Make way for new action hero
FILM: Baaghi 2
CAST: Tiger Shroff, Disha Patani, Manoj Bajpayee, Randeep Hooda, Prateik Babbar, Deepak Dobriyal, Darshan Kumar, Sunit Mararjee, Grandmaster Shifuji Shaurya Bharadwaj
DIRECTOR: Ahmed Khan RATING:
The Sajid Nadiadwala produced Baaghi that showcased Tiger Shroff ’s ‘Stunt’ed capabilities made a fair bit of moolah at the box office so it was expected that the makers would try for a part deux. While there’s no continuation from the first happening in the storyline here, we have Tiger Shroff teaming up with choreographer/director Ahmed Khan and producers Nadiadwala Grandsons, in an effort to double up on that winning hand.
In Baaghi 2, Tiger is a battle-hardened army officer Ranveer Pratap Singh aka Ronnie, who squares off against drug lords and Russian henchmen to save his ex-lover Neha’s (Disha Patani) kidnapped daughter, in the underbelly of Goa, India. Soon after we see Neha brutally assaulted by masked men we are introduced to Ronnie, super-patriotic nationalistic special-ops Army officer in Kashmir.
Retribution and vengeance appear to be the driving force here. There’s nothing rebellious about this renewed effort – instead, we have a cantankerous muscle-bound hero who broods on endlessly and takes umbrage at the slightest provocation. That’s reason enough for his quick-silver reflexes and pulverising portent to be exhibited in full glory here.
Ronnie is a wall-breaker – formidable foes and experienced naysayers are unlikely to stop him in his
tracks. He is up against a dangerous junkie (Prateik Babbar), cop in disguise (Randeep Hooda) and several other vicious antagonists who give him umpteen reasons to unleash his own lethality.
He is supposedly nursing a broken heart and when his ex-flame seeks him out in order to rescue her daughter from the clutches of dare-devil assailants, he is already on it. Needless to say, the man is indefatigable and cannot be vanquished. The narrative literally runs amok going all guns blazing, in a slew of action routines that stun the senses.
Bomb explosions, highspeed pursuits, aerial strikes and elaborately designed fight sequences come at you with unending furore. Beautifully mounted and effectively orchestrated they may be, but the satisfaction garnered from all that firepower is sadly limited.
Neither Ronnie nor his ex is able to draw us into their plight. The director is also not much interested in lending depth to his characters or making their story feasible or realistic.
The film is designed as a full-on furious knock-out without any nuance or subtlety in the telling. The resemblance to Telugu Actioner Kshanam is pretty much obvious too. Jacqueline Fernandez’ rejig of Madhuri Dixit’s iconic steps in the Ek Do teen ditty is a pale, sorry imitation of the real thing. Disha Patani doesn’t have much to do other than look good and distressed.
Manoj Bajpayee as a DIG is wasted in a thankless role while Hooda and Prateik Babbar look threatening enough but prove to be paper tigers in the long run. Tiger’s expressions don’t vary beyond that of an enfant terrible – while his athleticism and live-wire movements are entirely appreciable.
Dialogues are pitiably pithy as is wont in mainstream excesses. Meaningless songs and dances only add bloat to experience here. While the stunts look pretty good and lend credibility to Tiger’s appropriation of the ‘action star’ status, they fail to keep us engaged and enthused.
Tiger is definitely playing to his strengths and for that measly take-away, we must be grateful, I guess!