Dhadak 2 movie review: Siddhant Chaturvedi & Triptii Dimri’s Bold Take on Caste and Love: Powerful Message, But Lacks Clarity
Dhadak 2 movie review: The main issue with Dhadak 2 is that it takes too long to establish its goals.
Ankush Pandey
In two ways, Dhadak 2 reminded me of 3 Idiots. Yes, very different genres. But listen to me. First, when someone in 3 Idiots gives up on life, Siddhant Chaturvedi's character utters the exact same words as Aamir Khan's Rancho: "Yeh suicide nahi, murder tha."
This scene is also set up in a very similar fashion. Second, when the professor at Rancho's college raises his hands and asks, "Arre kehna kya chahte ho?" As you watch this movie, you keep getting that same emotion. I'll tell you why.
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Dhadak 2 is an adaptation, just like its predecessor. The first was based on the Marathi popular film Sairat from 2016. This is a remake of the 2018 Tamil movie Pariyerum Perumal. Shazia Iqbal, who directed the film, rarely deviates from the original.
The premise
Viddhi (Triptii Dimri) and Neelesh (Siddhant Chaturvedi) are law college students. He is from a lower caste, while she is from an upper one. She is drawn to him and initiates contact, but he is hesitant since he knows what can happen.
Her family humiliates him and is adamantly against the connection. She doesn't separate herself, but he does. What follows? Do they get back together, or do they have a fate as bleak as the first Dhadak's? To find out, you must watch.
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The primary issue with Dhadak 2 is its excessively long time to determine its purpose. And it finds it difficult to maintain consistency once it does. With nearly all of the attention on the love narrative, the first half drags.
Rahul Badwelkar and Shazia Iqbal's script makes a concerted effort to persuade us of the characters' relationship, but it never feels right. In a strange way, the first Dhadak, which starred Janhvi Kapoor and Ishaan Khatter, seemed more realistic in portraying the naivete of first love.
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How much conflict is too much conflict?
Dhadak 2 on the other hand has too much going on. A psychopathic killer targets young adults from lower castes who dare to date outside of their caste, and there is also caste warfare and a political subplot. You begin to question at one point how much conflict is too much. That being said, the picture ultimately finds its voice in the second half.
It eliminates the fabricated romanticism and highlights the central problem of caste prejudice. Neelesh responds. The strain increases. And the movie briefly gets interesting. Somewhere, there is also a topic about women's rights.
Dhadak 2's lack of editing undermines its potential. At least twenty minutes should have been cut by Omkar Uttam Sakpal and Sangeeth Varghese. At the climax, the impact wanes as the preachiness becomes too loud. Furthermore, the finale seems hurried and falls short of providing a satisfying resolution, even though it promises a better world.
Nevertheless, the film is commendable for its honest handling of challenging situations. The subject's gravity does occasionally seep through, and in certain scenes, the crowd even cheers.
How are the performances?
Siddhant Chaturvedi does a wonderful job as a young man who is stuck in a system of injustice but is still trying to find a way out. Triptii Dimri also plays a complicated part as a woman torn between her love for Neelesh and her family's strict morals.
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In the second half, however, Siddhant assumes the lead and bears the emotional burden as his character is driven to the limit. The adversary Saurabh Sachdeva and the college principal Zakir Hussain both stand out.
Rochak Kohli, Tanishk Bagchi, Javed Mohsin, and Shreyas Puranik's music could be enjoyable even if it doesn't contribute much to the plot. Ultimately, despite its strong message, Dhadak 2 struggles with its narrative.
When it does discuss caste, inequality, and systematic injustice, it strikes the correct chords. However, its lengthy runtime and erratic plot make it a burden. There could have been a lot of social drama in this. It instead contentedly accepts flashes of genius buried beneath a mountain of lost chances.
Dhadak 2 movie review
Cast: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Star rating: ★★.5
