Drushyam 2 Movie Review: This remake of 'Drishyam 2' is tight and edgy

Title: Drushyam 2

Cast: Venkatesh, Meena and others

Director: Jeethu Joseph

Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video

Run-time: 155 minutes

Rating: 3/5

Somewhere in the course of the film, we are told that the townspeople are not as benign towards Rambabu (Venkatesh) as they were six years ago when he covered up a crime in an incredible turn of events. There is a reason why Rambabu's neighbours in Rajavaram are not the same people. The believable reason is spelled out by a character and when the element is allowed to wither away without being milked for a thorough experience/commentary, one feels writer-director Jeethu Joseph could have done it better. It would not have added anything to the core plot, but doing so would have enriched the unapologetic drama thriller with a hefty layer. 

By now, everyone knows what all Rambabu did in 'Drushyam' (2014). Six years have passed. In 2020, Rambabu has acquired the supreme intelligence of a blessed and somewhat over-rated film script-writer. How? Probably because of adversity. But luck is favouring him and his family members as if he is Mahesh Babu and not Rambabu. He is able to pull off many things like a hardened 'kapatadhaari' rather than a creative movie buff who has to save his wife (Meena as Jyothi) and daughter (Kruthika Jayakumar as Anju) at all costs.

Despite the laboured nature of the scheming tactics Rambabu deploys, 'Drushyam 2' doesn't come across as an inferior thriller. The final act features cops (Sampath Raj and Vinay Verma do a decent job), traumatized parents (Nadhiya and VK Naresh look somewhat tired), a filmmaker (Tanikella Bharani) and a courtroom scene (featuring Poorna in the role of a lawyer). 

The casting is underwhelming, barring the top players. Chammak Chandra and Satyam Rajesh are unconvincing as Rambabu's friend and neighbour, respectively.  The dialogues could have been more supple; while using the Telugu term for 'inferiority complex' is commendable, it doesn't hit the bull's eye. One can appreciate the plot better if the focus is on terms like 'systemic negligence' and 'classic criminal'. 

The conversations between the townspeople feel either staged or bland or both. The conversations between the family members are convincing when they are tense.

The track involving an ex-criminal is strained, with the luck factor overflowing from this one segment being overdone. A boy runs a high fever just at the right time. If the proceedings don't seem artificial to a fault, it is because the final act is awesomely done. 

Anup Rubens' music is sincere, with the montage song in the first half helping us relate to the tormented characters better. Satheesh Kurup's cinematography is adequate. 

Watch Drushyam 2 trailer below: