boy. Performance is the hero: The family must pretend to be normal when they’re not. Most of all, a middle-aged Indian weaponises his love for the movies. Cinema is his superpower. Escapism defines his escape. The flexibility of film – represented by the family man’s audacity and planning – is at war with the rigidity of life, represented by the law enforcement process struggling to nail him. By rooting for him, we are reclaiming the relationship between cinephilia and human character. There’s a difference, after all, between visual and image – one is determined by sight, the other by societal gaze.

A Hindi remake of Jeethu Joseph ’s hit Malayalam sequel, Drishyam 2 extends the meta commentary on this relationship. The smart thing about Joseph’s original screenplay is that the sequel, for most part, looks like a replay of the first film. On the face of it, history is repeating itself. Everyone is older but no wiser. Seven years later, the Salgaonkar family – led by protagonist Vijay ( Ajay Devgn ) – is again under scrutiny. They again exchange furtive glances with each other. The cat-and-mouse game in Goa resumes; the hunt for evidence in Pondolem continues. The IG ( Akshaye Khanna ) might be new, but the team is not. Mother of the murdered boy, Meera ( Tabu ), is back from London, as is bad cop Gaitonde (Kamlesh Sawant) from a long suspension. Vijay is again on the back foot for a majority of the investigation. The family is tortured again. The only difference is that we, the audience, start from the space of knowing where Vijay has hidden the body. So it’s not about outwitting the system anymore. It’s about outsmarting karma.

Testing our patience seems to be part of the sequel’s conceit. It lulls us into a state where we look at the film without really watching it. This detachment means that we don’t dwell on some seemingly random details. Like Vijay – who now owns a cinema hall – preparing to produce his own film. Like his vague meeting with a scriptwriter. Like his late-night drinking sessions with a security guard slated to act in his film. Like the outdoor CCTV cameras that need to be repaired. Like a cemetery worker expressing his reverence for Vijay. Like an off-handed chat about a book. Or like the flashback of that fateful night in 2014 from the perspective of someone who spotted Vijay. Eventually, of course, it emerges that all these scenes have a purpose, a sleight-of-hand trick that echoes Vijay’s Prestige -style opening voiceover: “The question is not what’s in front of your eyes, but what you are seeing.”

Or, in this case, what you are not seeing. Vijay’s wife, Nandini, as well as the daughter responsible for the murder, Anju, are still traumatised. They find it strange that Vijay seems to have moved on easily; he’s even banned his family from even discussing the incident. All he can think about is the movie he wants to produce. He is unfazed by the rumour mills, unmoved by his controversial image. I like that the conflict is rooted in the psychological aftermath – guilt, paranoia, coping mechanisms – of the family. But where a film succeeds is often where a story fails. The nature of the format is such that the easy glory of a climactic twist leaves no room for human ambiguity. Vijay becomes a vessel for the film to express how smart it is. His struggle – as an everyman who repeatedly lies to plug the holes of his family’s leaky boat – is sacrificed at the altar of feature-length resolution. It’s not hard to shock or surprise the audience; the challenge is to swap narrative pressure for emotional consequence.

One of the finest Indian web shows of last year, Tabbar , was based on a similar premise. A Sikh ex-constable scrambles to protect his family by covering up their accidental killing of a corrupt politician’s brother. Over the course of eight episodes, we see the man resort to a web of deception; he stops at nothing – including murder – to shield his family. The suspense of evading capture soon gives way to the tragedy of getting consumed. By focusing on their descent into darkness, the series reveals that the real battle is within: They can escape the law but can they ever escape themselves? Their moral decay creeps up on the viewer, and it ultimately allows the series to examine the cost – and real-world consequences – of narrative cleverness. But the high-pitched treatment of Drishyam 2 suggests that its only priority is to hoodwink the thrill-seeking viewer. It also suggests that perhaps director Abhishek Pathak has adapted a film without fully understanding its universe. The attention is on the physical journey – drama, suspense, volume – rather than the internal one. His direction undercuts the writing. He seems to be over-familiar with Joseph’s original script, which is why most scenes look like they’re staged with an inherent idea of what lies ahead. This isn’t a story being told; it’s clearly a story being retold, with a preconceived tone that robs the film of both instinct and method.

The film is almost insecure of the fact that we know Vijay’s secret, so it keeps manufacturing fake tension. This is reflected in a deafening background score that insists on urgency when there is none by design. It is reflected in the one-note performances – especially by Shriya Saran who, as Nandini, mistakes acute anxiety for soap-opera-sized emotions. (Tabu is wasted in a role that prefers the notion of grief over grief itself; there’s also something about casting Rajat Kapoor as the film’s only noble character that just doesn’t sit right). It is reflected in the way Akshaye Khanna’s cop is introduced as a genius who likes playing chess with himself; it’s 2022 and we’re still doing chess metaphors to parade the intellect of fictional characters. It’s reflected in the way Goa retains no identity in the film except for the colourful-character trope.

It’s most reflected in Ajay Devgn’s passive interpretation of a man whose underwater churning is camouflaged by a serene exterior; minimalism is not the same as less acting. As a result, there is never a sense that Vijay is morally compromised despite his desperate actions over the years. On the contrary, the implication is that he is, as his name suggests, a ‘winner’ for gaming a system rigged against victims. A twist does not necessarily imply shrewd storytelling; it can also mean that a rigid film is unwilling to detect the flexibility of life. Drishyam 2 , then, becomes the cinematic equivalent of a person who would rather be admired than be seen. In doing so, it reduces image to visuals. And story to commercial success.

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Drishyam 2 Reviews

In comparison to other recent action and crime thrillers in Bollywood, the film definitely deserves appreciation for its ability to keep the spectator on the edge of their seat.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Jun 29, 2023

Although it's arguably a better movie than most Bollywood hits of 2022, Ajay Devgn's Drishyam 2 presents a version of masculinity that had almost gone out of fashion until the pandemic thrust Indian filmmaking back into the prehistoric age.

Full Review | Jan 20, 2023

It's a dependable remake of a movie sequel that didn't really need to be remade. Most people who don't know how Drishyam 2 ends will be impressed by the clever and very unexpected plot twist, which is not far-fetched but could actually work in real life.

Full Review | Dec 2, 2022

It would be nice to see Bollywood coming up with its own ideas instead of scrambling for inspiration from (the rest of India), but as remakes go, it is a joy to finally encounter a team that has favoured an adaptation rather than a thoughtless carbon copy

Full Review | Original Score: 3.25/5 | Nov 20, 2022

The same problems that weighed down its Hindi remake continue to plague the sequel as well.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Nov 19, 2022

The cinematic equivalent of the person who would rather be admired than seen...reducing images to visuals and story to commercial success.

Full Review | Nov 18, 2022

On the acting front, Ajay Devgn strides through Drishyam 2 with confidence. But Akshaye Khanna is a bundle of mannerisms.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Nov 18, 2022

Overall, Drishyam 2 dishes out plenty of twists and turns to keep you hooked throughout, just like its predecessor. And the story of the Salgaokars will continue to remain in public memory.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Nov 18, 2022

Ajay Devgn and Tabu-starrer ticks most of the boxes in the checklist of Bollywood audiences and makes for a great watch.

A lean, mean remake with a couple of welcome changes.